The sweetest sounds on the softball diamond are back.

Whether it’s the ball hitting a bat or a glove or the chants from the dugout bringing life to the field, that music to everyone’s ears has gone on for a week as the high school softball season got underway on President’s Day.

The biggest question heading into the spring is can South Fork can make it back to state. With a loaded lineup and a strong, veteran pitcher, the Bulldogs return the majority of their players that won 17 games in 2023.

More: Mallory Wheeler, Hailey Brereton star in pitcher's duel as Jensen Beach outlasts Centennial

More: With a plethora of returners, South Fork eyes another Final Four run

However, even with all the victories, South Fork went without winning a district title. Other area programs such as Centennial and Jensen Beach added to their trophy case a season ago and will look to go back-to-back in their respective districts.

Meanwhile, John Carroll, Master’s Academy, Okeechobee and Sebastian River seek return trips to the state playoffs.

As those storylines and others develop, here are some of the leading characters for the 2024 campaign. These are the best 15 players to watch this season.

Best from the best

Abbie Dewaters, Alice Dewaters, Katelyn Kidwell, Abbey Moore, Emma Ortiz - South Fork

We’ll start with the best players from the area’s best team as this quintuplet of players look to guide the Bulldogs back to the Final Four.

Abbie Dewaters, who committed to South Florida this past fall, leads a group of talented hitters. The 2023 TCPalm Player of the Year is coming off a season where she had five home runs with seven doubles, three triples and an area-best 36 runs batted in. Alice Dewaters (.446 BA, .529 OBP, 21 SB), a USF signee, is arguably the area’s most disruptive leadoff hitter with her ability to get on and cause havoc on the bases while also playing near-flawless defense (1 E in 118 TC).

Meanwhile, Moore and Ortiz, respectively hitting .379 and .441 a year ago, tied for the team lead with eight doubles apiece and combined for 38 RBI and 44 runs scored. Moore is signed to Nova Southeastern.

Lastly, Kidwell is one of the area’s top dual pitchers. Highlighted by seven shutouts and two no-hitters, the Rollins commit posted a 17-5 record with 161 strikeouts and a 1.78 ERA through 125 2/3 innings as a junior.

Abbie Dewaters, Kidwell and Moore each have already homered early this season, helping South Fork off to a 2-0 start.

Dominant in the circle

Hailey Brereton, St. Lucie West Centennial; Mallory Wheeler, Jensen Beach

One pitcher had the best stats and was named TCPalm’s Pitcher of the Year. The other has arguably the best stuff and tossed a perfect game.

Against either, good luck making good contact.

Wheeler took POY honors last season, fanning 300 batters while walking just 27 batters. Opponents hit just .155 off the Louisiana signee posted a 1.28 ERA through 174 1/3 innings in the circle. Wheeler also carries a terrific bat, hitting .402 with four home runs.

Although she had less strikeouts, Brereton, a Murray State commit, may throw harder. Her devastating riseball helped account for 232 strikeouts and a 1.21 ERA. Sixteen of those strikeouts came in a perfect game in a regional quarterfinal win against St. Cloud.

The two stars faced off this past Wednesday, with Wheeler coming out on top in a 3-2 extra-inning dual.

Super Seniors

Mallory Collier, Okeechobee; Felicity Fonseca, Treasure Coast; Jasmin Huber - Sebastian River

Productive throughout their careers, this foursome aims to end their prep careers with a bang.

Huber provided the power for a Sharks squad that were one of two area teams to score more than 200 runs last season. More than half of her hits went from extra bases, as Huber finished tied for the area lead in extra-base hits (15) and doubles (12).

Collier also has plenty of pop in her bat, as she belted three home runs, four doubles and three doubles. The corner infielder does hit for average as well, batting .392 and sporting .530 on-base percentage.

Fonseca has been on the radar since she was selected to participate in the MLB’s Trailblazer Series at 13 years old. The outfielder has hit .394 with six home runs through two seasons with the Titans.

Stellar underclassmen

Rily Biggers, Sebastian River; Makayla Megnauth, LPA; Makayla Ortiz, John Carroll; Sammi Rychter, John Carroll; Thianna Viens, Jensen Beach

No area team scored more runs in 2023 than the Rams, so it’s not surprising that two players from this team made this list. However, the duo’s numbers as freshmen were eye-popping.

Rychter (.500 BA) and Ortiz (.434 BA) were John Carroll’s top-two hitters. Rychter paced the team in doubles (9), RBI (21) and runs (32). Ortiz added 19 RBI, 26 runs and seven extra-base hits.

Biggers was another freshman who finished with hits in half of her at-bats. Finishing with 22 RBI and 30 runs, the infielder mixed in 16 walks for a .608 on-base percentage.

The trio is expected to make noise as sophomores while Viens is projected to make a splash as a ninth grader. Following a hit-less debut, Viens went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored during the team’s victory over Martin County this past Friday.

Finally, Megnauth is the youngest of the group, checking in as a seventh grader. Playing against players twice her grade level, Megnauth more than held her own, hitting .390 while putting up a 1.00 ERA through 28 innings in the circle.

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 15 Treasure Coast-area softball players to watch for during 2024 season