Republican-Herald All-Area Softball Teams
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Another season of Schuylkill League softball has come and gone, and what a season it was.
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A season that we will not forget anytime soon. The Pine Grove Area Cardinals accomplished a rare feat, claiming a second straight state championship. Several other Schuylkill League teams made their way into the PIAA playoffs.
Tri-Valley finished just one win short of competing for their third state championship of this decade. Schuylkill Haven claimed its first District 11 title, and it’s their first PIAA win. Blue Mountain won the Schuylkill League regular season title and a District 11 championship, while North Schuylkill once again proved to be one of the best in the league as well and made its way back into the state tournament.
And that’s just some of the accomplishments that occurred.
Nonetheless, with another season officially over. It’s time to hand out the awards for the 2026 season. Below, the Republican Herald releases our annual all-area softball teams, both first team and second team selections. We also hand out our player of the year award, as well as a coach of the year award.
Player of the Year: Callee Leffler, Pine Grove
This should come as no surprise. Leffler simply put is the greatest softball player in the history of the Schuylkill League. After hitting over .500 in each of her first three seasons, Leffler saved her best for last. This season, leading the Cardinals to their second straight state championship, Leffler hit .629 while hitting a state-leading 18 home runs, according to MaxPreps. Her 50 RBI ranked fourth in the state and second among players in Class 3A or higher. Not only was she dominant at the plate, but Leffler was equally as fantastic in centerfield, her strong arm putting fear into any coach or base runner daring to look to an additional base.
Leffler finishes her historic high-school career with a .574 batting average, .684 on-base percentage, and 2.012 on-base+slugging tallying 170 hits, including 38 home runs and 130 RBI.
Coach of the Year: Garry Adams, Schuylkill Haven
The Coach of the Year battle was a strong one this year. Pine Grove’s Ryan Leffler coached his team to a second straight state championship. Blue Mountain’s Paul Leonard coached his Eagles to a District 11 championship and a 24-3 overall record. North Schuylkill’s Jack Flynn saw his team qualify for the state playoffs after finishing as runners-up in the District 11 Class 4A playoffs. Tri-Valley’s Marty Shade led his team back to a District 11 title and one win short of competing for a state championship.
Each of those coaches has strong arguments. Ultimately, the nod goes to Garry Adams of Schuylkill Haven. Tasked with leading a team that was heavy on youth, with seven freshmen and three sophomores, to go along with just three juniors and a senior, Adams coached his Hurricanes to an 18-8 record in 2026 and the program’s first District 11 championship.
The Hurricanes’ season wasn’t a smooth ride either, as they began the year with a 4-5 record, including at one point losing four of five games. But after a 5-1 win over Marian Catholic on April 8, Schuylkill Haven would win 11 of its final 12 regular-season games before eventually beating Minersville and Williams Valley to claim the District 11 Class 2A crown. The Hurricanes also won their first-ever PIAA playoff game on June 1 against Brandywine Heights Area 3-1 before losing to Bristol in the quarterfinals.
All-Area First Team:
Pitcher: Jamie Dinger, Pine Grove – Pine Grove’s ace, Dinger pitched in 23 games this season, collecting a 15-2 record with a 0.79 ERA in 107 innings while striking out 128. The junior pitcher also hit .375 at the plate with three home runs, six additional extra base hits, and 24 RBI.
Pitcher: Emily Leonard, Blue Mountain – After a strong freshman season last year, the sophomore pitcher pitched to the tune of a 17-2 record and a 1.41 ERA in 139 innings this season for the Eagles, striking out 135. Leonard showed tremendous poise on the circle throughout the season and was a major piece of Blue Mountain’s success this season.
Catcher: Gianna Capone, North Schuylkill – Capone hit .508 this spring with a .592 on-base percentage as a junior, collecting 32 hits, including five home runs, and driving in 32 over 21 games. She also had 13 walks to just five strikeouts.
First Base: Anna Borden, Blue Mountain – Borden hit a career best .455 this season as a senior with one home run and 12 doubles, while also collecting a triple. She drove in 31 runs as well this season while also locking down first base for the Eagles.
Second Base: Summer Cupsta, Tri-Valley – One of the Schuylkill League’s top hitters, Cupsta, as a junior, hit .535 this season for Tri-Valley with two home runs, eight doubles, and six triples while driving in 23 runs over the course of the season.
Third Base: Meadow Umbenhauer, Pine Grove – Umbenhauer saw a big jump in her batting average at the plate this season as a junior, going from .278 a season ago to .405 this season with five home runs and 28 RBI. She also had nine additional extra base hits, including eight doubles, while being an integral part of Pine Grove’s success at the plate.
Shortstop: Hannah Aungst, Pine Grove – Opposing teams found out throughout the season that if they walked Callee Leffler, Aungst would likely make them play. The Cardinals’ two-hole hitter was tremendous this spring with a .412 batting average and 1.126 OPS, thanks to 15 total extra base hits, including a home run and 37 RBI.
Outfield: Addyson Fishburn, Blue Mountain – A classic leadoff hitter, the senior Fishburn hit .590 this season for Blue Mountain. Of her 59 hits, 57 were singles. She also collected four walks, pushing her on-base percentage to .606 on the season, and drove in 23 runs. Blue Mountain’s offense was one of the best in Pennsylvania all season, in large part thanks to Fishburn consistently setting the table.
Outfield: Jes Siminitus, Pottsville – Siminitus is credited with a .379 batting average this season while totaling three home runs and 10 total extra base hits as well as 17 RBI. The senior Crimson Tide standout was also perfect in the outfield with no errors.
Outfield: Joie Schoffstall, Schuylkill Haven – One of the few upperclassmen on Schuylkill Haven this season, the junior Schoffstall hit .426 this season for the Hurricanes with 21 extra base hits, including 16 doubles, while recording 37 RBI.
Utility: Malina Letcher, Marian Catholic – Letcher capped off her Marian Catholic career with a second-straight season hitting over .500 with a .522 batting average while collecting five home runs, six doubles, four triples, and 43 RBI.
Utility: Myah Schwalm, Tri-Valley – The sophomore not only was terrific in the circle for Tri-Valley, posting a 2.19 ERA in 17 games and 76.2 innings, but also got it done at the plate, hitting .465 with 16 extra base hits, including two home runs and 33 RBI.
All-Area Second Team
Pitcher: Chelcy Clark, Pine Grove – Clark was sidelined in the circle in the early parts of the season, but was strong as the season progressed and especially in the playoffs. She finished the season with a 0.56 ERA in 63 innings, striking out 67. Both Clark and first-team selection Jamie Dinger return in 2027.
Pitcher: Brigid Flynn, North Schuylkill – Flynn was dominant on the mound for North Schuylkill, helping lead the Spartans to the PIAA playoffs. The senior pitched to the tune of a 1.81 ERA in 85 innings and struck out 86 while walking just 14 in the process.
Catcher: Emmerson Frie, Blue Mountain – As a sophomore, Frie emerged throughout the spring as one of the best power hitters in the Schuylkill League, finishing with a .370 batting average, six home runs, and a team-leading 38 RBI.
First Base: Jordanna Frie, North Schuylkill – Frie not only played nearly perfectly defensively this season at first but also hit .458 at the plate with a 543 on-base percentage. The senior also had four doubles and four home runs with 18 RBI.
Second Base: Lily Flynn, Pine Grove – Flynn saw one of the biggest jumps of any Schuylkill League hitter this season, going from .236 a season ago at the plate to .422 this spring with three home runs and 31 RBI as a junior. Notably, Flynn had two RBI in Pine Grove’s 7-1 state championship win over Sharon.
Shortstop: Ella Kobularik, Williams Valley – The senior shortstop hit .382 this spring with four extra base hits and 14 RBI while also playing strong in the field up the middle for the Vikings.
Third Base: Liv Witmer, Tri-Valley – A junior, Witmer was a key cog in the Tri-Valley engine in 2026 with two home runs, 14 doubles, and 30 RBI while hitting .412 with a .455 on-base percentage.
Outfield: Khloe Jessman, Pine Grove – Jessman, as a freshman, was phenomenal for Pine Grove, hitting .458 with two home runs and 25 RBI. The infielder turned outfielder was also perfect in the outfield with no errors.
Outfield: Monica Selgrade, North Schuylkill – In her sophomore season, Selgrade hit .373 with 22 hits and a pair of home runs. She was reliable in defense with a .947 fielding percentage and also swiped ten bases.
Outfield: Rilyn Brennan, Minersville – Brennan hit .492 for Minersville as a sophomore with 31 hits and 11 RBI. She was also great in the outfield with just one error.
Utility: Aisley Jenan, Schuylkill Haven – The sophomore catcher was quietly one of the best hitters in the Schuylkill League this season with a .544 batting average. She also had 20 total extra-base hits, including 14 doubles, and drove in 36 RBI.
Utility: Liv Hand, Williams Valley – A two-way star, Hand, as a junior, hit .394 at the plate with five home runs and 36 RBI for the Vikings, while also pitching 74.1 innings, striking out 79, and posting a 3.48 ERA.