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We know Bartow's No. 1, but who else fills out Polk County's top 10 softball list?

roy fuoco, lakeland ledger
·4 min read

It’s an atypical year for Polk County high school softball. To be sure, Bartow is a favorite to repeat as state champion, and Lake Region has the potential to reach the final four.

On the other hand, the county appears not to possess its usual depth behind the top teams. While George Jenkins has re-emerged, Auburndale, McKeel and defending state champion Lake Wales have all taken a step back — at least at this point of the season.

As everyone returns from spring break, here is how Polk’s top softball teams stack up.

Polk County’s top 10 softball teams

1 BARTOW (9-0): The Yellow Jackets are stronger and deeper than last season when they won their ninth state title. Red Oxley (6-0, 0.00 ERA, .400 BA), the 2023 winner of Miss Softball and Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida, is back for her senior season. Third baseman Kyndal Cornelius (.348 BA), a transfer from McKeel, has bolstered an already strong lineup that includes catcher McKenzie Gibson (.474 BA), center fielder Shay Narcisse (.565 BA), shortstop Kynley Quartermaine (.412 BA), first baseman Julia Heter (.412 BA) and right fielder Destiny Driskell (.375 BA).

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Bartow pitcher Red Oxley is ranked the No. 5 player in the nation for the Class of '24 by MaxPreps, and Bartow is ranked No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the state.
Bartow pitcher Red Oxley is ranked the No. 5 player in the nation for the Class of '24 by MaxPreps, and Bartow is ranked No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the state.

2 LAKE REGION (10-4): Three of the Thunder’s four losses have been to state champions — twice to Bartow (6A) and once to Calvary Christian (3A). Makenna Meadows (6-2, 1.02 ERA) is perhaps the second-best pitcher in the county after Oxley. She’s also one of the team’s top hitters along with Camryn Fail (.400) and Kirsten Aldridge (.297 BA). Chic Jenkins is batting just .286 but hit .393 and .420 the past two seasons. Her return to form will be key as lineup depth is a question mark for the Thunder.

3 GEORGE JENKINS (7-1): The Eagles have moved back into a top-three spot in the county and are much improved. Sophomore Jazlyn Duque is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in the circle and also is batting .455. Senior Peyton Spears (.350) has been a top player in the county already, while Audrey Gideon (.381), Kamryn Wallisa (.321), Chelsea Odro (.471) have also been steady.

4 AUBURNDALE (4-5): The Bloodhounds lead a trio of teams that appear to be even. They have beaten McKeel but lost to Lake Wales. Jordan Honeycutt (4-2, 0.85 ERA) has been solid in replacing Kassidy Pontbriant, who is now at Jacksonville. The lineup has been led by Hailey Bradley (.435), Alyssa Wright (.450), Kathryn Devore (.435), Jamya Gafford (.350) and Ailenid Lozada (.308).

5 MCKEEL (4-4): The Wildcats began the season 4-1, including wins over Lake Wales and Sebring. However, they have lost three straight games, scoring just one run in each loss and being outscored 20-3. Sophomore Makayla Jackson (.445) and Madyson Marion (.375) have gotten off to strong starts.

6 LAKE WALES (3-7): The Highlanders have been a hard-luck team as, with a couple of breaks, they could be 6-4. They have three one-run losses. They are in a rebuilding year after a senior-heavy team won the program’s third state title last year. Florida Southern signee Keira Morris is hitting .267 but leads the team with three home runs and nine RBIs. Junior Jamie Sepsick (.391), sophomore Keira Davis (.400), freshman Zamora McBurrows (.318) and Johalis Rivera-Colon (.312) have been bright spots. They have a strong schedule — the fourth-strongest in 4A — so they could be something of a wild card when the district tournament and postseason comes around.

7 LAKELAND CHRISTIAN (7-0): The Vikings are No. 6 in the MaxPreps Class 2A rankings — FHSAA rankings haven’t been released yet — and boast a strong lineup for 2A. They have beaten up on a weaker schedule, boasting a young, talented squad. Paityn Donalson (.778), Cali Thornton (.471), Presley Young (.467), Kinley Lawson (.706), Emerson Tyler (.500), Riley Merritt (.500), Rylan Rollyson (.667), Ella Gordon (.429) and M Gravitt (.471) have feasted on opposing pitching.

8 FROSTPROOF (3-3-1): The Bulldogs (2A) will face LCS later this season. Belle Mancillas (1.62 ERA, .348 BA) leads Frostproof along with Menzie Neal (.375), Jordan Brantley (.412) and Trinity Tary (.421).

9 MULBERRY (4-3): The Panthers’ high-scoring basketball player Lorianys Castanon Cruz is showing her overall athleticism with her .458 batting average. Gracie Donalson (.556) and Alejah Washington (.316) are two more strong players.

10 FORT MEADE (3-4): The Miners opened the season with one-run losses to McKeel and Jenkins but dropped a 10-4 decision to Frostproof prior to spring break. They are led by Marleigh Carroll (.565), Cailynn Johnson (.389) and Jy’Kia Faulk (.316).

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Bartow, Lake Region lead Polk County's top 10 softball teams