Once again, the Adna softball team dominated everyone in its path to a 2B state championship, and once again, Ava Simms, The Chronicle’s 2024 All-Area MVP, was a big reason why.
The junior followed up a breakout sophomore campaign with another stellar season, posting an ERA of 1.79 and holding opposing hitters to a .159 batting average to post an 18-3 record in the circle. She also struck out 202 batters, which is believed to set a new school record.
Battling through a leg injury in the state tournament, she shut down Pe Ell-Willapa Valley and Kittitas before earning the win in the state title game against Warden.
She was also a threat at the plate, where she hit .514 with eight home runs and drove in 46 runs.
In the moment and in the weeks since, Simms has been appreciative and grateful about what her and her teammates accomplished, but she also smiled when mentioning that many of them are already looking ahead to next spring.
“Not a lot of teams can say they did what we did,” Simms said. “I gotta go out with another bang.”
Simms has posted stellar numbers on the field for two years in a row now, but this past spring, she said she learned how to become a better leader.
Both Simms and Adna coach Bruce Pocklington mentioned the growth of the underclassmen throughout the year when talking about the success that the Pirates had this season, and Simms was one of the key leaders that helped bring them along early in the year.
“I learned a lot more about being patient and trusting people more,” Simms said. “There are times where you have to have those hard moments with younger girls. ‘This is how we do it. You gotta jump in.’ They listened, and they went with it.”
While the goal next spring will, of course, be to three-peat, Simms added that she’s looking forward to leaving her mark on the program.
“I’m excited to play with this team and just keep growing,” Simms said. “It doesn’t end after I graduate. It keeps going. If anything, I just want to be able to help everyone so it keeps going.”
The Chronicle’s All-Area Softball Team
Makayla Chavez, Centralia
Chavez earned first-team All-EvCo honors by hitting over.450 and slugging nearly .900 at the plate, hitting six home runs and seven doubles while driving in 32 and scoring 28 times.
Layna Demers, Rochester
The EvCo MVP led the Warriors to the state tournament for the second time in three seasons, striking out 174 batters and posting a 2.68 ERA in over 150 innings in the circle while hitting .388 with 31 runs batted in at the plate.
Lauren Emery, PWV
Emery was a force in the circle all year for the Titans, striking out 193 hitters and posting a 2.39 ERA toearn All-P2BL first-team honors lead PWV to a third-place finish at state.
Ella Ferguson, Tumwater
Ferguson hit .400 and drove in 17 while striking out 245 circles and posting an ERA of just 1.89 in the circle en route to being named the EvCo’s Most Valuable Pitcher and leading the Thunderbirds to the state championship game.
Staysha Fluetsch, W.F. West
Fluetsch was named the EvCo Offensive Player of the Year, posting a slash line of .494/.571/.778 while tallying 40 hits, including three home runs, and driving in 41 runs.
Lena Fragner, W.F. West
Fragner manned center field and hit leadoff for the district championships, slashing .427/.541/.629, driving in 19, and stealing 12 bases to earn first-team All-EvCo honors.
Danika Hallom, Adna
Hallom was stellar atop the Adna lineup, slashing .564/.620/.885 with 44 hits and 21 runs batted in, and she also stepped up both in center field and behind the plate defensively to earn first-team C2BL honors.
Jaime Haase, Tumwater
Haase slashed .427/.510/.1.000 while drilling an area-high 15 home runs and driving in 38 while also posting a perfect fielding percentage behind the plate.
Peyton Holter, Toledo
The Toledo freshman made an instant impact, driving in 37 runs and tallying 14 extra-base hits while hitting .446 at the plate while also striking out 149 batters in the circle to lead Toledo to the state tournament.
Kendall Humphrey, Adna
Humphrey was a force in the heart of the Adna order, as she hit 13 home runs, drove in 38, and slashed .458/.552/1.083 to earn a spot on the All-C2BL first team.
Tylar Keeton, PWV
Keeton drove in an area-high 49 runs, tallied 46 hits (including 18 doubles), and hit .465 to help lead the Titans to a third-place finish at state.
Lauren Matlock, PWV
Matlock’s numbers jump off the page, as the sophomore collected 63 hits, including 11 triples and six home runs, to slash .618/.652/1.157 and help lead the Titans to a third-place finish at the state tournament.
Avalon Myers, W.F. West
Myers provided a spark in the heart of the W.F. West lineup, drilling seven home runs, driving in 31 runs, and posting an OPS of 1.227 to help lead the Bearcats to a district title and an appearance in the state tournament.
Quyn Norberg, Toledo
Norberg capped her Toledo career with an excellent season, one where she hit .471 with 49 hits and 33 RBIs at the plate, stole 22 bases, and didn’t commit an error behind the dish.
Brooklynn Swenson, Rainier
One of the best pure hitters in the area, Swenson slashed an astonishing .614/.667/1.158, hitting four home runs, driving in 35, scoring 32, and stealing 12 bases to earn first-team All-C2BL honors and lead Rainier to the district tournament.
