Five area players named to 2A All-State teams

The Louisiana Sports Writer Association’s Class 2A All-State baseball and softball squads are heavy on the Cajun flair, with Acadiana area schools claiming three of the top four honors and five Teche Area players receiving first-team honors.

Notre Dame senior Marcella Gossen was named the LSWA’s Most Valuable Player for the Class 2A softball team, while Pioneers junior Chase Habetz was chosen as the MVP for the Class 2A baseball team.

Doyle’s Amanda Decell was voted softball Coach of the Year. Rob Segura of Loreauville was picked as Coach of the year for baseball team by a panel of sportswriters from across the state, with Loreauville’s Michael Latulas and Shajuan Nora and Catholic High’s Kyle Evans and Broc Romero named to the first team for baseball and Catholic High’s Meghan Robicheaux named to the softball first-team.

Gossen, a Nicholls State signee, is a three-time LSWA selection. She put up superb numbers batting .549 with 35 RBIs while owning a 2.90 ERA, before an ankle injury sidelined her for much of the playoffs.

It was Gossen who recorded the final three outs of the Pios’ 7-4 victory against Menard in the Division III championship game. It was Notre Dame’s first softball title since 2010.

Habetz, the District 7-2A MVP,  was 8-2 record and 1.62 ERA over 60 1/3 innings pitched. Habetz also owned a .356 batting average with 21 RBIs.

After posting a 22-12 record and earning the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, Decell led Doyle to its first state title in school history its first championship game appearance in a decade. Segura led Loreauville (18-11), a No. 5 seed, to its first state crown in school history.

Gossen was selected as a utility player on the All-State softball team. The team’s other utility players included Catholic High’s Meghan Robicheaux (.413), Doyle’s Marley Olivier (17-7), Winnfield’s Rachel Yocum (.488) and Kinder’s Sarah Gartman (19-4).

The pitchers selected to the All-State softball team are St. Thomas Aquinas’ Karlee Kraft (21-7), Notre Dame’s Sydnei Simon (9-1), Mangham’s Leann Franks (21-10) and Holy Savior Menard’s Olivia Johnson. Notre Dame’s Abbey Higginbotham (.488) is the catcher.

The infield consists of Riverside’s Lexi Johnson (.500), Winnfield’s Kassidy Grantadams (.526), Many’s Keely Dubois (.618) and Rosepine’s Haylee Brinlee (.465). The outfielders are St. Thomas Aquinas’ Brilee Broussard (.467), Doyle’s Sydney Taylor (.449) and Calvary Baptist’s Bree Newman (.438).

Payton Smith and Emily Rosamond of Catholic High were honorable mentions on the softball squad.

The pitchers joining Habetz on the All-State baseball team are Kinder’s Elijah Lavan (7-1), Catholic High’s Broc Romero and St. Thomas Aquinas’ Alex Egan (10-1). The catcher is Dunham’s Nick Harris (.505).

The infield is made up of Notre Dame’s Thomas Stevens (.444), Loreauville’s Mike Latulas (.429), Ascension Episcopal’s Seth Kerstetter (.463) and St. Thomas Aquinas’ Champ Artigues (.453). The outfield consists of Catholic High’s Kyle Evans (.382), Welsh’s Zach Hayes (.320) and Mangham’s Josh Keeton (.505).

The utility players chosen are DeQuincy’s Owen Tyler (.391), Loreauville’s Shajuan Nora (.390), Ascension Episcopal’s Sean-Michael Brady (8-1), Many’s Beau Ross (10-3) and Riverside’s Jordan Loving (.474).

Caleb Washington of Loreauville and Hunter Dugas of CHS were honorable mentions to the baseball team.