North Newton made another deep tournament run, backing its 2025 Class A softball state championship with a semistate appearance this season.
Southmont made its own run to semistate in the Class 2A tournament.
Tri-County had a record-breaking season and showed itself among the top teams in Class A all season long.
A stellar senior class that two seasons ago helped Rossville win its first softball state title departed after a program-changing four-year run.
Greater Lafayette had plenty to celebrate in 2026. We wrap up the season with the Journal & Courier Small School all-area team, comprised of the area’s Class A and 2A programs.
Player of the Year
Ella Barry, sophomore, Southmont: The Mounties’ run to semistate relied on the arm and bat of Southmont’s ace pitcher. She performed admirably in that role, going 17-4 in the circle with a 0.86 earned run average and 237 strikeouts to just 20 walks over 138 innings. During Southmont’s run to a sectional title, Barry started three straight days, allowing two runs over three games. Barry collected a ridiculous 1.149 slugging percentage and .628 on-base percentage, hitting .537 with 11 doubles and 10 homers. She drove in 35 runs and scored 16 times.
Small School All-Area team
Lyla Badger, sophomore, Seeger: Split time between third base and pitcher, where she recorded 62 innings in the circle with a 9-4 record and 79 strikeouts in 62 innings. Reached base in better than 62% of her plate appearances with a .558 batting average that included 19 doubles, 31 runs scored and 31 RBI. Also stole seven bases.
Kenzie Goff, sophomore, Attica: Led the Wabash River Conference with a .623 batting average to go with her league-leading 35 stolen bases, a .657 on-base percentage and a .984 slugging. The speedster scored 31 runs and provided six doubles, five triples and two inside-the-park homers while also fielding at a .964 clip.
Addi Gorbett, senior, Rossville: A second-team all-state honoree after hitting .500 with 15 doubles, one triple and a home run. Gorbett drove in 22 and scored another 25 runs with 10 stolen bases.
Keera Grizzle, sophomore, Clinton Prairie: Helped the Gophers win a sectional title with a team-leading .549 batting average that included 19 doubles and five home runs. Grizzle reached base in 59% of her plate appearances and slugged .882, driving in 44 runs, scoring 38 more and stealing seven bases to receive second-team all-state honors.
Lauren Hardy, freshman, Covington: The first-team all-state selection hit .527 with 48 runs scored and a .921 fielding percentage at shortstop. Hardy was successful in 100% of her 34 stolen base attempts and drove in 29 runs out of the leadoff spot with 15 doubles, five triples and four home runs.
Maria Jones, sophomore, North Newton: Pitched the Spartans to a regional championship during a season she went 16-6 with a 2.91 earned run average, 153 strikeouts and 22 walks in 137 innings. Also mashed four home runs to go with four doubles, five triples and a .275 batting average.
Charlotte Kingery, junior, Carroll: The Cougars ace compiled a 14-4 record in the circle, striking out 87 and walking 27 over 113 innings while compiling a 3.10 earned run average, helping lead Carroll to the Hoosier Heartland Conference title. Offensively, the All-HHC honoree and Team MVP hit .377 with 13 doubles, three homers and drove in 20 runs.
Cassidy Lattimore, sophomore, West Central: Hit .507 with 28 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Lattimore drove in 14 runs with two doubles and three triples.
Sami Leopard, sophomore, Delphi: Racked up numerous honors, including Team MVP and first-team all-state after hitting .583 with 44 runs scored and 29 stolen bases to go with 10 doubles, two triples and 14 runs batted in. She also fielded at a .979 clip.
Grace Luck, senior, Tri-County: A first-team all-state and Indiana All-Star worthy season including a .600 batting average with seven doubles, five triples, four home runs and 25 runs batted in to go with 50 runs scored, 38 stolen bases and a .976 fielding percentage.
Madison Minniear, junior, Benton Central: The Bison Team MVP and All-Hoosier Conference selection hit .446 with six doubles, six triples and three home runs while driving in 19. Minniear also scored 24 runs, stole seven bases and fielded .974.
Maddi Nevitt, senior, Tri-County: An Indiana All-Star and first-team all-state selection, the future Northern Illinois Huskie capped her career with a 15-2 record and 1.19 earned run average, striking out 221 and walking just 35 in 105 2/3 innings. Offensively, Nevitt added five doubles, six triples and eight home runs with 42 RBI and 33 runs scored among her .521 average while stealing six bases.
Autumn Paschal, senior, Rossville: Fielded at a .981 clip while also batting .457. The second-team all-state honoree racked up 23 runs scored and drove in another 23 with six doubles, one triple, one home run and seven stolen bases.
Abie Pearson, senior, Delphi: The recipient of Delphi’s G3 Award (grit, grace and gratitude) also stacked up a first-team all-state season, hitting .569 with four doubles, four triples and one home run while driving in 21 runs and scoring 25. She added five stolen bases and a .970 fielding percentage. In the circle, Pearson collected two saves.
Lainie Serie, freshman, Seeger: Hit seven home runs to go with two triples and 11 doubles among her .485 batting average and .835 slugging percentage. Serie scored 36 runs and drove in another 32 while stealing 22 bases and fielding .991.
Sadie Weliver, senior, Clinton Prairie: Pitched Prairie to a sectional title and compiled a 9-6 record with a 3.19 earned run average and 74 strikeouts over 98 2/3 innings. Weliver clubbed 11 doubles and hit at a .430 clip with a .522 on-base percentage. Also drove in 18 runs and stole five bases.
Honorable mention
Embree Boutelle, Central Catholic; Adriann Conn, North White; Stacia Crabtree and Kami Davis, Rensselaer; Keely Frier, Faith Christian; Riley Higgins and Rylynn Klemz, North Newton; Briley Iseminger, South Newton; Madyson Isley, Carroll; Airy Lattimore, Delphi; Chloe Linder, Benton Central; Emily Long, Clinton Central; Kynlee Myers, Rossville; Alexus Peaslee, Covington; Emmalyn Stockment, Frontier; Kaylee Turner, Southmont; Grace Tyler, Tri-County; Jackie Weber, Fountain Central, Sophie Welshimer, North Montgomery
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Meet the 2026 Journal & Courier Small School All-Area Softball Team
Reporting by Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier | USA TODAY Network
