Eight area players earn FC first team

Eight area players — led by five starters for the Division VII state runners-up softball team — earned a spot on the All-Firelands Conference first team, released on June 8. The Eagles finished 27-4 and won six tournament games en route to the championship game. Monroeville went 12-2 in the FC, losing only a pair of games to outright champion Crestview. On the first team for Monroeville, which also finished No. 8 in the final state coaches poll, included senior pitcher Veanna Helmstetter, senior catcher Avery Rosser, senior second baseman Taryn Tyler, junior third baseman Madi Reiber, and sophomore shortstop Payton Weilnau. Helmstetter finished 23-2 in the circle for the Eagles. She had a 1.63 earned run average and struck out 166 batters with 27 walks in 141 2/3 innings of work. Rosser hit .490 with eight doubles and 32 RBIs. Tyler batted .561 with 19 doubles, two triples and two home runs. She had 55 RBIs and also scored 55 runs. Reiber hit .429 and had 13 doubles, five triples, four home runs, and drove in 32. Weilnau batted .429 with six doubles, five triples and 26 RBIs. For third-place St. Paul (13-12, 8-6), which finished district runners-up to the Eagles, sophomore catcher Ella Kalizewski was a repeat selection to the first team. She hit .547 with eight doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 40 RBIs. Rounding out the first team from the area was New London senior catcher Madison Rowland and junior first baseman Gracie Thomas. Rowland batted .452 with eight doubles, five home runs and 17 Rbis for the Wildcats (17-10, 7-7). Thomas hit .435 with seven doubles, eight home runs and drove in 44. On the second team, St. Paul led the way with four players. That included the pitching tandem of juniors Bella Guerra (6-9, 4.97 ERA) and Taegen Mansfield-Bush (6-3, 4.75 ERA), who helped the Flyers to their first sectional title since 2007, and their first district title game since 2006. Freshman third baseman Ryleigh Mansfield-Bush (.494, four doubles, 16 RBIs) and junior outfielder Kegney Stoll (.412, two doubles, two triples, one home run, 16 RBIs) were also second team for St. Paul. Also on the second team was New London junior Pailee Wilson (.444, four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 25 RBIs) and South Central's Ella Sanders (.338, four doubles, four home runs, 21 RBIs). Rounding out area second team selections was Western Reserve third baseman Layken Barnhart (.283, five doubles) and Plymouth senior catcher Cailynn Bailey (.386, two doubles). Monroeville junior outfielder Rachel Fries (.280, four doubles, 14 RBIs) and St. Paul freshman infielder Payton Preston (.305, three doubles, 23 RBIs) were among honorable mention picks. Others on honorable mention included Western Reserve sophomore catcher Makayla Case (.288, two triples); New London infielder Olivia Yetter (.378, three doubles, 17 RBIs); South Central infielder Ember Phillips (.411, seven doubles, 20 RBIs); and Plymouth sophomore infielder Madison Montgomery (.422, six doubles, nine RBIs). Crestview senior catcher PJ Endicott earned Player of the Year honors. She hit .481 with eight doubles, three triples, six home runs and 35 RBIs. Her battery mate, senior Chesnie Patton, was also the Pitcher of the Year. Patton was 12-2 with a 0.87 ERA. She struck out 124 batters to just 12 walks in 88 2/3 innings of work. Crestview's Scott Durbin was the Coach of the Year after leading the Cougars to a 14-0 mark in the FC and 23-3 overall. The Cougars finished No. 9 in the final Div. V state coaches poll. 2025 All-Firelands Conference softball teamsFIRST TEAMPitchers: Chesnie Patton, Crestview, Sr.; Veanna Helmstetter, Monroeville, Sr.Catchers: PJ Endicott, Crestview, Sr.; Ella Kalizewski, St. Paul, So.; Madison Rowland, New London, Sr.; Avery Rosser, Monroeville, Sr.Infielders: Taryn Tyler, Monroeville, Sr.; Gracie Thomas, New London, Jr.; Payton Weilnau, Monroeville, So.; Madi Reiber, Monroeville, Jr.Outfielders: Kalee Hamman, Crestview, Sr.; Carlee Crider, Crestview, So.Pitcher of the Year: Chesnie Patton, Crestview, Sr.Player of the Year: PJ Endicott, Crestview, Sr.Coach of the Year: Scott Durbin, Crestview. SECOND TEAMPitchers: Bella Guerra, St. Paul, Jr.; Taegen Mansfield-Bush, Jr.Catcher: Cailynn Bailey, Plymouth, Sr.Infielders: Ryleigh Mansfield-Bush, St. Paul, Fr.; Layken Barnhart, Western Reserve, Jr.; Addison Hess, Mapleton, Fr.; Pailee Wilson, New London, Jr.; Ella Sanders, South Central, Jr.; Bella Hillman, Crestview, So.Outfielders: Kegney Stoll, St. Paul, Jr.; Mattie Bates, Mapleton, Jr.; Allison Volz, Crestview, So. HONORABLE MENTIONPitcher: Kelsi Clark, Mapleton, Jr.Catcher: Makayla Case, Western Reserve, So.Infielders: Maddie Grant, Crestview, Sr.; Olivia Yetter, New London, Jr.; Ember Phillips, South Central, So., Payton Preston, St.. Paul, Fr.; Madison Montgomery, Plymouth, So.Outfielder: Rachel Fries, Monroeville, Jr. Standings FC Overall Crestview 14-0 23-3 Monroeville 12-2 27-4 St. Paul 8-6 13-12 Mapleton 7-7 11-13 New London 7-7 17-10 So. Central 4-10 9-17 Plymouth 3-11 6-18 W. Reserve 1-13 5-15