MARSHALL — Seven of the Independent’s 11 area softball teams were represented on the first team of the 2025 Independent All-Area softball team, announced Thursday. Yellow Medicine East and Murray County Central were the lone schools with multiple first-teamers, each earning two, while the Rebels led the area with six total selections across the three teams.

For MCC, Kate Blankenship and Thea Schneider earned first-team honors. Blankenship was among the area’s top hitters, finishing the season with a 1.439 OPS that was second only to fellow first-teamer Laken Baartman of Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, who finished with a 2.070 OPS. 

Schneider, meanwhile, was an elite two-way player. She compiled a 14-6 record in the circle with a 2.50 ERA and a 2.45 WHIP, while also making an impact at the plate with a 1.037 OPS and 18 RBIs.

The Rebels also had Kat Miller and Emmi Peltola selected to the third team, with Miller’s three home runs tied for the second most among area athletes to Baartman’s five, and Ava Deacon and Calleigh Doeden selected to the third team. Peltola and Schneider were the only seniors among MCC’s All-Area honorees.

For YME, Bayli Sneller was among the region’s top pitchers. Her 2.32 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 133 innings on the mound helped her elevate the Sting to one of the top teams in Section 3A. Her 194 strikeouts on 41 walks trailed only Minneota/Canby’s Madison Hennen, who earned a second-team selection with 213 strikeouts and 38 walks. 

Sneller also made an impact on the offensive end with an .897 OPS, 18 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Alana Almich, however, was the driving force of the team’s offense with two home runs, 16 RBIs and a 1.143 OPS to earn first-team honors.

Ella Cherveny was also a third-team selection for the Sting.

Lakeview’s speed-demon duo of Taylor Hinz and Kiara Hinz earned first- and third-team honors, respectively, as the area’s leaders in steals. Taylor tallied 28 steals as a catcher with an OPS of 1.166, while Kiara led the area with 33 steals on the season.

In addition to Hennen on the second team, Minneota/Canby also had Joelle Otto selected to the Independent’s first team with a 1.090 OPS for 24 RBIs, and a 2.53 ERA over 19 1/3 innings as a pitcher. Viking catcher Kiersyn Hulzebos and outfielder Emily Walker were each selected to the third team, while Greta Buysse’s prolific hitting in limited action earned her a third-team nod.

Wabasso was the last area team standing this year, winning the Section 3A tournament to end their drought and return to the state tournament. Aylah Jenniges was the driving force of their breakthrough after two years in a row falling short in the section final; Jenniges posted a 2.45 ERA with 125 strikeouts over 168 2/3 innings, and added a homer with 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases on the offensive end. Strong-armed outfielder Camryn Irlbeck also made the second team with two home runs on the season, while Macy Rohlik and Audrey Johnson made third-team and honorable mention, respectively.

Melaina Ankrum rounded out the area’s first-team selections with two home runs and an OPS of 1.208 for Tracy-Milroy-Balaton.

Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove saw Leah Carter and Natalie Wahl selected to the second team and Natasha Wahl selected to the third team.

RTR pitcher Jaida Fricke capped off her freshman year with the Knights with a second-team selection after transferring from TMB.

Sara Dallman showed some power at the plate to earn a third-team selection, as did Dawson-Boyd’s Madalyn Wente.

The Independent will wrap up its All-Area teams with its baseball team being announced in Saturday’s edition of the Independent. The Softball Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, July 11.

Alana Almich, YME, C, Jr.

76 PA, .391/.487/.656, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 5 SB

Melaina Ankrum, TMB, IF/P, So.

74 PA, .419/.514/.694, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 4 SB

32.2 IP, 1-3, 8.36 ERA, 2.69 WHIP, 35 SO, 54 BB

Laken Baartman, RTR, C, So.

79 PA, .684/.772/1.298, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 2 SB

6.1 IP, 0-0, 5.53 ERA, 3.32 WHIP, 5 SO, 11 BB

Kate Blankenship, MCC, SS, Jr.

81 PA, .547/642/.797, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 12 SB

2 IP, 0-1, 35.00 ERA, 6.00 WHIP, 1 SO, 2 BB

Taylor Hinz, Lakeview, C, So.

62 PA, .509/.581/.585, 9 RBI, 28 SB

Aylah Jenniges, Wabasso, P, Jr.

106 PA, .282/.365/.388, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 13 SB

168.2 IP, 18-8, 2.45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 125 SO, 39 BB

Joelle Otto, Minneota/Canby, CF/P, Jr.

81 PA, .443/.519/.571, 24 RBI, 13 SB

19.1 IP, 2-0, 2.53 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 16 SO, 4 BB

Thea Schneider, MCC, P, Sr.

84 PA, .420/.524/.507, 18 RBI, 3 SB

131 IP, 14-6, 2.50 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 157 SO, 36 BB

Bayli Sneller, YME, P, Jr.

81 PA, .352/.432/.465, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 17 SB

133 IP, 14-7, 2.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 194 SO, 41 BB

SECOND TEAM

Leah Carter, RRC/WWG, 1B, Jr.

72 PA, .361/.458/.607, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 2 SB

Jaida Fricke, RTR, P, Fr.

78 PA, .412/.474/.603, 28 RBI, 8 SB

113.1 IP, 7-14, 6.24 ERA, 2.06 WHIP, 114 SO, 36 BB

Madison Hennen, Minneota/Canby, PSS/P, Jr.

67 PA, .260/.418/.380, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 7 SB

116 IP, 14-4, 2.11 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 213 SO, 38 BB

Kiersyn Hulzebos, Minneota/Canby, C, Sr.

86 PA, .390/.453/.481, 12 RBI, 17 SB

Camryn Irlbeck, Wabasso, CF, Jr.

93 PA, .289/.352/.482, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 6 SB

Kat Miller, MCC, DP, So.

67 PA, .309/.418/.545, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 4 SB

Emmi Peltola, MCC, CF, Sr.

82 PA, .391/.481/.594, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 11 SB

Natalie Wahl, RRC/WWG, SS, Sr.

72 PA, .385/.444/.523, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 4 SB

Emily Walker, Minneota/Canby, LF, So.

62 PA, .315/.403/.593, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 10 SB

THIRD TEAM

Greta Buysse, Minneota/Canby, 2B, So.

41 PA, .429/.500/.486, 2 RBI, 7 SB

Ella Cherveny, YME, CF, Jr.

86 PA, .329/.384/.418, 15 RBI, 9 SB

Sara Dallman, Marshall, IF/P

62 PA, .414/.452/.569, 10 RBI, 4 SB

43.2 IP, 0-4, 7.53 ERA, 2.73 WHIP, 33 SO, 38 BB

Ava Deacon, MCC, C, Jr.

88 PA, .347/.432/.453, 10 RBI, 8 SB

Calleigh Doeden, MCC, RF, Jr.

75 PA, .344/.427/.453, 11 RBI, 9 SB

Kiara Hinz, Lakeview, SS, Jr.

78 PA, .391/.500/.406, 8 RBI, 33 SB

Macy Rohlik, Wabasso, 3B, Jr.

102 PA, .333/.402/.478, 21 RBI, 9 SB

Natasha Wahl, RRC/WWG, 2B, Fr.

79 PA, .400/.468/.514, 12 RBI, 9 SB

3 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 0 SO, 2 BB

Madalyn Wente, Dawson-Boyd, 2B/P

37 PA, .382/.432/.618, 8 RBI, 12 SB

HONORABLE MENTION

Danni Kockelman, Minneota/Canby, SS, Fr.; Aliyah Loftness, TMB, IF, Jr.; Aubreigh Rausch, Lakeview, LF, Sr.; Audrey Johnson, Wabasso, LF, Jr.; Paisley Thooft, RTR, 2B, So.