Take a look: The State’s 2026 all-area HS softball team, players of the year
A look at The State’s Midlands all-area high school softball teams and players of the year for the 2026 season.
All-Area Softball Team
— The State’s Player of the Year —
Aspen Boulware, Gray Collegiate: Senior hit .554 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, 58 stolen bases, 72 runs scored and a 1.169 slugging percentage. The University of South Carolina signee was an All-State selection and picked as the S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year in helping the War Eagles to their third-straight state championship.
— Readers’ choice Player of the Year (fan vote) —
Catchers
Payton Gonce, Lexington: Junior catcher hit .412 with 9 doubles, 9 home runs and 44 RBIs. Gonce was an All-State selection and is committed to Presbyterian College.
Carley Melton, Gilbert: Senior hit .420 with 12 doubles, home run and 30 RBIs. Melton was a North-South All-Star selection and signed with Berry College.
Rhames Weisinger, Blythewood: Junior was an All-State selection and hit .416 with 7 doubles, 3 home runs and 21 RBIs.
Infielders
Aspen Boulware, Gray Collegiate: Senior hit .554 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, 58 stolen bases, 72 runs scored and a 1.169 slugging percentage. The University of South Carolina signee was an All-State selection and picked as the S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year in helping the War Eagles to their third-straight state championship.
Abby Brown, AC Flora: Junior first baseman hit .429 with 8 doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBIs.
Iyanna Butler, Swansea: Junior was an All-State selection and hit .538 with 7 home runs and 19 RBIs.
Maya Drennon, Lexington: Senior second baseman hit .429 with 27 RBIs. Drennon was MVP at the North-South All-Star game and signed with USC Aiken.
Makalah Ford, Blythewood: Senior shortstop hit .397 with 7 doubles, 6 home runs and 21 RBIs. Ford was a North-South All-Star selection.
Mary Grace Bryant, Mid-Carolina: Junior 1B/P was an All-State selection and hit .441 with 8 doubles, 3 home runs and 26 RBIs. As a pitcher, Grace Bryant was 11-4 with a 2.58 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 94 innings.
Alexis Jodie, River Bluff: Senior first baseman/pitcher hit .613 with 12 doubles, four triples, five home runs and 31 RBIs. As a pitcher, she was 11-4 with 90 strikeouts in 81.2 innings and was an All-State selection.
Addie Maynor, Airport: Senior hit .611 with 17 doubles, 9 home runs and 43 RBIs. Maynor was a North-South selection and signed with Erskine.
Pressli Reynolds, AC Flora: The sophomore SS/P hit .571 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and 16 doubles. As a pitcher, the All-State selection was 14-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched.
Blythe Sanders, River Bluff: Junior 2B/SS hit .506 with 9 doubles, 5 triples, 3 home runs and 31 RBIs.
Kate Shealy, Batesburg-Leesville: Sophomore shortstop was an All-State selection and hit .412 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs.
Outfielders
Garner Lanford, AC Flora: Senior hit .417 with 10 doubles and 27 RBIs. Lanford was an All-State selection and picked for the North-South All-Star game.
Lillian Priest, White Knoll: Senior right fielder hit .405 with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 24 RBIs. Priest was a North-South All-Star selection and signed with Spartanburg Methodist.
Annie Storm, AC Flora: Junior outfielder hit .449 with 2 triples, 20 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.
Braelyn Triplett, Gray Collegiate: Senior and Presbyterian signee hit 2 home runs, had 28 RBIs, 6 doubles, 2 triples and stole 12 bases.
Livi Warren, Lexington: Senior outfielder hit .556 with 13 doubles, 5 home runs and 28 RBIs. Warren was All-State and North South All-Star selection and signed to play at Gardner-Webb.
Pitchers
Peyton Hendrix, Gray Collegiate: Junior and Charleston Southern commit went 13-0 with a 1.16 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched. Hendrix was the winning pitcher in both state championship series games and hit .298 with 18 RBIs.
Miller Martin, Saluda: Freshman pitcher was 15-3 with a 0.70 ERA and struck out 248 batters in 139.2 innings pitched in helping the Tigers to their first state championship. At the plate, she hit .308 with 5 home runs and 32 RBIs. Martin was an All-State selection.
Mackenzie Melton, North Central: Junior went 20-6 and struck out 317 in 156 innings. At the plate, the All-State selection and USC Upstate commit hit .482 with 3 home runs, 17 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.
Ainsley Minchew, Batesburg-Leesville: Sophomore pitcher was 14-5 with a 1.24 ERA and 226 strikeouts in 106.2 innings pitched. At the plate, she hit .363 with 3 home runs, 15 RBIs and 7 doubles. Minchew was an All-State selection.
Mackenzie Sease, Gray Collegiate: Junior P/1B was 13-0 with 0.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 73 innings. At the plate, she hit .521 with 5 home runs, 48 RBIs and 11 doubles. Sease was an All-State selection in helping the War Eagles to their third-straight state championship.
Second Team
Mamie Biel, Heathwood Hall; Mackenzi Bradley, Gray Collegiate; Cameron Crook, AC Flora; Ariano Feliciano, Airport; Georgia Gillman, Gray Collegiate; Frances Laughlin, Heathwood Hall; Ava Martin, Saluda; Kayleigh Moore, AC Flora; Layla Peppers, Dutch Fork; Brynley Pigate, Chapin; Riley Porter, Swansea; Reginae Porterfield, White Knoll; Haylee Prevatt, Richard Winn; Makenna Reimer, Irmo; Karson Riddle, AC Flora; Elizabeth Robinson, Gray Collegiate; Whitney Rogers, Gilbert; Zoey Springs, Saluda; Molly Wolf, Blythewood
