First ever Marion County Middle School Softball All-County Team announced
May 10—FAIRMONT — On Wednesday afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field, the coaches of Marion County's middle school softball teams named their first-ever all-county team.
The inaugural Marion County Middle School Softball All-County Team is comprised of East Fairmont's Lily McClain, Ella Vincent, Reese Van Zant, and Kelcie Criss, West Fairmont's Talia Olivito, and North Marion's Lillee Rutter, Paisley Matheny, Kinlee Hess and Katelynn Straight.
In previous years, the coaches from East Fairmont, West Fairmont and North Marion had an all-tournament team for the county tournament, according to East Fairmont Head Coach Greg Van Zant. This year, the coaches changed things up to recognize the season-long play of the girls on the teams.
"It's hard to pick an all-tournament team because you really don't have time to sit down with the other coaches after the last game and try to figure out who should be on the all-tournament team," he said. "We thought this was more of a fair way to represent the girls' entire body of work for the whole season versus just if they had one good game or not."
The schools played the county tournament the last Saturday of April, with East Fairmont winning the county championship. But the all-county awards were given during the final game of the season between West Fairmont and North Marion at Duvall-Rosier Field on the campus of Fairmont State.
Greg Van Zant said the coaches chose that game to see how the season played out. It was also a convenient time to get the all-county team picture.
"We just thought it was a good time to take the picture because all the girls are there for those two teams," Van Zant said. "So then we just had our girls that made the team come to the game, and then after the game we took the picture. Otherwise, it might have been hard to get everyone together."
The team consists mainly of eighth graders, according to Greg Van Zant. The only seventh graders were Vincent and Criss, and the only sixth grader was McClain. As the three returners from this year's all-county team, they have the opportunity to make the team next year as well. The rest have the opportunity to take their all-county talent to the high school level.
Reach Colin C. Rhodes at 304-367-2548.
