Area players receive state, region honors to start 2017

The Georgia Athletics Coaches Association releases its all-state teams.

The 2016 softball season may be in the books, but recognition is still being given to some of the area’s top players as 2017 gets started.

The Georgia Athletics Coaches Association recently released its allstate teams for all eight classifications, while the coaches of Region 7-AA announced its all-region teams for this past season as well.

Rockmart’s Cambree Stanley and Emily Loveless were named to the GACA Class AA All-State first team. The Rome News-Tribune 2016 Co-players of the Year were also voted the top players in Region 7-AA, as Stanley was named 7-AA Player of the Year and Loveless the 7-AA Pitcher of the Year.

Lady Jacket catcher Caroline Conring was named to the GACA Class AA second team, while Darlington outfielder Sydney Semour was placed on the Class A Private All-State second team.

Class A Public All-State selections included Trion’s Shayla Youngblood (first team) and Kiki Evans (second team), and Cedartown pitcher Ava Tillmann was named to the Class 4A All-State second team.

Pepperell and Armuchee each placed three players on the Region 7-AA All-Region first team — Josie McGraw, Daylee McGraw and Sydnie Edwards for the Lady Dragons, and Savannah Poole, Livia Skinner and Erin Carney for the Lady Indians.