The Floridan's Terrific 10

The Jackson County Floridan presents the “Terrific 10” All-County girls softball team, honoring the best softball players from Jackson County during the 2010 high school softball season.

The Floridan staff picked 10 girls based on their performance during the 2011 high school season.

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Player of the Year: Karissa Childs, Sneads

A senior pitcher, Childs earns Player of the Year honors for the second straight season after posting an even more impressive 2011 campaign.

Childs was dominant in the circle for the Lady Pirates, finishing with a record of 22-7 with a 1.26 Earned Run Average, while striking out 176 batters to just 19 walks and three hit batters, and allowing no home runs and only 134 hits in 166 2/3 innings.

She also led Sneads in batting average (.404), hits (44), and doubles (10), while driving in 22 runs, scoring 28, and reaching base half of the time en route to leading the Lady Pirates to 24 wins and a trip to the 2A Final Four in Clermont.

Cayce Griffin, Marianna

Perhaps the most indispensable piece of a Marianna team that won 21 games and a district championship, the senior catcher again provided great production at the plate and reliable defense behind it in 2011.

Griffin batted .333 with three home runs, a team-best 30 RBI, 17 runs scored, eight doubles, and 29 hits. As a catcher, Griffin had a .960 fielding percentage, with only one passed ball all season, recording 179 put-outs, and throwing out five runners stealing on the year.

Kayla Kelly, Sneads

The Lady Pirate shortstop was again a consistent two-way force for her team in 2011, batting .331 with a home run, 15 RBI, 37 runs, 39 hits, and 10 doubles from her lead-off spot, while committing just nine errors all season.

Kelly also had a .492 on-base percentage, walked 14 times, and only struck out eight times in 118 at-bats.

Hali Stout, Marianna

The senior was once again the Lady Bulldogs’ anchor in the pitching circle this season, starting 17 games and winning 13 of them, while posting a 2.00 ERA, 10 complete games, recording 88 strikeouts to just 18 walks, and holding opponents to a .221 batting average. Stout’s 1-0 shutout win over Arnold on April 21 gave the Lady Bulldogs their first district championship in five seasons.

Stout also did work offensively, batting .398 with 35 hits, 24 RBI, 28 runs scored, eight doubles, and a .465 on-base percentage.

Kelly Leuenberger, Graceville

Leuenberger made her way onto the All-County team with a breakout 2011 season in which she led the Lady Tigers in batting average (.506), hits (39), RBI (21), doubles (9), and slugging percentage (.714), while also hitting a home run, and scoring 21 times.

 She also posted a .529 on-base percentage, and stole 24 bases.

Venisha Hearns, Malone

Hearns had a huge year for the Lady Tigers in 2011, batting a team-best .695, while hitting two home runs, three triples, posting 19 RBI, 41 hits, 33 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases, with a .723 on-base percentage.

Whitney Lipford, Marianna

Just a sophomore, Lipford became arguably Marianna’s most reliable clutch hitter in 2011, and finished the season with impressive all-around offensive numbers.

Lipford batted .383 with a home run, team highs in hits (36), doubles (17), and slugging percentage (.596), while also driving in 29 runs and scoring 25.

DeAnne Berry, Sneads

The senior catcher was the heart and soul of the Lady Pirates in 2011, anchoring the defense as well as providing consistent production in the middle of the batting order.

Berry finished with a .357 average, 35 hits, 25 RBI, 28 runs scored, and team highs in walks (24) and on-base percentage (.544). Her two-run double against Holmes County in the 11^th inning of a second round playoff game on April 29 helped lift the Lady Pirates into the 2A Regional Finals.

Linsey Basford, Marianna

Another of the Lady Bulldogs’ super sophomores, Basford was outstanding in all aspects in 2011, batting .393 with three home runs, 35 hits, 20 RBI, a team-best 30 runs scored, and a .584 slugging percentage, while also playing an excellent third base.

Cambraige Chason, Sneads

The lone underclassmen in a senior-laden Sneads lineup, Chason provided punch in the middle of the order with a team-best 27 RBI, 38 hits, 27 runs, and seven doubles, while also batting .380, and posting an on-base percentage of .472.

Honorable Mention

Ashlen Wilson, Sneads; Jennifer Cramer, Marianna; Taylor McDaniel, Graceville; London Chason, Sneads; Cara McCormic, Malone; Kayla Rabon, Sneads; Brittany Flournoy, Graceville; Jolie Johnson, Sneads; Jakivia Hearns, Malone; Shakira Smith, Malone; Valerie D’Ambrosio, Cottondale; Brandy Middleton, Marianna; Jennifer Hewett, Cottondale; Kaylee Vaughn, Graceville; Maya Boykin, Marianna; Haley Boggs, Cottondale; Mallory Dean, Marianna; Caitlin Miller, Graceville; Jonie Bonine, Sneads