Rockmart’s Teems repeats at RN-T POTY
♦ Other Lady Jackets and Cedartown players named to All-Area team
While the calendar may have just turned from 2020 to 2021, we look back on the best of the area’s varsity softball as the Rome News- Tribune presents the All-Area Softball Team, and a familiar face returns for Player of the Year.
Leading the Rockmart Lady Jackets to a runner- up finish in Class AAA, Alexis Teems is the Rome News-Tribune All- Area Softball Player of the Year. This is her second consecutive year as Player of the Year.
The senior, signed to Reinhardt University, hit an astounding .582 in 79 at bats, up .011 from her 2019 numbers. She recorded 46 hits with seven doubles, three triples, 20 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.
Rockmart, which played its first season in Region 6-AAA, saw Teems recognized with first- team all- region and all-state honors. Rockmart finished runner- up to the Ringgold Lady Tigers at the state tournament in Columbus, but other Lady Jackets helped paved the way for an incredible season.
Joining Teems on the first team is senior ace Emilee Register. Register dominated the mound, earning 12-3 record with a 1.88 ERA. In 89 1/ 3 innings pitched, Register allowed 74 hits and 31 walks while striking out 90 batters.
Register was also effective with her bat, smacking .353 with 18 hits, four doubles and 13 RBIs.
Junior Gracey Arnold joins her senior teammates on the first team, hitting .400 with 30 hits. Of those 30 hits, three were doubles, one a triple and five home runs. She recorded 28 RBIs and stole nine bases.
Arnold also saw significant time in the circle, pitching 48 1/3 innings while going 5-3 with a 2.75 ERA.
Rockmart Lady Jackets head coach Steve Luke is the 2020 All-Area Softball Coach of the Year. Guiding his team to the Class AAA state championship, Luke oversaw a 28-11 record, including a 16-7 regular-season mark and 12-4 in Region 6-AAA competition.
The area featured a vast wealth of skill and talent. Here is the rest of the All-Area first team, organized alphabetically by last name.
Marycille Brumby, Cedartown, Jr.
Cedartown junior Marycille Brumby led her team with a remarkable .495 batting average. In 35 games, Brumby recorded 55 hits with six home runs and 39 RBIs while scoring 42 runs. She struck out on just six occasions.
Cassie Covington, Rome, Jr.
Rome junior Cassie Covington batted .471 to lead the Lady Wolves in 2020. She recorded 32 hits, one home run and 10 RBIs. She also had a .921 defensive fielding percentage.
Emma Howard, Chattooga, Jr.
Chattooga junior Emma Howard played both third base and pitcher this year. Howard picked up a .390 average with 25 hits, three home runs and 26 RBIs. Pitching-wise, she completed the year with a 2.50 ERA while earning a 5-2 record.
Chloe Jones, Pepperell, Jr.
Chloe Jones served as the Pepperell Lady Dragons ace through 2020 and she proved to be a tough customer to face. Racking up 11 wins to two losses, she held a 1.36 ERA with 22 walks and 87 strikeouts. She conceded 60 hits and 29 runs (14 earned runs). Jones also swung the bat effectively, holding down a .285 average with 13 singles, four doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs. Jones, along with two other teammates on the first team, were a big reason why the Lady Dragons won 11 games in a row from Aug. 14-Oct. 5.
Iziah McCutchins, Trion, Fr.
Trion’s Iziah McCutchins burst onto the varsity softball
scene, smacking a noteworthy .425 at the plate with 27 hits, five extra base hits, 20 RBIs, 14 walks and 11 stolen bases. McCutchins impressed her freshman year, so with three years to play, it will be interesting to see how she elevates her game.
Jenna Mosley, Trion, Jr.
Trion junior Jenna Mosley, a University of Tennessee commit, would hit .371 with 28 hits, 10 of those being extra base hits. She picked up 15 RBIs, walked 17 times and stole 24 bases.
Alexas Poole, Cedartown, Sr.
Cedartown senior Alexas Poole finished out her varsity career on a strong note. As Cedartown reached the Elite 8, Poole connected at the plate for a .425 batting average. She notched 43 hits, launched 10 homers with 36 RBIs and crossed home plate on 32 occasions. She struck out nine times.
Jolie Splendore, Pepperell, So.
Jolie Splendore is just one example of the young talent on the Pepperell Lady Dragons roster. In the batter’s box, Splendore recorded a .417 batting average with 13 singles, 10 doubles, one triple and one home run. She
stole 20 bases and scored 24 runs, both of which led the team. She also had 12 RBIs in 2020.
Katie Williams, Chattooga, Jr.
Chattooga junior Katie Williams could be regularly seen in the outfield. She led the Lady Indians in batting average at .421, with 27 hits, 16 walks, 10 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Morgan Willingham, Pepperell, So.
Pepperell’s sophomore catcher Morgan Willingham was a force both behind and at the plate. Voted Region 7-AA’s Player of the Year, she boasted a .493 batting average and batted in 27 runs, both region leaders. In 69 at bats, Willingham belted 21 singles, eight doubles, two triples and four home runs.
Clara Wyatt, Chattooga, Jr.
Chattooga junior Clara Wyatt dazzled as her team’s ace this season, helping to guide the team to a 17-6 record, a second-place finish in Region 7-AA and a Sweet 16 appearance. She earned the moniker of Region 7-AA Pitcher of the Year, going 12-3 with a 1.40 ERA. In 95 innings pitched, Wyatt gave up 63 hits, but conceded just
10 walks while striking out 111 batters.
Wyatt doesn’t just impress on the mound. She hit .408 with 19 hits and 14 RBIs in 50 at bats.
Second Team
Roslyn Blankenship, Cedartown, Jr.
Jacey Blanton, Pepperell, Sr.
Claire Chamberlain, Model Abi Curry, Rome, Sr. Izzy Espy, Armuchee, So. Madison Ingram, Coosa, Jr. Abby Jacobs, Coosa, Soph. Ransley Lawrence, Trion, So.
Emily Lucas, Coosa, So. MacKenzie McNitt, Rome, Sr.
Caitlyn O’Guin, Model Chloe Stroud, Pepperell, Fr.
Gracelyn Veitch, Chattooga, Sr.
Emma White, Chattooga, Sr.
Honorable Mention
Armuchee: Emily McBurnett, Jamison Powell; Chattooga: Ally Croy, Ramsey Elrod, Ella Hurley; Coosa: Shelby Nutter, Emma Payne; Model: Katie Johnston, Hannah Reynolds; Pepperell: Ansley Farmer, Caroline Morgan; Rockmart: Analee Morris, Zori Williams; Rome: Maci Andrews, Riley Jenkins; Trion: Bailey Smith, Linzie Thompson.