This story is sponsored by: Chips Hamburgers of Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Auburndale senior pitcher/infielder Ashlyn Grimm was a unanimous selection and one of three Eagles to earn first-team honors on the 2023 All-Marawood Conference South Division Softball Team, as voted on by the six conference coaches following the regular season.
Grimm hit .446 (29-for-65) with 23 RBI and 18 runs scored, while also going 3-1 with five saves, a 2.96 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings pitched.
Senior Erin Griesbach and sophomore Mya Krings were also first-team selections for Auburndale, which finished 7-3 and in second place in the conference standings.
Krings batted .403 (29-for-72) with six home runs, 19 RBI and 31 runs scored, while Griesbach hit .302 (19-for-63) with four homers, 19 RBI and 23 runs scored for Auburndale.
Stratford sophomore pitcher Laney Pankratz was also among the 10 first-team selections.
Pankratz went 14-6 with a 2.02 ERA, striking out a whopping 155 batters in 128 innings, helping the Tigers reach their first-ever WIAA state tournament. She also hit .310 with 17 RBI, 16 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 26 games.
Wisconsin Rapids Assumption senior pitcher Ava Schill was named Player of the Year and joined teammates Cristin Casey, Claire Nelson and Anna Schooley as unanimous first-team selections. Newman Catholic’s Ashley Jankowski and Edgar’s Makayla Wirkus rounded out the first team.
Schill went 11-2 with 85 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings pitched, while also hitting .509 (27-for-53) with two homers, 25 RBI, 10 doubles and 17 runs scored.
Stratford’s Tessa Berg and Bailey Linzmaier, and Auburndale’s Samantha Stanton were named to the second team.
2023 All-Marawood Conference Softball Team
(*denotes unanimous selection)
First team: *Ava Schill, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Cristin Casey, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Claire Nelson, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Anna Schooley, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Ashlyn Grimm, sr., Auburndale; Erin Griesbach, sr., Auburndale; Mya Krings, so., Auburndale; *Makayla Wirkus, jr., Edgar; *Ashley Jankowski, jr., Wausau Newman Catholic; *Laney Pankratz, so., Stratford.
Second team: Sadie Galbreath, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Macy Vollert, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Arianna Cavanaugh, fr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Samantha Stanton, jr., Auburndale; Morgan Streveler, jr., Edgar; Leah Davis, sr., Edgar; Bridget Salber, jr., Marathon; Lily Shields, so., Wausau Newman Catholic; Tessa Berg, sr., Stratford; Bailey Linzmaier, sr., Stratford.
Honorable mention: Lydia Smits, jr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Maleia Kolo, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Taylor Anderson, so., Auburndale; Danika Blomberg, fr., Auburndale; Reagan Borchardt, sr., Edgar; Emery Borchardt, so., Edgar; Lauren Karlen, jr., Marathon; Kali Prihoda, sr., Marathon; Paige Guld, jr., Wausau Newman Catholic; Maria Christophersen, sr., Wausau Newman Catholic; Emma Roeper, so., Stratford; Gracie Schmidt, fr., Stratford.
Player of the Year: Ava Schill, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.
Coaches of the Year: Charlie Nelson and Rob Schill, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.