Demopolis catcher Latham earns ASWA Super All-State honors

Demopolis catcher Abbey Latham collected another accolade Sunday after being named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super All-State Team.

An Ole Miss commit, Latham hit a robust .571 during a junior season in a campaign that included 12 home runs and 57 RBIs in only 39 games. She notched 20 doubles and three triples while drawing 20 walks and going a perfect 18-for-18 on stolen base attempts.

Latham, who was named to the North-South All-Star Game earlier this spring, was one of only 10 players in the state to receive the Super All-State distinction, an honor bestowed upon players regardless of school classification. Latham joins a list that includes the state’s Miss Softball and Gatorade Player of the Year winner Ashlee Swindle.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association release of the Super All-State teams in both baseball and softball appears below.

Lovell wins Mr. Baseball, Swindle take Miss Softball

The Alabama Sports Writers Association named Cullman’s Owen Lovell Mr. Baseball and Curry’s Ashlee Swindle Miss Softball during Sunday’s annual banquet.

ASWA also honored Brantley softball player Alex Wilcox with the inaugural Jimmy Smothers Courage Award.

Lovell helped Cullman to the Class 6A runner-up this season, batting .392 with 14 home runs, 64 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and 15 doubles. The junior center fielder and Alabama commitment also pitched 51 innings, compiling a 7-1 record with 63 strikeouts, three shutouts and a 1.51 ERA.

Lovell heads the Super All-State team and is joined by Florence’s Brax Garrett, Decatur’s Tanner Burns, Sparkman’s Brock Anderson, Russellville’s Judd Ward, Vestavia Hills’ Sonny Potter, American Christian’s Deacon Medders, UMS-Wright’s Tanner Allen, Helena’s Sam Praytor and Corner’s Jackson Tavel.

Auburn signee Swindle (45-2) led Curry to its second straight Class 4A championship — the 2015 title was the first of any kind in school history — pitching 262 2/3 of the team’s 285 total innings, striking out 385 and walking 34 while allowing only 22 earned runs for an 0.59 ERA. Opponents batted .132 with a .169 on-base percentage, managing only 123 hits in 973 batters faced.

Swindle posted the best numbers of her career at the plate, batting .557 with 13 home runs and team best 86 RBIs.

Swindle leads the Super All-State team along with Brantley’s Alex Wilcox, Sumiton Christian’s Kendall Beth Sides and Jenna Ergle, Spain Park’s Mary Katherine Tedder, Elmore County’s Elissa Brown, Baker’s Victoria Ortiz, Macon-East’s Paxton Searle, Demopolis’ Abby Latham and Cullman’s Claire Jenkins.

Lovell is the 18th Mr. Baseball and second Cullman player to win the award after Keegan Thompson was named 2013 Mr. Baseball. No player has repeated as Mr. Baseball and it’s the first time any school has produced multiple winners.

Florence pitcher Garrett was selected 2015 Mr. Baseball and finished second to Lovell this year.

Swindle is the 14th Miss Softball and first Curry player to earn the honor. Grissom’s Anna Thompson is the only two-time Miss Softball winner, earning the award in 2004 and 2006.

Only Pisgah, Hueytown and Baker have multiple winners in the 14-year history of the award.

Pisgah’s Holly Currie won the first Miss Softball award in 2003 and Shelby Holley won in 2011. Hueytown’s Lindsey Dunlap won in 2008 and Leigh Streetman won in 2010 while Baker’s Tara Donaldson won in 2005 and Lacey Sumerlin in 2015.

Brantley’s Wilcox was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on Christmas Day and fought through nine weeks of chemotherapy, missing only about nine games during the Bulldogs’ run to their third straight Class 1A championship.

She’s the ASWA Class 1A Hitter and Player of the Year and was selected to the Super All-State team, finishing second to Swindle in Miss Softball voting.

 

2016 ASWA Super All-State Baseball Team

Mr. Baseball: Owen Lovell, Cullman

Brax Garrett, Florence

Tanner Burns, Decatur

Brock Anderson, Sparkman

Judd Ward, Russellville

Sonny Potter, Vestavia Hills

Deacon Medders, American Christian

Tanner Allen, UMS-Wright

Sam Praytor, Helena

Jackson Tavel, Corner

 

ASWA Mr. Baseball Winners

2016: Owen Lovell, Cullman

2015: Brax Garrett, Florence

2014: Cody Reed, Ardmore

2013: Keegan Thompson, Cullman

2012: Mikey White, Spain Park

2011: Daniel Koger, Huntsville

2010: Daryl Norris, Fairhope

2009: Luke Bole, Hartselle

2008: Tyler Stovall, Hokes Bluff

2007: John David Smelser, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa

2006: Del Howell, American Christian

2005: Colby Rasmus, Russell County

2004: Patrick White, Daphne

2003: Joey Doan, Baker

2002: Allen Ponder, Lee-Scott Academy

2001: Eric West, Southside-Gadsden

2000: Wade Miller, G.W. Long

1999: Matthew Maniscalco, Oxford

 

2016 ASWA Super All-State Softball Team

Miss Softball: Ashlee Swindle, Curry

Alex Wilcox, Brantley

Kendall Beth Sides, Sumiton Christian

Mary Katherine Tedder, Spain Park

Jenna Ergle, Sumiton Christian

Elissa Brown, Elmore County

Victoria Ortiz, Baker

Paxton Searle, Macon-East

Abby Latham, Demopolis

Claire Jenkins, Cullman

 

ASWA Miss Softball Winners

2016: Ashlee Swindle, Curry

2015: Lacey Sumerlin, Baker

2014: Madi Moore, Winfield

2013: Kasey Cooper, Dothan

2012: Haylie McCleney, Mortimer Jordan

2011: Shelby Holley, Pisgah

2010: Leigh Streetman, Hueytown

2009: Hilary Phillips, Ider

2008: Lindsey Dunlap, Hueytown

2007: Whitney Larsen, Vestavia Hills

2006: Anna Thompson, Grissom

2005: Tara Donaldson, Baker

2004: Anna Thompson, Grissom

2003: Holly Currie, Pisgah