Area softball, volleyball standouts earn postseason honors
From Staff Reportssports@newnan.com
State champions may have been crowned earlier this month but for some of the best high school softball players in Georgia, the season isn’t over just yet.
Three players from Coweta County are among the 70 players selected to one of four teams set to participate in the Georgia Dugout Club All-Star showcase Saturday at Mercer University in Macon.
Martin helped lead the Lady Vikings to the Elite 8 this past season while playing both first base and catcher. Martin, who hit .576 with 11 home runs, is expected to sign with Western Kentucky.
The Northgate senior was a four-year starter for a team that won the state title two years ago and finished 2012 with a 29-10 record which included victories over Harris County and Effingham County en route to the Elite 8.
Abbey Garner was the third baseman for the Lady Cougars, while Savannah Thomley played behind the plate as the team’s catcher.
Garner and Thomley helped led the Lady Cougars to a 19-15 record and a trip to the state tournament.
Garner finished the season with a .340 average and 19 RBIs. Thomley finished with a .270 batting average and 11 RBIs.
Newnan won its first-round series against Luella before falling to Kennesaw Mountain.
Each team will play three games. Players will also participate in a skills competition and a home run derby as well as attend a banquet on Friday night.
• TRINITY CHRISTIAN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS EARN ALL-STATE, REGION HONORS
On the heels of its second consecutive GISA volleyball championship, members of the Trinity Christian championship squad earned their share of postseason honors including being named to All-State and All-Region teams.
The Lady Lions had five players — seniors Ashton Bigler, Elissa Waldrop, Micayla Patterson and Rachel Lyons along with junior Alex Huber — named both All-State and All-Region.
Waldrop, an outside hitter, led Trinity Christian in kills (274), aces (103) and passing average (2.27) while second in digs (200). Waldrop, who played in the middle and right side, finished with a team-high 62 blocks and was second in kill percentage, kills (233) and aces (102).
Patterson, Trinity Christian's senior setter, led the team with 645 assists and a .400 kill percentage, while Lyons’ 223 digs were also first on the team having dominated at the libero position.
Waldrop, Bigler and Patterson will be signing with Georgia College and State University while Lyons has verbally committed to play at Bryan College.
Huber finished with 176 digs, 136 kills and 81 aces.
Also earning All-Region honors for Trinity Christian was freshman middle hitter Mackenzie Coyle, who ranked second on the Lady Lions with 36 1/2 blocks.
