photo by: Journal-World Sports Staff

The Journal-World All-Area Teams.

Coach of the Year: Bill Finucane, Eudora High School

Bill Finucane

Eudora went 27-2 in 2025 while reaching the state championship game, where the Cardinals recorded their only 4A loss of the year (their two losses during the regular season were against 6A team Olathe North). The Cardinals won the Frontier League and their regional for the fourth-straight year.

Player of the Year: Sam Claire, Eudora High School

photo by: Courtesy of Sam Claire

Eudora senior pitcher Sam Claire will stay close to home after committing to KU softball.

Claire dominated in the circle for the Cardinals and accrued 264 strikeouts — which was a school record — with an ERA of 0.609. She made first-team all-Frontier League and first-team all-state and won the Earl Edwards Pitcher of the Year award. As a batter, she hit .375 with an on-base percentage of .505.

Rylee Bentley, Baldwin

Rylee Bentley

Bentley batted .410 and brought 14 runners home. As a first baseman and utility infielder, she had a .994 fielding percentage with one error on the season. Bentley led the Bulldogs in batting average, on-base percentage, hits and runs.

Lexi Born, Eudora

Lexi Born

Born batted .383 with 40 RBIs as the center fielder. She was a first-team all-Frontier League outfielder and first-team all-state selection.

Jaiden Burris, Eudora

Jaiden Burris

Burris, the Eudora third baseman, batted .476 and hit seven home runs, which led the team. She earned first-team all-Frontier League honors and second-team all-state honors.

Katie Courter, Eudora

Katie Courter

Courter led the Cardinals with a .485 batting average and a .563 on-base percentage as the leadoff hitter. Her 55 stolen bases is a school record and was a first-team all-state and all-Frontier League player.

Maddy Crawford, Lawrence

Maddy Crawford

Crawford, the senior third baseman for Lawrence, batted .400 with a .700 slugging and five home runs. Defensively, she had a .938 fielding percentage with 25 put outs to only four errors.

Paxton Damme, Perry-Lecompton

Paxton Damme

Damme led the Kaws as a sophomore and earned second-team all-state as an outfielder. She batted .352 and had a fielding percentage of .914.

Farrah Halsa, Tonganoxie

Farrah Halsa

Halsa, a junior, was a top hitter for the Chieftains through the season. In the team’s regional games, Halsa led the team with six hits including nine RBI.

Keira Norris, Lawrence

Keira Norris

Norris compiled a 14-4 record as the Lawrence ace with a 3.02 ERA and 144 strikeouts. She finished with second-team all-Sunflower League and second-team all-state honors.

Reese Pattison, Eudora

Reese Pattison

Pattison batted .476 with an on-base percentage of .586. She hit five home runs and was a first-team all-Frontier League and all-state catcher. Behind the plate, Pattison called all of the pitches during the season.

Sarai Preston, Free State

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Sarai Preston celebrates after scoring against Manhattan on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Lawrence.

Preston batted .385 with an on-base percentage of .489. She collected 35 hits and six home runs for Free State as a sophomore left fielder.

Honorable Mention: Lori Brooks (Eudora); Delaney Bruhns (Free State); Macie Corcoran (Perry-Lecompton); Harper Dye (Lawrence); Lydia Folks (Lawrence); Sophia Halton (Free State); Olivia O’Toole (Eudora); Ava Regalado (Baldwin); Logyn Scoby (Baldwin); Taylor Trimble (Perry-Lecompton).