Meet the T&G Hometeam high school softball Super Team for spring 2024

The Central Mass. High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the player of the year nominees for softball. The winners were announced during the live show that took place June 26 at the Hanover Theatre.

The Central Mass. High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

The award is sponsored by the Worcester Red Sox.

Player of the Year

Bella Mara

St. Paul

Junior, Pitcher

St. Paul’s ace earned her second straight T&G Super Team selection after leading the Knights to the Division 1 state quarterfinals. Mara struck out 198, hurled a perfect game and a no-hitter, and pitched five one-hitters. Mara powered the St. Paul offense with a .575 batting average, 10 home runs, and 42 RBIs as she surpassed career milestones in strikeouts (400) and hits (100) in her career at St. Paul. Her most memorable moments of the season were the Knights’ 1-0 extra-inning win over Nashoba Regional in their annual autism awareness game. Mara allowed just two hits and struck out 17. Another highlight was her perfect game against Notre Dame Academy. Mara is verbally committed to Assumption University for softball. She is the daughter of Tara and Dan Mara of Worcester.

More: Photos: Hometeam Athletes of the Year take center stage at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards

Brielle Brothers

Millbury High

Sophomore, Pitcher

Brothers excelled in the circle and at the plate, and helped the Woolies reach the Division 4 state tournament round of 16. She struck out 164 in 137 innings and had an ERA of 1.48. Brothers batted .397 and drove in 23 runs. She had a .947 fielding percentage. Millbury finished 14-8. Brothers was a team captain and SWCL first-team all-star. Brothers also earned league all-star honors in basketball. She is the daughter of Kimberly Cadrin and Christopher Brothers of Millbury.

More: Area athletes take to the red carpet at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards

Elizabeth Brytowski

Hopedale High

Senior, Pitcher

Brytowski repeated as a T&G Super Team selection after leading the Blue Raiders to the Central Mass. Class D championship and the Division 5 state tournament Final Four. Both achievements were among Brytowski’s most memorable moments of the season. She reached two career milestones with 600 strikeouts and 100 hits. Brytowski struck out 240 this spring and held opponents to a .153 batting average. She hit .545 with four home runs. Brytowski was the Dual Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year and her team’s MVP. In the fall, she will attend in the University of New England, where she will study communications and media arts. She is the daughter of Kristi and Jesse Brytowski of Hopedale.

Caitlin Ciccone

Wachusett Regional

Senior, Shortstop/Second base

Ciccone batted .488, starred defensively and helped lead the Mountaineers to the Division 1 state semifinals. She hit three homers and drove in 24 runs. This spring, Ciccone became just the second player in program history to record 100 career hits. She was a three-time Mid-Wach A all-star, and this year she was league and team MVP. Hitting a three-run homer in Wachusett’s victory over St. Paul in the Central Mass. Class A championship game was Ciccone’s most memorable moment of the season. In the fall, she will attend Sacred Heart University, where she will study nursing. She is the daughter of Kerry and Frank Ciccone of Holden.

Meaghan Doyle

Quabbin Regional

Senior, Shortstop/Center field

Doyle batted .603 to rank among the leading hitters in Central Mass. She belted seven home runs and was the Mid-Wach C MVP. Doyle also earned team MVP honors for the second time. She finished her career with a .590 batting average, 15 homers and 90 RBIs. She was a senior captain. Scoring on seventh grader Juliana Guilderson’s walkoff single to beat Oakmont Regional in extra innings was Doyle’s most memorable moment of the season. In the fall, she will attend New Jersey City University, where she will study sports management. She is the daughter of Nicki and Doug Doyle of Wheelwright.

Mia Manca

Narragansett Regional

Sophomore, Pitcher

Manca, the Mid-Wach D MVP, helped the Warriors advance to the Division 5 state quarterfinals. Leading her team on its playoff run was Manca’s most memorable moment of the season. In the first round of the tourney, she pitched a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts against Westfield Tech. On the season, she went 6-3 and struck out 91 in 50 innings. She hit .533 with three home runs. Manca was her team MVP. She is the daughter of Amanda and Peter Manca of Winchendon.

Ava McLeod

Advanced Math & Science Academy

Freshman, Pitcher

McLeod helped lead the Eagles to the most successful season in program history and an appearance in the Division 4 state semifinals. She went 17-4 with a 1.65 ERA and 146 strikeouts. McLeod batted .465 and drove in 21 runs. She earned Colonial Athletic League all-star honors for the second time. McLeod’s most memorable moment of the season was capturing the Central Mass. Class B Tournament title. McLeod went 3 for 4 with two RBIs to help lead AMSA past Hudson in the final. She is the daughter of Kim and Josh McLeod of Hudson.

Erin O’Day

Uxbridge High

Sophomore, Pitcher

O’Day earned her second straight T&G Super Team honor after leading the Spartans to the Division 4 state quarterfinals. In the first round of the tourney against Manchester-Essex, she threw a perfect game with 17 strikeouts. O’Day finished the season with 220 strikeouts in 121 innings and a 0.86 ERA. She reached 400 strikeouts for her career. In the Central Mass. Class C Tournament final against Tyngsborough, O’Day tied a program record with 18 Ks. Playing in that game, at Worcester State’s Rockwood Field, was O’Day’s most memorable moment of the season. She batted .539 with six home runs and 29 RBIs and earned SWCL all-star honors for the second time. She is the daughter of Sherry and Wayne O’Day of Uxbridge.

Lauren O’Malley

Hudson High

Junior, Catcher

O’Malley, a repeat T&G Super Team honoree, led Hudson with a .448 batting average and keyed the Hawks’ awesome run to the Division 3 state final. Playing in the championship game and registering her 100th career hit were O’Malley’s most memorable moments of the season. She hit six home runs and had 33 RBIs. O’Malley delivered important hits in Hudson’s come-from-behind wins over Triton and Apponequet in the state quarterfinals and semifinals. O’Malley is a three-sport (soccer, hockey, softball) captain. She is the daughter of Allyson and Frank O’Malley of Hudson.

Hannah Reardon

Nashoba Regional

Senior, Pitcher

Reardon went 15-5 with a 1.15 ERA and 257 strikeouts in 139 innings. She helped the Wolves reach the Division 2 state tournament round of 16. Reardon, who batted .393, earned Mid-Wach B all-star honors for the third time. Reardon finished her four-year varsity career with 617 strikeouts. She was a team captain. Beating Hudson in the Sheryl Jones Tournament was her most memorable moment of the season. With 18 strikeouts against the Hawks, Reardon tied a program single-game record. In the fall, Reardon will attend St. Lawrence University, where she will study business and play softball. She is the daughter of Theresa and Paul Reardon of Stow.

Catherine Seay

Marlborough High

Senior, Catcher/Utility

Seay batted .594 to lead Mid-Wach B and help the Panthers reach the first round of the Division 2 state tournament. Seay hit 11 homers and drove in 39 runs. Registering her 100th career hit was Seay’s most memorable moment of the season. She was a three-year captain and three-year league all-star. In the fall, she will attend Southern New Hampshire University, where she will study biology and psychology and play softball. She is the daughter of Sally and Joe Seay of Marlborough.

Tiegan Walsh

Wachusett Regional

Catcher

Walsh repeated as a T&G Super Team honoree after helping to lead the Mountaineers to the Division 1 state semifinals. Walsh batted .482 with a home run and 14 RBIs. She did a great job behind the plate handling Wachusett pitchers Shayna Bakun and Taylor Stuart and defensively overall. In the Central Mass. Class A Tournament final, Walsh homered to help lift the Mountaineers to a win over St. Paul. She is verbally committed to the University of Massachusetts for softball. She is the daughter of Laura and David Walsh of Sterling.

Honorable Mention

Division 1

Shayna Bakun, Wachusett

Mackenzie Caron, Wachusett

Maggie Garbarino, Shrewsbury

Ava Grant, St. Paul

Phoebe Lefebvre, Algonquin

Isabelle Mareno, Wachusett

Emma Nordahl, St. Paul

Izzy Tortora, St. Paul

Division 2

Tori Belcastro, Leominster

Sam Buchanan, Bay Path

Marisol Burgos, Marlborough

Penelope Desjardins, Westborough

Heidi Jarosz, Shepherd Hill

Mia Keenan, Leominster

Audrey Lefebvre, Doherty

Jackie Matranga, Nashoba

Francie McMahon, Doherty

Mackenzie Millette, Shepherd Hill

Laura Rice, Westborough

Mackenzie Roy, Fitchburg

Division 3

Erin Ciarfella, Groton-Dunstable

Erin Connor, Notre Dame Academy

Elyse Genaway, Tantasqua

Lauren Haggerty, Groton-Dunstable

Allison Hazel, Oakmont

Lynsey Kay, Valley Tech

Ava Nelson, Notre Dame Academy

Adyson O'Leary, Worcester Tech

Kaleigh Papierski, Auburn

Magdalena Sotiropolous, Worcester Tech

Livi Sousa, Hudson

Division 4

Renee Arcand, Blackstone-Millville

Hailey Angell, Oxford

Ava Askren, Clinton

Riley Austin, Northbridge

Ella Calvey, Nipmuc

Mackenna Chiasson, Douglas

Sera DeBaggis, Nipmuc

Devin Delyani, Ayer-Shirley

Carly DiMento, Tyngsborough

Ariella Donahue, Oxford

Bailey Dzivasen, Uxbridge

Ella Gearty, Littleton

Danielle Gilbert, Millbury

Madelyn Glynn, AMSA

Dakota Grazulis, Northbridge

Lola Grube, Uxbridge

Kiley Hogan, Tyngsborough

Kate Julian, Nipmuc

Chloe Koziol, Lunenburg

Kyra Krasinskas, Oxford

Ariel Larrabee, Clinton

Ayla McDermott, Douglas

Madi Mical, Tyngsborough

Janelle Scirocco, Nipmuc

Mia Pellegrino, Northbridge

Olivia Pirrotta, Uxbridge

Katherine Pratt, Uxbridge

Sarah Vivieros, Lunenburg

Olivia Wentworth, Gardner

Division 5

Abby Bidinger, Tahanto

Kelsey Evans, Hopedale

Amanda Iannacone, Narragansett

Shannon Luksha, West Boylston

Jillian Macfarlane, Maynard

Kassandra Santos, Murdock

Dakota Vaudreuil, Bartlett

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Meet the T&G Hometeam high school softball Super Team for spring 2024