Addie Caiazzo, Windham junior shortstop: The leadoff hitter for the Class A champion got on base at a .586 clip and batted .500 while showing her speed with five triples. In the field, she was smooth, smart and consistent, with a strong arm, good range and the ability to both charge in for grounders and go back for shallow fly balls.

Piper Catanese, York junior shortstop: After impressing at Marshwood, Catanese transferred to York and became one of the state’s best all-around players this season. She hit .641 with 41 hits and 42 runs, was an extra-base machine with 14 doubles and four homers, and made one error all year. In three playoff games, she had three extra-base hits and reached base eight times in 12 trips.

Carmen Crockett, Buckfield senior pitcher: A Miss Maine Softball finalist, Crockett led the Bucks to their first Class D title since 2008 with her excellence in the circle and at the plate. She struck out 194 batters in 95 innings — including 16 while throwing a one-hitter in the state final — and had a 0.85 ERA and .087 batting average against. She also hit .491 with a 1.317 OPS and drove in 30 runs.

Addison DeRoche, Cheverus sophomore pitcher: One of the nation’s top prospects for her class, DeRoche earned a second Gatorade Player of the Year award while leading the Stags to the Class A South final. She went 12-1 with a 0.43 ERA, and struck out 177 batters in 81 innings. She had two seven-inning no-hitters, and hit .533, slugged 1.156 and belted seven home runs among 13 extra-base hits. On top of all that, she is the Varsity Maine Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

Maddie Fitzgerald, York junior first base: The Western Maine Conference Class B Player of the Year, Fitzgerald provided a key bat for a York offense that rolled throughout the season. She batted .547 with 35 hits and 42 runs while driving in 33 runs and hitting five home runs. She stole 13 bases and fielded at a .977 clip, making three errors.

Stella Jarvais, Windham senior catcher: Windham coach Darcey Gardiner routinely gave credit for the team’s state championship season to Jarvais, the two-time SMAA Defensive Player of the Year and the Eagles’ pitch caller. In addition to her top-caliber arm and receiving ability, she hit .532 with 33 hits, two home runs and 17 RBI. She’ll play soccer at UMaine.

Kennedy Kimball, Windham senior pitcher: Kimball took over as Windham’s ace and turned in a sensational season in the circle. She went 16-0 with a 0.42 ERA, held batters to a .127 average, fanned 143 in 83 1/3 innings and also hit .373 with three home runs. She was at her best in the playoffs, pitching back-to-back shutouts in the regional and state finals, with 19 strikeouts in 14 innings. She’ll play next at Youngstown State.

Hailey Lamontagne, Cheverus junior center fielder: There might not be a better contact hitter in the state than Lamontagne, who can pull line drives, go the other way or clear the fence, and do it against top-tier pitching. She batted .576 with a 1.426 OPS, smacked 34 hits (10 for extra bases) and scored 31 runs. She is also an excellent defensive player, with range and a knack for reading balls off the bat.

Sophia Lynch, Bangor senior catcher: After winning PVC Class B Player of the Year at Ellsworth, the Husson-bound Lynch transferred to Bangor, became an immediate vocal leader and helped the Rams improve from two wins to 14. She was the runner-up for KVAC A Player of the Year after hitting .532 with 10 extra-base hits, while driving in 16 runs and stealing 11 bases in 12 attempts.

Kyeria Morse, Oxford Hills junior pitcher: The Vikings’ ace was named KVAC Class A Player of the Year after going 10-4 with a 1.38 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings before being slowed by injury at the end of the year. She was no slouch at the plate, either, batting .444 with 12 extra-base hits (including two homers) and 20 RBI.

Sidney Nicholls, Medomak Valley sophomore pitcher: Nicholls blew away her competition this season, posting a 0.26 ERA with 220 strikeouts in 109 innings, and holding batters to a .078 average. She was even better in the playoffs, striking out 55 in 28 innings without allowing an earned run, and leading the Panthers to the Class B title.

Julia Pike, Kennebunk senior pitcher: Arguably the state’s best all-around player, the University of Albany-bound Pike turned in her best season at the plate and was named SMAA Player of the Year. She batted .592 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI, compiled a staggering 2.085 OPS, stole 12 bases and scored 31 runs. She remained excellent in the circle, going 9-4 with a 1.15 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 79 innings.

Natalie Simpson, Bucksport senior pitcher: Simpson, the PVC Class C Player of the Year, led the Golden Bucks to the Class C title with a dominant season in the circle. She finished with a 0.31 ERA while striking out 217 in 114 innings, and also hit .451 with nine doubles, four homers and 24 RBI. She fanned 47 in 27 playoff innings, including 12 in the state final, with a 1.04 ERA.

Sawyer VonderHaar, Gorham junior shortstop: Pressed into a bigger role for the Rams due to graduations, VonderHaar thrived. She patrolled short with one of the SMAA’s strongest arms, and also displayed a dangerous bat to the tune of a .558 average with three home runs, 10 doubles, 21 RBI and a 1.538 OPS. Kennebunk coach Eddie Pike called her a top-five hitter in the state.

Coach of the Year

Sophia Sciarappa, Bangor: The turnaround of the season occurred in Bangor, where Sciarappa led the Rams from a two-win season to a 12-4 record, the top seed in Class A North, and the regional championship game. Sciarappa, a player at Wesleyan from 2019-22, lost seven seniors before 2024, but worked with her inexperienced players to get them ready for this season. The result was a tight-knit team that was defensively and fundamentally solid, and with transfers in catcher Sophie Lynch (from Ellsworth) and pitcher Emma Tripp (Belfast) added to the mix, the team became a winner and Sciarappa was named KVAC Class A Coach of the Year.

Hailey Lamontagne photo courtesy of Cindy Russell Photography.