Hailey Harris, Washington

Spring was a successful season for softball in Beaufort County. Junior pitcher Hailey Harris played an important role in Washington’s best season to date. After graduating Haley Hutchins from last year’s squad, the Lady Pack knew they had a void in the pitching department.

Harris made sure the girls didn’t miss a beat. She compiled an 18-8 record with a 2.10 ERA, shutting out seven opponents and pitching three no hitters. Her excellence earned her 2-A Eastern Plains Conference softball player of the year. It also helped lead the Lady Pack to the 2-A regional championship.

Harris’ return next year highlights what should be another exciting season for Washington softball.

 

Mackensi Swain, Northside

Northside followed up its exceptional 2015 campaign by rolling through the regular season and right into the fourth round of the 1-A state playoffs this year. Mackensi Swain — who is now college bound to play softball at Lenoir-Rhyne — was a key component in all of that.

Swain led the team with a .512 batting average and 37 runs scored. Her 24 RBI were second only to junior Rachel Lang. Swain was powerful at the plate, collecting an astounding 23 extra-base hits, and was as reliable a third baseman as a coach could hope for.

Northside softball fans may remember Swain’s grand slam at South Creek in the second round of the playoffs as a highlight of her senior campaign and the season as a whole.

 

Symone Ruffin, Southside

Symone Ruffin continues to be one of the most promising young athletes in the entire county. While Southside’s girls’ basketball and softball teams may have struggled this season, she was important to the success they did find.

Ruffin, only a sophomore, led the Lady Seahawks in a lot of ways. Her 13.4 points per game, 5.6 steals per game and 1.5 blocks per game each topped the girls’ basketball team. In softball, she led the way with a .431 batting average and 19 RBI.

She burst onto the scene as a freshman last year. While Ruffin is young, the experience made her a valuable leader at Southside, too.

 

Rachel Lang, Northside

Rachel Lang was vital to three different teams over the course of the 2015-16 season. She helped spearhead playoff runs by Northside’s volleyball, basketball and softball teams.

Her height made her key to the Lady Panthers in volleyball and basketball. The volleyball team finished the season with a 10-6 record, losing in the first round of the playoffs. Her 10.7 points per game and team-best 3.8 rebounds a game helped Northside reach the postseason in basketball.

While the volleyball and basketball teams didn’t find much success beyond the regular season, the softball team advanced all the way to the fourth round. Lang quarterbacked the team’s defense as its pitcher and was also an offensive threat at the plate. She posted a 2.70 ERA with three shutouts and a 16-4 record. Her 27 RBI tops the Lady Panthers and her .459 batting average trailed only Swain.