FRENCHTOWN — Class A softball coaches announced their all-conference and all-state honors Wednesday morning, where state champion Belgrade leads an all-star cast.
The Panthers, who set an all-class record with 52 home runs this season, had nine athletes honored, with four named to the first-team all-conference and all-state list. Seniors Ty Atwood and Katie Hopp joined juniors Erin Elgas and Haylee Curry on the Central A first-team all-conference team. All four were named all-state.
Elgas pitched all seven innings in the state championship game, tossing eight strikeouts.
Olivia Cook, Heather Gier, Pressley Jacobsen and Alexa Deming were named second-team all-conference in the Central A, while Maddie Kreiger picked up honorable mention honors. Mike Neubauer was named the league’s coach of the year after guiding the program to its second consecutive State A title.
Belgrade defeated Hamilton 7-2 to earn the 2018 state championship. Hoppe and Gier each hit home runs in the game.
Runner-up Hamilton saw seniors Caitlin Dillon, Kelsie Meis and Tessa Della Silva, along with junior Sophia Doyle, earn first-team all-conference in the Southwest A. All four were recognized as all-state selections.
Sky Lopez, Mallory McGill and Mikayln Brickley earned second-team and honorable mention honors for the Broncs.
Third-place Frenchtown placed a pair of athletes on the all-state list — seniors Brynn Leishman and Megan Delaney — while Polson, which finished fourth at the State A tournament, landed short stop Kaelyn Smith and catcher Kaylanna Desjarlais on the all-state list.
The complete list of Class A all-conference and all-state selections can be found below.
Class A softball
* indicates all-state selection
Central A
First team
*Ty Atwood, Sr., Belgrade
*Katie Hoppe, Sr., Belgrade
*Erin Elgas, Jr., Belgrade
*Gracia Butcher, Sr., Lewistown
*Kinzee Peterson, So., Havre
*Macy Mangold, So., Lewistown
*Jyll Becker, Sr., Livingston
*Haylee Curry, Jr., Belgrade
Val Kolstad, Sr., Lewistown
Samantha Oliver, So., Havre
Second team
Olivia Cook, Jr., Belgrade
Heather Gier, Sr., Belgrade
Pressley Jacobsen, Sr., Belgrade
Kinsey Irvin, Sr., Lewistown
Lindsay Lee, Sr., Livingston
Alexa Deming, Sr., Belgrade
Hanna Hayes, Sr., Lewistown
Alex Barkus, Sr., Havre
Janae Boles, Jr., Havre
Honorable mention
Camryn Huston, Sr., Havre
Bailey Castille, Jr., Lewistown
Maddie Kreiger, Jr., Belgrade
Brooklyn Behm, Jr., Livingston
Coach of the year: Mike Neubauer, Belgrade
Southwest A
First team
*Caitlin Dillon, Sr., Hamilton
*Brynn Leishman, Sr., Frenchtown
*Kloie Thatcher, Sr., Butte Central
*Kelsie Meis, Sr., Hamilton
*Sophia Doyle, Jr., Hamilton
*Tessa Della Silva, Sr., Hamilton
*Megan Delaney, Sr., Frenchtown
*Ashlynn Nixon, So., Corvallis
*Morgan Snow, Sr., Frenchtown
Haley Kampka, Jr., Stevensville
Second team
Tara Melassi, Sr., Stevensville
Sky Lopez, Sr., Hamilton
Kylie Habeck, Sr., Frenchtown
Mallory McGill, Sr., Hamilton
Calliana Bagnell, Sr., Frenchtown
Mikayla Newman, Jr., Stevensville
Kassidy Criscuolo, Sr., Butte Central
Kylee Pittman, So., Dillon
MiKaila Neilson, Sr., Frenchtown
Honorable mention
Dana Jacobs, Sr., Frenchtown
Madison Jump, Fr., Butte Central
Maria Hickey, So., Corvallis
Mikayla Brickley, So., Hamilton
Sami Knapp, Fr., Corvallis
Kaylee Berning, Jr., Stevensville
Northwest A
First team
*Kaelyn Smith, Sr., Polson
*Kaylanna Desjarlais, Jr., Polson
*Trista Cowan, Jr., Columbia Falls
*Kaylee Ashe, Jr., Columbia Falls
*Gabriella Wirz, Sr., Ronan
*Khalyn Hageness, Sr., Libby
*Sammee Bradeen, Sr., Libby
*Ryley Kehr, Jr., Columbia Falls
Venessa Kent, Sr., Polson
Emily Carvey, Jr., Libby
Second team
Rachel Hoerner, Jr., Columbia Falls
Jayden Winslow, Jr., Libby
Marissa Mock, Sr., Ronan
Quinn Motichka, Sr., Polson
Paige Noyes, Jr., Polson
Sheila Gallagher, So., Libby
Laurel Bitterman, Sr., Polson
Marina Mayorga, Sr., Polson
Emilie Corley, Jr., Ronan
Honorable mention
Montana Bremner, So., Browning
Josie Caye, Fr., Polson
Baleigh Krause, Sr., Whitefish
Haylee Cannon, Sr., Libby
Katlyn Santos, Sr., Ronan
Linsey Walker, Jr., Libby
Eastern A
First team
*Alexa Kappel, Sr., Miles City
*Courtney Nagel, Jr., Glendive
*Autumn Porter, Jr., Miles City
*Sloan Blankenship, Jr., Hardin
*Nicky Damjonovich, Jr., Billings Central
*Arena Porter, Sr., Miles City
*Natalie Edgar, Jr., Hardin
Emma Chavez, So., Hardin
Kelly Feller, Sr., Hardin
Nichole Green, So., Hardin
Second team
Demi Uffleman, Jr., Hardin
Raqi McAuliffe, Jr., Miles City
Amber Taylor, Jr., Miles City
Tori Marty, Fr., Hardin
Emily Skogen, Sr., Sidney
Mckaylla Hudson, Sr., Miles City
Brooke Anderson, Jr., Laurel
Riley Thiesen, So., Sidney
Taylor Bowen, Jr., Billings Central
Ashley Clapp, Jr., Glendive
Honorable mention
Kayla Brown, So., Glendive
Josie Chapweske, Jr., Miles City
Elli Kidahl, Sr., Laurel
Sarah Kincy, Jr., Billings Central
Maddie Peters, So., Sidney
McKenzie Taylor, Sr., Miles City
