Honors abound

The fruitful season that was the 2018 softball season has bore plenty of individual award for several Evangeline Parish players, as a number of ladies of the diamond were honored with recognition to their respective all-district teams.
Starting in Class 3A, the Pine Prairie Lady Panthers busted loose for an overall record of 33-5, the state runner-up trophy and a District 5-3A title. Because of that, a plethora of all-district honors fell on quite a few individuals off of that team.
Earning the District MVP title was pitcher Karli Ortego. The senior hurler threw in 25 games, winning 22 of those contests and held opponents to 30 earned runs, while striking out 202 batters faced on the season and walking only eight.
Also making the first team list were first baseman Kailey Soileau, second baseman Maycie Hardy, third baseman Jacie McFarlain, outfielder Tori Johnson and utility player Abby Fontenot.
Soileau hit .347 on the year, producing 31 RBI and scoring 30 runs. Hardy finished the year batting .472 with 34 RBI and 22 stolen bases. McFarlain led the team with an overall average of .527, hitting 10 home runs, driving in 47 runs and scoring 54 times.
Johnson, a senior, hit .517, including 12 doubles as she drove in 47 runs and stole 20 bases. Fontenot hit .355 on the year while hitting six home runs and producing 32 RBI.
Making the second team for the Lady Panthers were pitcher Brianna Wall, catcher Kaitlin Robinson, short stop Allie Fontenot and outfielder Asia George. The lone honorable mention selection was Sydia King.
The Mamou Lady Demons finished with an overall record of 19-14 with a district record of 7-7 and a regional round appearance in the post-season. The Lady Demons produced two first team players and several second team and honorable mention athletes.
Named to the first team were pitcher Dacia Richard and utility player Madison Fontenot.
Richard completed the season with an overall record of 12-11, working 148 innings on the mound as she struck out 97 batters, walked 36 and ended with a 3.54 ERA.
Fontenot batted .355 on the year, hitting two home runs, three triples and 12 doubles. Fontenot also drove in 28 runs and was a perfect 18 of 18 in stolen bases.
Second team players for the Lady Demons included first baseman Sydney Bruney, outfielder Teralyn Fontenot, and utility players Taylor Douget and Angel Menier.
Honorable mention selections included Sophia Fritz, Emily Soileau, Kaitee Bertrand and Tierane Thomas.
Sacred Heart earned a quarterfinal appearance after a 13-13 regular season and a 2-3 district campaign.
Acquiring first team all-district honors were third baseman Emilyse Bergeron and outfielder Camille Soileau. Bergeron knocked around the softball to the tune of a .362 average as she drove in 12 runs in 58 plate appearances and scored 14 times. Soileau was a co-leader in average, hitting .375 on the year, producing 12 RBI and scoring 16 times.
Second team choices for the Lady Trojans included Olivia Hernandez, Karli Fontenot and Natalie LeBas, while Tobie Landry, Aubrey Foret and Sydnie Soileau were honorable mention nominees.
The Ville Platte Lady Bulldogs found themselves only two spots out of the Class 2A playoffs after going 3-14 on the year; a huge accomplishment for a such a young ball club.
The Lady Bulldogs, competing in one of the toughest districts in the state had two second team players, Loghan Frank and Kenderlyn Doucet while Hanna Monier and Whitney Ledoux were honorable mention.