The Three Lakes-Phelps varsity softball team finished a successful Northern Lakes Conference season with a share of the regular season title with an 8-2 record. Success like that comes with some recognition, as six Bluejays were represented on the all-conference team at the end of the year.
That included senior Kassidy Williams being named the NLC Player of the Year with her performances against conference opponents.
Williams joined fellow teammates Haylee Barnekow and sophomore Malia Szews with unanimous first-team honors, with sophomore Kate Koshuta placed on the second team, and senior Kylee Wilson and sophomore Ava Muetlein were honorable mention selections.
Williams finished her final high school softball season with a bang. During conference play, she batted a fiery .590, with 23 hits, 21 RBI, four home runs, four doubles and just one strikeout.
“As the heart of our lineup, she consistently delivered in big moments and led the conference in most offensive categories,” said Three Lakes Coach Dan Scheppele. “Beyond her accomplishments on the field, Kassidy was the type of leader every coach hopes to have.”
Williams was also selected to play in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association all-star game, which is set for Tuesday, June 16, in Wisconsin Dells.
Barnekow, another departing senior on this year’s team, made the most of her final season after missing the first six games due to an ACL injury she suffered during the basketball season this past winter. She still became a unanimous first-team selection after hitting .514 in conference play, having 18 hits, nine RBI, 18 runs scored, six doubles and two homers.
“Her resilience, leadership, and impact on both sides of the game helped drive our team’s success throughout another conference championship season. Haylee’s competitiveness, positive attitude and ability to lead by example made her an invaluable part of our program,” mentioned Scheppele.
Szews was the jack of all trades for Three Lakes-Phelps during her sophomore season, much like her first year a season ago. The second-year varsity pitcher was the main starter for the Bluejays, posting a 7-1 record in her time in the circle. She finished NLC play with a 2.10 ERA, 51 strikeouts and even had a no-hitter in one of the conference contests. Offensively, she contributed at the plate with a .538 batting average, 21 hits, 13 RBI, five doubles and two home runs.
“Malia is the complete player every coach hopes to have, impacting the game with her pitching, defense and offensive production,” stated Coach Scheppele. “Beyond all the statistics, her leadership, competitiveness and commitment to the team make her invaluable. We are excited to have her return next season as a leader as we pursue another conference championship.”
Koshuta was another Bluejay hitter to finish the season with a batting average north of .500. She came up with big hits over the course of the season, just like her teammates, and provided stability at first base defensively.
The sophomore finished with a batting average of .538 and had 14 hits, 12 RBI, two doubles and scored 10 runs.
She quickly became a dependable presence both defensively and offensively. Her defense at first base was outstanding, providing stability and confidence for our entire infield,” explained Scheppele. “Her growth throughout the season was remarkable, as she developed into one of our most consistent hitters and a true offensive weapon.”
Wilson and Muetlein also finished the conference season strongly with batting averages above .400 and double-digit hits in conference play. Wilson finished with a .438 average, 14 hits and 14 runs scored. What stood out most to the coaching staff was her willingness to try new things when situations arose.
Wilson started the season pitching alongside Szews, but also needed to move to the catcher spot for the final seven games of the season, even though she did not have any catching experience.
“Kylee embraced the challenge and played a key role in helping our team secure a conference championship,” said Scheppele. “She contributed wherever the team needed her.”
Muetlein added a .433 average with 13 hits and seven RBI. She also had one double, triple and home run.
“Ava consistently came through with timely plays that always helped shift momentum in our favor and played a key role in our success this season. We are excited to have her back next year,” mentioned Scheppele.
All of these performances, plus more, helped the team secure its second consecutive conference title.
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