Trio of Tigers earn first team all-conference
Stratford’s varsity softball senior pitcher and catcher combination of Laney Pankratz and Emma Roeper helped the Tigers play in their first ever state tournament in 2023. Pankratz pitched completegame wins against Spencer and Edgar in WIAA Division 4 regionals and Auburndale and Blair-Taylor in sectionals with Roeper as the team’s backstop during that memorable season.
Both players made Marawood South Conference all-star teams in each of their four years of high school. Roeper was a unanimous first team all-conference selection this season to go with her first team all-conference honor last season and honorable mention all-conference in each of her first two high school seasons. She had 39 hits including 24 singles, 14 doubles and a home run in her 88 at-bats for a .443 batting average with nine walks, 27 RBIs and six runs scored this season.
Pankratz received second team all-conference this season after she was a unanimous first team selection in her sophomore and junior seasons. She was second team all-conference as a freshman. Pankratz was a workhorse this season with 96 innings pitched. She had a 10-4 record with an impressive 2.19 ERA.
Her younger sister, sophomore centerfielder Carly Pankratz, was awarded unanimous first team all-conference this season after she was a first team all-conference player last season. Carly Pankratz had 38 hits in 91 at-bats this season including 25 singles, nine doubles, three triples and a home run in her leadoff spot in the team’s hitting lineup. She drew nine walks and stole 15 bases while collecting 18 RBIs for a .418 batting average.
Stratford junior first baseball and pitcher Tria Tubbs earned first team allconference for the first time this season after receiving second team all-conference last season. She pitched 69-2/3 innings this season with an 8-4 record along with 65 strikeouts and a solid 3.01 ERA.
Edgar sophomore catcher Alyssa Kolano was awarded first team all-conference this season. She had 24 hits in 67 atbats including 13 singles, six doubles, three triples and a home run. Kolano drew six walks while collecting 18 RBIs for a .358 batting average.
Auburndale sophomore pitcher Morgan Griesbach and Wisconsin Rapids senior pitcher Macy Vollert each were unanimous all-Marawood South Conference this season and they shared conference player of the year honors. Mike Schulte of Auburndale was named Marawood South Conference coach of the year after leading the Eagles to the conference championship this season. Other unanimous first team all-Marawood South Conference selections are senior Claire Nelson and junior Ari Cavanaugh of Assumption and senior Mya Kings and junior Danika Bloomberg of Auburndale.
Marathon sophomore pitcher and third baseman Allison Podjaski earned second team all-Marawood Conference for a second straight season. Edgar senior third baseman Alyson Kolano and sophomore pitcher/right fielder Jorja Knetter also received second team all-conference this season.
Stratford junior shortstop Gracie Schmidt earned honorable mention all-Marawood South Conference for the third consecutive season. Tigers sophomore second baseman Dakota Knetter received honorable mention all-conference for the first time this season. Edgar senior desig- See ALL-CONFERENCE SOFTBALL/ page 14 nated hitter Grasci Yonker and sophomore shortstop Bella Kaiser also earned honorable mention all-conference this spring. Marathon junior catcher Danica Staus and freshman right fielder Brinley Stencil received honorable mention all-conference this season.
Marawood North
Athens varsity softball senior cousins Abby and Danica Diethelm were awarded unanimous first team all-Marawood North Conference this season.
Danica Diethelm, who was a pitcher and center fielder this season, has been a unanimous selection for three consecutive years. She had a .346 slugging and .437 on-base percentages this season. She drew 17 walks and scored 14 runs.
Abby Diethelm also earned honorable mention all-conference as a sophomore. She had a .421 batting average with a .542 on-base and .719 slugging percentages this season. She collected 24 hits including 12 singles, nine doubles, a triple and two home runs. She drew 12 walks while collecting 19 RBIs and scoring 13 runs.
The following are the other unanimous first team all-Marawood Conference softball players this season: Senior Regan Hoffman and sophomore Jalen Brunell of Chequamegon; seniors Mataya Eckert and Lily Miller of Phillips; senior Addison Gums and juniors Avery Niemi, Tessa Weik and Tahlia Scheitauer of Rib Lake.
Athens sophomore shortstop and pitcher Karly Eckert was awarded second team all-Marawood North Conference this season and earning honorable mention allconference last season. Athens freshman third baseman and shortstop Ayva Haehlke also received second team allconference this season.
Other players earning second team all-Marawood North Conference are senior Anya Brenholt and juniors Angie BeBeau and Adison Bablick of Chequamegon, Phillips junior Raelee Williams and freshmen Trinity Smith and Annaka Tobias and senior Kiana Dallmann, junior Kara Kennedy and sophomore Madelyn Dallmann of Rib Lake.
Bluejays senior first baseman Kyana Janda and freshman Jaelin Switlick were awarded honorable mention all-Marawood North Conference this season.
Other players earning honorable mention all-conference are Chequamegon sophomores Hailey Rauschenbach and Abagail Brenholt, junior Paula Pomeroy and freshman Marlo Edwards of Phillips and junior Madilyn Bloomberg and freshman Ava Dallmann of Rib Lake.
