Softball players named all-state
Delaney O’Connor
Three players in The Almanac readership area earned all-state accolades from the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association.
Lily Duffill and Delaney O’Connor from Chartiers Valley garnered first team all-state laurels at the Class 4A level.
A rising junior, Duffill gained honors for the second year in a row. A catcher, she batted .507 with six doubles, one triple and 15 home runs. She drove in 47 runs and scored 22 times. With 16 walks, she improved her on-base percentage to .588.
For her two-year career, Duffill owns a .485 batting average with 82 RBI and 32 runs scored. Her on-base percentage is .564.
An outfielder, O’Connor batted .550 with four doubles, five triples and four home runs. The rising senior drove in 26 and scored 24 runs.
The pair guided the Lady Colts to an 18-5 record that included a runner-up showing in Section 3 and a WPIAL semifinal appearance. They reached the quarterfinals in the PIAA state playoffs.
Additionally, Marta Gualazzi earned second-team honors for the Lady Colts. A third baseman, Gualazzi batted .436 with six doubles, one triple and three homers. She drove in 22 and scored 25 runs.
Despite a 5-14 season, Emerson Gatten from Peters Township gained second-team all-state honors at the Class 5A level. A rising senior, she played in the outfield for the Lady Indians.
According to Tricia Alderson, who is a co-coordinator of the PAHSSBCA with Bill Simms, the team was selected from among 600 nominations from high school coaches and media members statewide.
A first team and second team was then voted on and chosen for each of the six classifications. In addition, the committee also voted on the following awards: Overall Player of the Year, Overall, Pitcher of the Year, and a Player and Pitcher of the Year in each of the six classifications.
Among the local players to receive the top honors were Lexie Hames from Seneca Valley as player of the year and Addy Fryer from Neshannock as pitcher of the year for all classifications while Ella Richey from Charters-Houston gained the distinction of player of the year in Class 1A. A catcher, Richey also achieved first-team honors.
Richey’s teammates: Meadow Ferri, a pitcher, and Lauren Rush, a shortstop, were first- and second-team selections respectively.
Additionally, South Park’s Sydney Sekely collected first-team all-state acclaim as a pitcher in Class 3A.
The committee continued its Special Recognition Courage Award which was started last year. It honored one player in 2024 that overcame major adversity this high school season. Megan Klein, a senior from Bensalem, garnered the distinction after having been diagnosed with pediatric multiple sclerosis in March. She played the entire season while battling the disease and plans to continue her career at the Siena this fall.