Top SMAC female athletes recognized

Female athletes from across the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference enjoyed a banner spring season, which included at least one team title and numerous others in individual events for their respective sports. The cream of the crop is being recognized this week by the Southern Maryland News.

Softball — Claire Radford, Leonardtown High, junior

During the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference regular season slate, Claire Radford and the Leonardtown softball team were unable to ascend to the head of the class and earn a berth in the conference championship game. But during the postseason, Radford and the Raiders peaked at the right time and it eventually culminated with Leonardtown earning its first 4A state title with a 14-0 victory over previously undefeated Eleanor Roosevelt as Radford christened the championship with a five-inning perfect game in which she fanned 11 batters. Radford concluded the season with a 13-6 mark and recorded over 200 strikeouts, including a gritty, 12-inning, 3-2 victory over Crofton in the 4A East Region final. Teammates Vanessa Brooks, Tessa Gray and Lindsay Hunter also made invaluable contributions to the Raiders’ title bid at the plate and in the field. Huntingtown junior pitcher Jordyn Greever and senior shortstop Kelsie Bande, Northern senior shortstop Reagan Powell, Calvert junior shortstop Emily Milam, Chopticon’s Brooke Colliflower and Carrie Hayden and St. Mary’s Ryken pitcher Emmaleigh Zagrodnichek also enjoyed standout seasons on the softball field.

Track and field — Bryannah Smith, La Plata High, junior

In a conference that was loaded with talented female athletes, La Plata junior Bryannah Smith ascended to the head of the class. She captured the 2A state title in both the 100 (12.45) and the long jump (17-07) and finished second in the 200 (25.36). North Point junior Cohren Corbin captured the 4A state title in the 200 (24.41) and she also anchored the Eagles’ 800 and 1,600 relays that placed at states. Corbin ran the anchor leg of the 1,600 (3:56.02) that opened with junior Jordyn Akuoko, freshman Aniya Rowe and junior Aiana Showell. Great Mills’ senior Kayla Rorie (100 hurdles), Patuxent’s Aiyanna Smalley (high jump), Northern’s Gabby Cope (shot put) and Westlake’s A’Marah Parrish (triple jump) also earned state titles. Great Mills senior Carter Brotherton, Calvert senior Hayley Spicknall, Chopticon senior Kathleen “Katie” Schwaner and Leonardtown junior Emily Maury were among the best middle to long distance runners in the conference.

Tennis — Bella White and Lucy Staley, Huntingtown High

For the second consecutive season the Hurricanes’ tandem of Bella White and Lucy Staley dominated doubles’ play in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference, captured a second consecutive region title and eventually would suffer their first and only defeat of the season in the 2A state championship match. White reached the state finals three times in her playing days with the Hurricanes, once with her older brother Brady White in mixed doubles and the past two years with Staley as her girls’ doubles partner. La Plata’s Isabella Huntt rebounded from her first setback of the season in the SMAC girls’ singles title match against Leonardtown’s Ally Dusch to earn a berth in the 2A state championship match. Dusch would later parlay her SMAC singles title to a victory in the region final before falling in the 4A state quarterfinals. The Great Mills mixed doubles tandem of Leslie Pope and Ethan Torgesen captured both the SMAC and 3A South Region title before falling in the 3A state quarterfinals.

Lacrosse — Mia Halbert, Northern High, senior

In a league that featured a bevy of superb offensive scoring threats, including several of her Northern teammates, Mia Halbert proved to be immensely valuable defensively and anchored a stingy unit that rebounded from an opening night loss to Huntingtown to eventually defeat the Hurricanes in the SMAC championship game, garner the 3A South Region crown and later fall to eventual 3A state champion Severna Park in the state quarterfinals. Halbert was invariably asked to cover her opponents’ top scorers, scooped up 22 ground balls and scored eight goals and added three assists. Northern junior Nina Williams and sophomore Mya Barber were among the Patriots’ top scoring threats all season, Huntingtown seniors Leah Gullace and Lyndzy Palensky, Leonardtown senior Julia Mattingly, McDonough senior Miranda Benjamin, Patuxent senior Reagan Tharaldson and Calvert junior Charlotte Buckmaster also displayed superb all-around skills.