EDN BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ALL-DEFENSE: Meet the nominees for baseball and softball

Aug. 20—Below is the 2023 Effingham Daily News Baseball and Softball All-Defensive Team.

Players are nominated by their coaches.

BASEBALL

PITCHER: Mason Robinson, Altamont

"He is that kid that was the best at every position you put him in." — Altamont head coach Alan Whitt

CATCHER: Myles Maxedon, Effingham

"Starting the season at second base, Myles made the switch to catcher a few weeks into the season. The work he did throughout the season and the way he handled our pitching staff is another reason why he had the success we did in the postseason. He was able to give our staff the confidence needed to be successful." — Effingham head coach Curran McNeely

CATCHER: Gage Reynolds, Newton

"One of the top catchers around throwing out a lot of baserunners, Gage is also a great blocker and leader on the field." — Newton head coach Jason Fulton

CATCHER: Connor Roepke, Effingham (St. Anthony)

"Connor has been our team's steadfast leader since becoming our starting catcher. His work ethic is second to none. He is a very coachable player that is always willing to learn." — St. Anthony head coach Tony Kreke

CATCHER: Nathan Stuemke, Altamont

"Not only does he know how to frame and block, but he can call pitches with the best of them." — Altamont head coach Alan Whitt

INFIELD: Will Hoene, Effingham (St. Anthony)

"Will solidified our infield with his first base skills, especially when he came back from injury halfway through the season. If you want to improve infield play, you must have a great first baseman and he was definitely that for us." — St. Anthony head coach Tony Kreke

INFIELD: Carder Reich, Newton

"Carder was a steady presence in the middle of our infield. Sure hands and a great arm led to a lot of quality outs." — Newton head coach Jason Fulton

INFIELD: Evan Waymoth, Effingham

"Evan stepped up big for us this past season when we had injuries. He accepted the challenge in moving from first to third base and became one of our best fielders." — Effingham head coach Curran McNeely

OUTFIELD: Beau Adams, Effingham (St. Anthony)

Adams earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Baseball Defensive Player of the Year. "Beau was the EDN Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. His speed in the outfield can impact every game he is a part of. His arm strength has improved and you pair that with his experience in the outfield and that makes for a great outfielder." — St. Anthony head coach Tony Kreke

OUTFIELD: Quest Hull, Effingham

"Quest was a three-year starter in the outfield for us. He played center field the last two seasons and did an excellent job taking charge of the outfielders and ensuring we were set defensively." — Effingham head coach Curran McNeely

OUTFIELD: Brock Jansen, Effingham (St. Anthony)

"Brock made a move from infielder to an outfielder his junior year. That shows how unselfish he was as a teammate. He also fielded his position well on the mound, as he threw 45 innings for us." — St. Anthony head coach Tony Kreke

OUTFIELD: Kaden Koeberlein, Effingham

"Only a sophomore but one of our best outfielders this past season. Kaden is great at getting a good jump on fly balls and taking good angles, which allows him to cover a lot of ground in the outfield." — Effingham head coach Curran McNeely

OUTFIELD: Aiden Lauritzen, Effingham (St. Anthony)

"Aiden's outfield play saved quite a few games for us this past spring. He is always willing to put his body on the line for his teammates. His fly ball reads and strong arm makes for a strong outfielder." — St. Anthony head coach Tony Kreke

OUTFIELD: Owen Mahaffey, Newton

"Owen was a huge presence in centerfield. Having great speed and a great glove, not too many balls dropped when he was out there." — Newton head coach Jason Fulton

OUTFIELD: Nathan Shepard, Altamont

"Fastest centerfield I have ever had and also had the best range of anybody." — Altamont head coach Alan Whitt

SOFTBALL

PITCHER: Lucy Fearday, St. Anthony

Fearday earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Softball Pitcher of the Year. "Lucy did a great job in the circle for her final year. She attacked the bunts and slaps whenever there was an opportunity and kept the other teams 'small-ball' limited." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

CATCHER: Erin Althoff, Teutopolis

"Erin was a key asset to us behind the plate. Not only did she block and frame well, but she also could quickly jump out on a bunted ball or make a great play on a foul ball in her territory. This, along with her strong arm and many pick-offs and caught stealings, is what made her an excellent defender for our team." — Teutopolis head coach Crystal Tipton

CATCHER: Mya Harvey, Effingham

"Mya Harvey made great improvements in her hitting, which probably overshadowed the great job she did behind the plate. She did a great job blocking pitches in the dirt and helped keep the running game in check. — Effingham head coach Jerry Trigg

CATCHER: Hailey Niebrugge, St. Anthony

"Hailey was huge for us this year. With playing a big role in becoming our main catcher, she did outstanding and grew as a player, becoming a leader for us. She led the team with knowing what to do with the next play and kept everyone in the game." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

OUTFIELD: Ella Kinkelaar, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg

"Ella makes great reads on the ball and is very instinctive in the outfield." — W/SS head coach Craig Moffett

INFIELD: Sidney Donaldson, Effingham

"Sidney has been a great asset for us playing first base. She is very athletic and plays with great anticipation. She does way more for us than just catching the ball with her foot on the base; she is always looking to make another potential play." — Effingham head coach Jerry Trigg

INFIELD: Emily Konkel, Teutopolis

"Emily was a top-notch shortstop for us, covering a ton of ground to make plays that many other shortstops would be unable to make. She was also a very smart shortstop on knowing where the ball should go and being vocal to her team." — Teutopolis head coach Crystal Tipton

INFIELD: Camryn Martin, Newton

"Camryn Martin is a gamer with great softball I.Q. Whether I have her in the outfield or the infield, she has a great first-step reaction, covers a lot of ground and has an amazing glove, as she is the most consistent defender for our team." — Newton head coach Sara Beam

INFIELD: Kaylee Niebrugge, Teutopolis

"Kaylee was outstanding for us at first base and kept us in many games by jumping or reaching to snag a ball or digging a ball in the dirt. She also threatened runners when the ball was in her hand with her quick and smart throws to keep runners close." — Teutopolis head coach Crystal Tipton

INFIELD: Addy O'Dell, Newton

"Addy O'Dell is an amazing athlete that spends most of the year working on her game and goes all out for every play. She uses her speed, quickness and strong arm to make big plays for her team every game." — Newton head coach Sara Beam

INFIELD: Cameran Rios, Effingham

Rios earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Softball Player of the Year. "Cameran has been a staple in the infield for us throughout high school. She is ultra-aggressive and has made incredible plays throughout her career diving and going the extra mile always." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

INFIELD: Addie Wernsing, St. Anthony

Wernsing earned the 2023 Effingham Daily News Softball Defensive Player of the Year. "Addie was a reliable defender for us this year at second base. She made big plays when we needed her, especially in the postseason run." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

OUTFIELD: Abbi Hatton, St. Anthony

"Abbi found her place in the outfield this year. She showed off her great arm this past season that kept multiple runners at bay and put extra effort in whenever there was a situation to dive." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

OUTFIELD: Jennifer Jamison, Effingham

"Jennifer Jamison had the best fielding percentage and led the outfield in most runners thrown out by an outfielder. She covers a lot of territory and made several great catches on the run in either gap to get key outs and save runs." — Effingham head coach Jerry Trigg

OUTFIELD: Adysen Rios, St. Anthony

"Adysen's athleticism is unmatched and saved multiple big plays for the opposition. Adysen can be put in any position and make magic happen." — St. Anthony head coach Makayla Taylor

Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.