Holland Sentinel All-Area Softball Team
Alexa Brott
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Sophomore
POSITION: Pitcher/Center field
HONORS: All-conference, all-district
COACH’S VIEW: "Alexa was great for us on the mound this year. It has been fun watching her confidence and strength grow. She leads by example and works extremely hard on her game. We look forward to her leadership going into her junior year." -Scott Sliva.
More: Alexa Brott helping lead youth movement for Zeeland West softball
Katie Carlson
SCHOOL: Zeeland East
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Infield/pitcher
HONORS: All-conference, all-district, all-region, all-state honorable mention
COACH’S VIEW: "Katie is truly one of the top softball players in the state both defensively and offensively as her all-state Honorable mention indicates. She is also a true leader on the field and in the classroom. She is the true definition of a student-athlete. Next year as a senior she will be a force to be reckoned with." - Ken Jipping
More: Zeeland East's resurgent season sparked by off-field camaraderie
Riley Gruppen
SCHOOL: Zeeland East
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Pitcher/infield
HONORS: Zeeland East single-season singles record holder
COACH’S VIEW: "Riley is one of those players whose level of play is matched by her energy level on the field. She provides the spark to get the team energized. Riley has a high softball IQ and is an invaluable asset to the team and can be counted on to perform under pressure and is a true team player." - Ken Jipping
Ali Holman
SCHOOL: Zeeland East
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Infield
HONORS: All-conference, all-district
COACH’S VIEW: "Ali is one of if not the best instinctual player both offensively and defensively. As our SS Ali seems to have the ability of anticipating what the batter is going to do in order to position herself defensively to make the play. Her base running instincts are truly untouchable and she generates runs with her speed. She will do well at Lansing Community College next season."- Ken Jipping
Emily Kragt
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Freshman
POSITION: Infielder
HONORS: All-conference
COACH’S VIEW: "Emily did a fantastic job stepping into the varsity level this season as a freshman. We were so impressed with her confidence at the plate and her attitude towards the game. She has the ability to put the ball in play when needed. Her batting average with runners in scoring position was .518. She had a great season and we look forward to seeing her grow." -Scott Sliva.
Alyssa Morgan
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Infield
HONORS: All-conference, all-district, all-region
COACH’S VIEW: "Alyssa posted another quality season and played at an elite level. She hit .450 and her speed was clear with 12 doubles and 18 stolen bases. Her defensive ability at first base was also nothing short of masterful with a .994 fielding percentage. She is a very intelligent player who makes the right move at the exact right time every time. She was also a great leader that helped our younger players make the transition to varsity softball," - Mark Behnke
More: Alyssa Morgan, senior class power Hamilton to historic season
Tiernan Nykamp
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Infield
HONORS: All-conference
COACH’S VIEW: "Tiernan’s senior season was a product of two things…her ability and her work ethic. She showed power at the plate and produced runs in key moments of big games. She is relentless in her preparation and was a huge factor in our season’s success. She did not commit an error in league play and played her best in our biggest games. She’s a gamer with elite preparation." - Mark Behnke
Taylor Oosterink
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Freshman
POSITION: Catcher
HONORS: All-conference, all-district
COACH’S VIEW: "Taylor put together a season unlike any other catcher in the area. First, her first task in high school softball was to catch pitches from the best pitcher in the area. Second, she hit .447 and served as a second leadoff hitter from the five-spot in the order. She runs bases at a premier level and can morph her offensive game to both ways that we like to play. " - Mark Behnke
More: Taylor Oosterink takes control behind plate for Hamilton
Lani Salinas
SCHOOL: West Ottawa
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Catcher
HONORS: All-conference honorable mention, all-district
COACH’S VIEW: "Lani is an incredibly strong leader on and off the field. She was our only senior this past season and a player that every girl looked up to. She was our four-hitter most of the season and by far our most consistent player at the plate and on the field all season. She was always the one telling the girls we could do it and encouraging the girls even in our toughest games. The program is really going to miss her next year,"- Nikki Walworth
More: West Ottawa's Lani Salinas plays with a full heart
Raya VanderZwaag
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Outfield
HONORS: All-conference, all-district, all-region
COACH’S VIEW: "Raya performed at an elite level this season while being more focused on her teammates than herself. She has an infectious positive attitude that you can hear when you watch her play. She hit .436 while playing in the OK-Blue and a very competitive schedule around the state. She was a major run producer for us while hitting the most triples I’ve seen this season (10). She is one of West Michigan’s best and her leadership is something that only enhances the season she had. She is a heck of a player."
Hanna Walker
SCHOOL: Saugatuck
GRADE: Sophomore
POSITION: Infield
HONORS: All-conference
COACH’S VIEW: "She is one of the best hitters Saugatuck has ever had. She was an RBI machine. Most importantly, she is a terrific young lady," - Wayne Lubben
Taylor Zwagerman
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Infield
HONORS: All-conference
COACH’S VIEW: "We are so proud of Taylor's leadership that she has provided the Dux over the past four years. She has experienced tremendous personal growth that showed on the field, at the plate, and off the field with her team. This season she worked extremely hard at the plate and provided many key hits during the final stretch. We wish her well at Cornerstone next year and will miss her," -Scott Sliva.
SECOND TEAM
Emily Brands, Zeeland West
Kenzie Brothers, Saugatuck
Ashley Duff, Holland
Reese Gruppen, Zeeland East
Ella Hathaway, Zeeland East
Kyra Kleinheksel, Hamilton
Jaiden Lee, Zeeland East
Emme Meyering, Zeeland East
Ava Prielipp, Hamilton
Rebekah Stillwell, Holland
Kianna Vork, Hamilton
Megan Williams, Hamilton
—Contact Assistant Sports Editor Will Kennedy at Will.Kennedy@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @ByWillKennedy and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Sentinel All-Area Softball Team