The 2011 softball season was one of the most competitive in recent memory as nearly every area team had a shot to win their respective conference as the regular season wound down.
With Jamesville and Williamston merging to form Riverside, and Bear Grass and Roanoke combining to create South Creek, it was expected that both newly formed schools would be softball powers. They did not disappoint. Riverside went on to win the talent-packed Four Rivers Conference, only to be no-hit by South Creek in the District Round of the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs.
Southside, led by two-time WDN Pitcher of the Year Savannah Mumford and WDN Coach of the Year John Lohman, produced another great season as they finished second in the Four Rivers and made it all the way to the District round of the postseason.
The always feisty Northside Panthers made some noise this year en route to making it to the second round of the playoffs, while Plymouth, who did not make the playoffs, took a huge step up this season and likely would have made the postseason had it played in any other conference.
WDN Position Player of the Year Justyce McKissick led the Pam Pack to a solid season as the team finished third the Coastal Conference and won a playoff game before being bounced from the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs by eventual state champs D.H. Conley.
With so much talent to chose from, making this year’s WDN All-Area team was extraordinarily tough, with the hardest decisions coming at catcher and third base where seemingly every area team had a first-team worthy player. With that in mind, this year’s all-area team might be the one of the most talented ever made as it includes great pitching, power hitters who can run and true talent at each position.

PITCHERS
Lilyann Arnold, Northside
Seemingly capable of throwing any pitch on any count, Northside ace Lilyann Arnold baffled hitters this year to earn her second straight WDN first-team appearance. The senior led the Panthers to a 12-9 record in a very tough Four Rivers Conference and guided them to an NCHSAA 1-A playoff victory to wrap up her stellar prep career.

Lauren Sitterson, South Creek
The future looks bright in South Creek as freshman Lauren Sitterson took the area by storm in her rookie campaign. Sitterson led the Cougars to an 18-8 record and threw a no-hitter against Four Rivers Conference champions Riverside to lock up a District title. Sitterson finished the year with an 11-6 record and a 1.67 ERA and was downright nasty in the postseason as she allowed a mere four runs in 27 innings while striking out 46 batters.

Caroline Tetterton, Riverside
A real quality pitcher, Caroline Tetterton was the staff ace on a Riverside team that managed to win the highly competitive Four Rivers Conference. Tetterton led the Knights to a 19-7 record and could be counted on to deliver a gem every time she stepped in the circle.

INFIELDERS
CATCHER
Kim Mobley,
South Creek
The Cougars sensational season was built largely on the back of catcher Kim Mobley. The rising junior was a force in the middle of the South Creek lineup as she led the team with a .384 batting average and 32 hits. Mobley was also a huge factor on defense as she did a nice job handling the pitching staff while gunning down 17 of the 21 runners who attempted to steal on here.

FIRST BASE
Marlin Edwards, Southside
A very good overall player, Marlin Edwards’ presence went a long way to helping the Seahawks finished second in the Four Rivers Conference with a 20-5 record. Edwards, Southside’s cleanup hitter, does a nice job in RBI situations on offense, while on defense she provided a good target for the Seahawks’ infield.

SECOND BASE
Kristi Wood,
Washington
A great top of the order hitter, Kristy Wood, a lefty, brought a great blend of speed and hitting ability to the Washington lineup. Woods, who could slap and bunt, was second on her team in hitting with a .338 average and was always a threat to steal once she got on. A four-year starter, Wood also made a big impact on the field where her range kept a lot of well-hit balls from being base hits.

THIRD BASE
Caroline Slade, Northside
Equipped with great defensive instincts and a strong arm, Caroline Slade was capable of shutting down other team’s bunt game while also being quick enough to snare line drives should they come her way. A two-time WDN first-teamer, Slade also brought a fierce stick to the Northside lineup and had the speed to turn singles into doubles and doubles into triples.

SHORTSTOP
Chris Morris,
Southside
Playing in her first year at Southside, senior transfer Chris Morris fit right in with the Seahawks as she hit .378 this season. Morris was also a great addition in the field as she showed tremendous range at her shortstop position and the arm to complete the plays.

OUTFIELD
Dasia Moore,
Riverside
Perhaps the most talented player in the area, Riverside center fielder Dasia Moore can do it all. A true five-tool player, Moore can run, throw, hit for power and average and has a fantastic glove. Bringing a great mix of speed and power to the leadoff spot, Moore, who led her team in home runs, has a very Rickey Henderson-type impact on every game

Morgan Bryant, Washington
An extremely solid all-around softball player, Washington’s Morgan Bryant batted .313 in the cleanup spot and led the team in doubles (6) and triples (3) and hit one home run. In the field, the junior showed a tremendously consistent glove and good speed to track down balls. Bryant also threw out a combined five runners at third and home plate.

Hannah Bowen, Northside
After recovering from back surgery her freshman season, Hannah Bowen battled back and finished her prep career with an outstanding season as she hit .415 for Northside. The resilient Bowen was a steady presence in the field and at the plate for the Panthers this year and a vital part of their playoff run.

DH
Savannah Mumford, Southside
It’s often overlooked because of her tremendous pitching ability, but Savannah Mumford is a fantastic hitter and a real weapon at the top of the Seahawks’ order. Mumford led Southside with .463 batting average and was a menace on the base paths as she stole nearly two bases a game to record a team-high 45 steals.

SECOND TEAM
PITCHERS
Brandi Hardison, Washington
Brooke Gurganus, Plymouth
Morgan Boyd, Terra Ceia

INFIELD
CATCHER
Jenna Payne, Northside

FIRST BASE
Kellen Edwards, Riverside

SECOND BASE
Sondra Sparks, Southside

THIRD BASE
Macy Paramore, Southside

SHORTSTOP
Megan Kelly, Plymouth

OUTFIELD
Ashley Mobley, Riverside
Bailey Hobbs, Southside
Madison Brandon, Riverside

DH
Courtney Wynn, Riverside

HONORABLE
MENTION
NORTHSIDE
Jordan Woolard
Britney Alligood
Daniel Oliver
Sara Credle
Rachel Hollowell

PLYMOUTH
Makayla Mizzell
Desire Davis
Makenzie Mizzell

RIVERSIDE
Rachel Baker
Joanna Askew
Peri Ange
Sam Lilley

SOUTH CREEK
Taylor Johnson
Lauren Ward
Sara Mosley
Krista Silverthorne
Kaitlyn Sitterson
Victoria VanNortwick

SOUTHSIDE
Katy Laughinghouse
Valerie Hodges
Morgan Harding
Megan Smith

TERRA CEIA
Katie Jackson
Hollie McDonald
Natalie Grissom
Kennedy Dail

WASHINGTON
Shakeria Lomax
Sydney Gurkin
Caroline Smith
Katelyn Rowe