Spring sport athletes get nods for strong seasons

Many athletes from high school sports teams in the U.S. 280 corridor were recognized and honored for their outstanding 2021 spring seasons.

Two standouts from the area are Spain Park softball player Annabelle Widra and Chelsea soccer player Haley Duca, who were each crowned as the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year in their respective sport.

Widra graduated from Spain Park this spring after six stellar years with the Jaguars. She led the program to a pair of runner-up finishes in Class 7A and a 21-0 record in the shortened 2020 season.

In her last season, the 5-foot-7 senior right-handed pitcher and shortstop led her team to a 35-7 record, posting a 20-5 record with a 1.31 earned run average in the circle. Widra struck out 236 batters and walked just 12 in 123 innings pitched. She was named Miss Softball by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and also batted for a .490 average with 15 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

A Premier Girls Fastpitch All-American, Widra was a five-time ASWA all-state honoree and the Starnes Media All-South Metro Player of the Year. She was ranked as the nation’s No. 8 recruit in the Class of 2021 by Extra Inning Softball.

Duca is a 5-foot-3 senior forward and midfielder. She scored 38 goals and passed for 19 assists this past season, leading the Hornets (14-6-1) to the Class 6A quarterfinals. A United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection, Duca was also a two-time First Team Super-All State and First Team All-Metro honoree, according to a release. She finished her high school career with 100 goals and 52 assists.

Several athletes were selected to play in their respective sports’ North-South all-star events, which took place in July in Montgomery. These games featured a collection of the top rising seniors in each AHSAA sport and showcase them.

Briarwood’s Kara Coleman was selected to play in the all-star tennis event, while Oak Mountain’s Eleanor Forbes and Spain Park’s Taylor Trible were selected for the girls golf showcase.

In soccer, Chelsea’s Avery Burleson, Briarwood’s Savannah Sato, Spain Park’s Sydney Soehn and Oak Mountain’s Hayley Wells played in the girls game, while Corbitt Grundhoefer from Oak Mountain, Webster Jackson of Westminster-Oak Mountain, Alan Melendez of Spain Park and Nathan Tozzi from Indian Springs played in the boys game.

Oak Mountain’s Davis Gillespie was featured in the North-South baseball game, while Spain Park’s Audrey Rothman and Oak Mountain’s Kathryn Smith were in the volleyball match.

In basketball, Evan Smith and Wilder Evers of Oak Mountain were each named to the boys basketball game, along with Colin Turner and Camille Chase of Spain Park.

In postseason baseball awards, Gillespie and Chelsea’s Connor Ball were selected as first team all-state players by the ASWA. Oak Mountain’s Maddox Macrory was honorable mention. In softball, Widra and Lydia Coleman, also from Spain Park, were first team all-state. Oak Mountain’s Dawn Autry and Chelsea’s Tyler Erwin were named to the second team.

In soccer, Spain Park’s Matt Hall was named Large School Coach of the Year after leading the Jags to the Class 7A state title for the first time in the program. Melendez, Duca and Oak Mountain’s Wells, Kaitlin Maynard and Kierson McDonald were all named to the first team super all-state squad as well, as voted by the coaches.

Making second team super all-state were Chelsea’s Mackenzie Titus, Spain Park’s Vivian Gray and Maddie McNulty, Oak Mountain’s Lane Hope and Briarwood’s Anna Martin on the girls side and Chelsea’s Matt Reinsch, Spain Park’s Seth Acton and Jacob Jowers and Oak Mountain’s Grant Renfrow on the boys side.

Chelsea’s Chris Nettuno was first team all-state in 6A, and Spain Park’s Kaleb Jowers was first team in 7A, while Spain Park’s Josh Rowland (7A) and Briarwood’s Sam Jauregui and Matthias Leib (6A) were second teamers.

Rounding out the soccer all-state honorees, Briarwood’s Berkley Barnett was first team all-state in 6A, while Briarwood’s Emily Scott was second team. In 7A, Oak Mountain’s Aubrey Gaut and Spain Park’s Tatum Ahlemeyer were second team.