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Becca Balmas, Hermon junior pitcher/shortstop

Balmas, a University of Maine commit, excelled in the circle, in the field and at the plate. The Penobscot Valley Conference Class B Pitcher of the Year finished with a 0.91 ERA, 0.778 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. She threw two no-hitters. At the plate, she hit .414 with three homers and 21 RBI while scoring 23 runs.

Emma Boulette, Westbrook senior shortstop

Boulette was the leader and take-charge personality at the heart of the Blue Blazes’ turnaround. She hit .492 with 32 hits (11 for extra bases) and 22 runs, and had a hit in every game while striking out only twice. She also showcased great range at shortstop, and had the strong and accurate arm necessary to turn grounders in the hole into outs.

Addie Caiazzo, Windham senior shortstop

The Miss Maine Softball finalist dazzled in her final year, showcasing great instincts, range and a strong arm that earned her SMAA Defensive Player of the Year recognition. She was just as good offensively, batting .642 with 34 hits and 31 runs while stealing 16 bases. She had 10 multi-hit games, and in Windham’s only playoff game, she slugged two doubles and a triple.

Addison DeRoche, Cheverus junior pitcher

For the third straight year, DeRoche was too much for SMAA hitters to handle. The Florida State commit struck out 258 batters in 104 innings and allowed only four earned runs for a 0.27 ERA while leading Cheverus to an undefeated season and Class A state championship. The Varsity Maine Player of the Year also hit .417 with four home runs, walked 22 times and drove in 19 runs.

Lily Fortin, North Yarmouth Academy sophomore pitcher

The Western Maine Conference Class C/D Pitcher of the Year helped the Panthers win their third state title in four years. She had a 1.85 ERA with 158 strikeouts in 102 innings and was also productive at the plate, batting .540 with 32 RBI and 34 hits, 15 of which went for extra bases. She struck out 45 in 25 playoff innings and tossed a one-hit shutout in the D South final.

Haley Hamlin, Lake Region sophomore pitcher

Pressed into duty in the circle, Hamlin became a high-level strikeout pitcher and took the Lakers to the B South final. She fanned 203 batters in 116 2/3 innings, had a 1.14 ERA and a 0.849 WHIP, and also batted .456 with 31 hits, 10 for extra bases. Her 11 double-digit strikeout games included a 21-whiff outing.

Yani Kostopoulos, Windham sophomore first base

The SMAA Offensive Player of the Year was a threat to go deep every time she stepped to the plate. She hit .556 with 11 home runs, was the SMAA’s only hitter with an OPS over 2 (2.034), and drove in 37 runs while reaching base at a .656 clip. In her last eight games in the regular season, she hammered eight home runs and drove in 24 runs.

Hailey Lamontagne, Cheverus senior outfield

Called a “hit machine” by Westbrook coach Brian Ross, Lamontagne batted .483 in the No. 3 hole for the Class A champions. She had 28 hits, scored 28 runs, stole 13 bases and made only two errors in center field. She had hits in 18 of the Stags’ 20 games and multiple hits in nine of them, and did not strike out a single time.

Kyeria Morse, Oxford Hills senior pitcher

The Miss Maine Softball winner capped her career with another KVAC Class A Player of the Year award. She had career highs in strikeouts (209) and ERA (0.49), and reached double digits in punchouts in 13 of 17 outings. She also hit three home runs and only struck out twice in 54 at-bats.

Sidney Nicholls, Medomak Valley junior pitcher

Though dogged by a back injury, Nicholls was dominant again and sensational in the playoffs while leading the Panthers to another Class B title. She didn’t allow a run while fanning 50 in 27 postseason innings, and finished with a 0.71 ERA and 203 punchouts in 98 1/3 innings. She threw three seven-inning no-hitters, including one in the B South final.

Sarah Orso, York junior pitcher

Orso, the Western Maine Conference Player of the Year, pitched at a high level and wielded one of the most dangerous bats in southern Maine. She batted .569 with eight home runs, 20 extra-base hits and a 1.827 OPS while driving in 46 runs. She also pitched every inning for the Wildcats, and had a 2.26 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 102 innings.

Ashley Shores, Lawrence senior catcher

Shores, a rare left-handed backstop, repeated as the KVAC Class B Player of the Year and was a Miss Maine softball finalist while helping the Bulldogs to the B North tournament. She batted .417 with a .569 on-base percentage, showed pop with four home runs, and drove in 22 runs while scoring 24.

Leah Storey, Bonny Eagle junior second base

The Scots surged to the A South final, and their table-setter was a big reason why. Her bat control and speed made her one of the state’s most difficult outs, and she could slap a single or drill line drives into the gaps. She compiled a .536 average, .634 on-base percentage and 30 hits, and also stole 19 bases and scored 30 runs.

Sawyer VonderHaar, Gorham senior shortstop

Windham coach Darcey Gardiner said VonderHaar is a player the Eagles have discussed pitching around for years. Given her 18 walks, many SMAA coaches felt the same way. She missed three games but still hit .500, drove in 17 runs and scored 20, and had a .642 on-base percentage and 1.329 OPS. She was also a first-rate defender with a strong arm.

Coach of the Year

Travis Demmons, Bonny Eagle: In his first year with the Scots, Demmons took them to the regional final for the first time since 1995, improving their record from 8-10 to 15-4. Demmons had a deep bench and used it effectively, and his 1-2 pitching punch of Bella Hanson and Lily Regan kept opposing lineups off balance.

Drew Bonifant covers sports for the Press Herald, with beats in high school football, basketball and baseball. He was previously part of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel sports team. A New Hampshire...

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