20 to Watch: Here are some of the top softball players in Rockford area to keep an eye on

With nice weather coming out of the gates, the 2024 spring softball season got off to a fast start earlier this month.

And with a lot of solid softball to watch, it quickly became obvious that there is a ton of talent on the softball diamonds of the Rockford area once again.

This is a strong area for softball, and it's already showing this early in the season.

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"We're sort of rebuilding, maybe, and that's not an easy thing to do around here," Hononegah head softall coach Dennis McKinney said. "There are a lot of good teams, and we're still feeling our way around. But I'm excited about this group and what they may be able to do."

Last year was highlighted by Hononegah's 18-0 run through the NIC-10, Harlem's bolt to the 4A sectional semis, and a whole bunch of individual talent rising to the top all across the region.

Harlem pitcher Alaina Schwanke earned last year's Rockford Register Star reader's poll Player of the Year, while Forreston's Rylee Broshous won the Rockford Register Star Player of the Year award. Broshous graduated, but Schwanke, and a whole lot more, is back looking to lead the area softball stars to bigger and better things.

And now, it's time for some of those same faces to shine, and for some new names to step it up. As we get set for it all, here are 20 softball stars to be watching out for this season (in alphabetical order):

Aubrey Burbach, Harlem

This is Harlem's junior catcher, and she is already poised beyond her years behind the plate, and she handles a pitching staff extremely well. She can also hit, going off on a .496 clip last year.

Izzy Burd, Winnebago

This is one of the top third basemen in the Rockford area, and Burd has a cannon for an arm, and she can hit anything. Last year she broke the school record with 11 home runs and she batted just over .420.

Adrianne Baker, Warren/Stockton

As a freshman shortstop, Baker hit .607, which was 22nd best in the entire state last year. She also pounded an impressive 21 runs and had 20 RBIs for a team that won 16 games.

Cami Carter, North Boone

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Now a senior, Carter led the entire area and set a school record with 253 strikeouts on the mound last year, and she also set school records with 21 wins, a 1.63 ERA, as well as 11 home runs and 65 RBIs with her bat. Carter, named a first-team all-stater in Class 2A, also hit .578.

McKenzie Culvey, Belvidere North

This middle infielder has really turned into a leader, and a star, on this Blue Thunder team. Culvey hit .490 last year with 35 runs scored.

Reese Erdahl, Winnebago

One of the top outfielders in the area, Erdahl hit . 430 last season, and she will be an even tougher out as a senior this year.

Ella Ingram, Forreston

Now a senior first baseman, Ingram will be called upon to be a leader after Forreston graduated six senior leaders from last year's team. Ingram's first home run came two years ago in walkoff fashion in super-sectionals, and she's been going yard ever since.

Dani Franz, Hononegah

This senior catcher handled Hononegah's constant rotation of pitchers last season, and she also hit 10 home runs, tops in the NIC-10, while batting .429 with 34 RBIs. She was second-team all state in Class 4A after having zero errors in 229 total chances and catching six runners stealing while picking six more off.

Danielle Goodman, North Boone

Goodman was second-team All-State at 1A last year, and she smacked four homers while handling herself like a pro behind the plate as a catcher. Goodman and Carter make a very impressive battery.

Megan Holder, Orangeville

As a junior Holder hit .438 and was named to the ICA's first-team 1A All-State team. She also had 14 stolen bases and had only four errors all season at shortstop.

Alyssa Lowery, Auburn

Lowery made third team All-State at the 4A level after going 12-6 on the mound for Auburn. She had 127 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings, and also hit .319 at the plate.

Kailen Pro, Freeport

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Pro was solid in the field and at the plate as a junior, hitting .545, and she should be a very tough out this year. She was the only local to make it to either the Class 3A or 4A ICA first-team all-state lists last year.

Alaina Schwanke, Harlem

Schwanke led the NIC-10 with 168 strikeouts last season and she had a 0.96 ERA to go along with a 14-6 record. At the plate, she hit .492 with three homers and 31 RBIs.

Rachael Setterstrom, Lena-Winslow

As a sophomore last year, Setterstrom hit .482 last year with 22 RBIs, 48 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. She'll be leading off and playing center this year for Le-Win, and the two-time All-Stater will provide a spark.

Sami Spangler, Lutheran

Spangler was hitting .691 with four doubles after Lutheran's first five games this season, and the junior will be one of the reasons why the Crusaders will be much better than their one-win stretch last season. She catches and pitches, but can play any position.

Viola Smith, Jefferson

Now a junior, Smith hit .595 with eight homers and 27 RBIs last year. She was a bright spot on a Jefferson team that only won two games.

Cheyenna Wilkins, Polo

This junior left-handed pitcher was nearly unhittable when she was on last year, so she could be even tougher this year — and next. And she was already hitting .529 with five doubles through four games this season.

Amiyah Wyrick, Guilford

She burst onto the scene as a sophomore, but she won't sneak up on anybody this year. Wyrick is one of the NIC-10's best hitters, and can hit for average and power. She hit .603 on the season with 13 doubles last year.

Jenna Yakey, Belvidere North

This junior will play middle infield for the Blue Thunder this year, and while both the Yakey twins hit around the .300 mark last season while at Auburn, they are both expected to shine at North this year. Their big sister Jaylen Yakey led Auburn with a .440 batting average last year, and their father Jason Yakey is now the Blue Thunder head coach.

Josie Yakey, Belvidere North

Jenna's junior twin will play several spots in the outfield for the Blue Thunder this year, and she should be a good one. She is also going to be looked upon to be a key hitter for North this year.

Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years altogether.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Here are 20 of the top softball players in the Rockford area