The News-Gazette's 36th All-Area softball team: Meet the First Team
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Jul. 4—Meet the 12 softball players who made up The News-Gazette's All-Area First Team for the 2026 season:
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➜ The Maroons catcher tallied a team-high 52 hits for a Class 3A regional championship team that won a school-record 30 games and an outright Big 12 Conference championship. Bandy finished with a .456 average that saw her deliver 26 RBI and 28 runs scored while tying for the team-lead with 16 stolen bases. She also handled the top area pitcher in Haley Helm from behind the plate.
➜ my pregame, where I have a Monster energy drink and a Cosmic brownie along with candy.
➜ to be a pop star, but I can't sing.
➜ Cosmic brownie or Sour Patch Kids.
➜ a tiger or a panda.
➜ track and field.
➜ Jennifer Lawrence.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Michael Jackson, Queen Elizabeth and Mansa Musa.
➜ owning a beautiful house, a private jet and the most comfortable bed.
➜ A two-time All-Area First Team honoree, the Parkland signee was a tough out in the batter's box this season. Blackburn-Kelley compiled a .487 average to go with eight home runs, 38 RBI and 27 stolen bases while having a .522 on-base percentage and an .857 slugging percentage. She also scored 41 runs and picked up seven wins in the pitcher's circle for a 22-win SJ-O team.
➜ wearing the same socks and arm sleeve.
➜ a lawyer.
➜ a hot dog.
➜ a giraffe.
➜ pickleball.
➜ Nina Dobrev.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Emma McKinney, Caitlin Clark and Abraham Lincoln.
➜ sing on live TV, jump off the White House and swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
➜ A key reason why Unity finished with a 28-8 record, a Class 2A regional title and a spot in the Sweet 16 is because of Eisenmenger. The right-handed pitcher, who has committed to John A. Logan College, compiled an 18-6 record with a 1.58 earned run average in the pitcher's circle while striking out 161 in 146 2/3 innings. She also contributed at the plate with a .366 average, a .444 on-base percentage and 15 RBI.
➜ wearing my cross necklace and praying before every game.
➜ a radiology technician or a marine biologist.
➜ chips and queso.
➜ a dolphin.
➜ pickleball.
➜ The Rock.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Jesus, Dave Ellars and Elvis Presley.
➜ land a backflip, master the harmonica and travel to Greece or Hawaii.
➜ A two-time All-Area First selection selection, the Panthers shortstop ended her high school career in superb fashion. A Parkland signee, Fleming contributed a .500 average, 13 home runs, 76 RBI and 23 doubles for one of the area's best teams all season. LeRoy doesn't produce a 37-2 record and win its fifth consecutive Class 1A regional title without the contributions of Fleming.
➜ my jewelry.
➜ still to be determined.
➜ pickles.
➜ a bird or a panda.
➜ gymnastics.
➜ Betty White.
➜ the Fourth of July.
➜ my grandma, Toby Keith and Betty White.
➜ visit Australia, skydive and watch the Cubs in the World Series.
➜ The leadoff hitter in a talented lineup set the tone for the Rockets. Frye produced a .398 average that featured four home runs and 36 RBI. The Unity second baseman also had a .493 on-base percentage and a .761 slugging percentage while adding 17 doubles and six triples. Frye also nearly doubled her walks (18) compared to her strikeouts (10) and finished with 39 runs scored for a 28-win team that won a Class 2A regional championship.
➜ wearing fake stirrups.
➜ a marine biologist.
➜ Goldfish crackers.
➜ a monkey.
➜ track and field.
➜ Madelyn Cline.
➜ Easter.
➜ my grandma, Drake and Abraham Lincoln.
➜ skydive, go to Jamaica and live in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
➜ The Illinois Wesleyan commit delivered both in the pitcher's circle and in the batter's box as the Panthers finished with a school-record 37 victories and advanced to the Sweet 16 in Class 1A. Hageman, a two-time All-Area First Team choice, played a big part by compiling a 24-2 record with a 1.70 earned run average and 146 strikeouts in 144 innings. She also hit .398 with two home runs, 29 RBI, 10 doubles and four triples.
➜ I always have to drink a McDonald's iced coffee before every game.
➜ an elementary school teacher and a high school softball coach.
➜ Goldfish crackers.
➜ a monkey.
➜ swimming.
➜ Reese Witherspoon.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Annie Conn, Chloe Warlow and Molly Scheuer.
➜ travel to Greece and Italy, see the Eiffel Tower and play college softball.
➜ A three-time All-Area First Team recipient and two-time All-Area Player of the Year, Helm stood out again this spring. The James Madison commit produced a 26-3 record with a 1.34 earned run average, 319 strikeouts and only 30 walks in the circle. In the batter's box, Helm compiled a .511 average with 18 home runs, 53 RBI, a .656 on-base percentage and 1.267 slugging percentage while getting walked 33 times as Central finished with a 30-5-1 record and won its second straight Class 3A regional title.
➜ praying before every game.
➜ up in the air.
➜ pretzels.
➜ a koala.
➜ beach volleyball.
➜ Reese Witherspoon.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Jesus, Morgan Wallen and Matt Olson.
➜ meeting Morgan Wallen, meeting Matt Olson and playing in the Women's College World Series.
➜ A two-time All-Area First Team recipient, Kiser shined in her final seasons with the Blue Devils before she plays at Parkland in 2027. Kiser came through with a .484 average, five home runs and 48 RBI to go along with 21 doubles, helping Villa Grove finish with a 20-14 record. Kiser also chipped in from the pitcher's circle, producing a 15-7 record with a 3.40 earned run average and 131 strikeouts.
➜ I don't have any.
➜ a veterinarian.
➜ strawberry Sour Patch Kids.
➜ a monkey.
➜ hobby horsing.
➜ McKenna Grace.
➜ Halloween.
➜ Grandpa Doc, Coach Behl and Tom Cruise.
➜ visit all seven continents.
➜ A four-time All-Area First Team selection who will play at Northwestern, Lucht put together another dominant performance on the diamond this spring. The shortstop finished with single-season school records in batting average (.690), home runs (10), on-base percentage (.827) and slugging percentage (1.714) while adding 45 RBI, 43 runs scored and 32 walks while only striking out once. She also contributed 29 stolen bases as Milford/Cissna Park finished with a 14-6 record.
➜ putting my batting gloves on in the same order if I did well the previous at-bat.
➜ a college softball coach.
➜ fruit.
➜ a dolphin.
➜ basketball.
➜ Reese Witherspoon.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Kobe Bryant, my Papa Dave and Jesus.
➜ win a Big Ten championship, play in the Women's College World Series and visit the Field of Dreams.
➜ The Comets enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in program history with a 19-11 record and a share of the Vermilion Valley Conference title, and Rangel was a main reason why. The pitcher, shortstop and center fielder produced a .583 average and 60 hits, finishing with 27 RBI, 31 runs scored, 15 stolen bases and a 1.425 on-base plus slugging percentage. She also finished with a 7-5 record, a 2.61 earned run average and 105 strikeouts in 72 innings pitched.
➜ I don't have any.
➜ a lawyer.
➜ pretzels.
➜ a snake.
➜ track and field.
➜ Jenna Ortega.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Jesus, my mom and my dad.
➜ travel to 10-plus countries, win a state title and play in the Women's College World Series.
➜ A two-time All-Area First Team honoree, Russell made contact with the best of them this spring. The first baseman and pitcher had a .616 average with one home run, 41 RBI and 50 runs scored while coming through with eight doubles and six doubles. Her on-base plus slugging percentage amounted to 1.505. In the pitcher's circle, she finished with a 14-5 record and 2.70 earned run average, striking out 135 in 111 2/3 innings pitched for a 18-win Salt Fork team that won a Class 1A regional title.
➜ never step on a line.
➜ a pediatrician.
➜ green grapes.
➜ an otter.
➜ pickleball.
➜ Anne Hathaway.
➜ Thanksgiving.
➜ The Rock, Karlyn Pickens and Michael Jackson.
➜ travel to every state, go on a cruise and go skydiving.
➜ The Danville Area Community College signee stood out defensively at shortstop for the 23-win Sages and when she had a bat in her hands, too. Walsh finished with a .430 average, five home runs and 23 RBI. She also had a .719 slugging percentage to go along with 41 runs scored and 12 stolen bases, anchoring the top of Monticello's lineup and providing superb defense up the middle.
➜ drinking an Alani Nu Energy drink the morning of my games.
➜ an accountant.
➜ Goldfish crackers.
➜ a dolphin.
➜ volleyball.
➜ Millie Bobby Brown.
➜ Christmas.
➜ Michael Jackson, Jesus and Tom Holland.
➜ travel to Europe, travel to Hawaii and get married.