Petrey, Latham split Watchman Player of the Year honors

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017 Jeremy D. Smith AHSAA, AISA, Alabama, Bulldogs, Demopolis, demopolis high school, DHS, Longhorns, MA, Marengo Academy, prep sports, softball, Sweet Water, Sweet Water High School, Tigers

For only the second time, the West Alabama Watchman has co-players of the year in a sport as SEC signees Abbey Latham and Macey Petrey each posted career years in leading their teams to strong seasons.

Petrey, a Mississippi State signee, shined as Marengo Academy’s shortstop with a .940 fielding percentage to go along with the best offensive season of her career. She hit a robust .543 on the season to go along with 10 homers, 29 doubles, three triples, 73 RBIs, 36 stolen bases and 61 runs scored. Most importantly, she led her team on a remarkable run through the postseason that culminated in the Longhorns winning the AISA, Class A state championship.

Latham earns Player of the Year honors for the third consecutive season after propelling her team to a 36-13 season with a tremendous season that includes a .605 batting average, 19 homers, 15 doubles, five triples, 16 stolen bases and 61 runs scored. The Tiger catcher and Ole Miss signee also drove in 74 runs on the season.

Coach of the Year honors go to Marengo Academy’s Chris Petrey, who stunned the AISA by escorting the Longhorns to the state championship well before most around the circuit expected such a return to prominence. Petrey’s team finished 26-19 on the season and put it all together at the right time in the state tournament, including a victory over nemesis Patrician after having lost to the Saints seven times in 2017. Petrey navigated a squad that included a seventh grade catcher at the cleanup spot and a freshman second baseman and eighth grade leftfielder filling out the top two spots in the order.

During the Longhorns’ state tournament run, Petrey nearly pushed every button flawlessly all the down to winning the coin toss for the final game and choosing to be the visiting team. His squad scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Then he inserted a freshman in the pitcher’s circle with the bases loaded and nobody out despite her not having thrown a single warmup pitch the entire weekend. She went on to allow one hit over seven innings of work for the win.

The West Alabama Watchman 2017 All-County Softball Team consists of:

C – Abbey Latham, Demopolis

1B – Bria Brown, Demopolis

2B – Elly Brown, Demopolis

3B – Courtney Smith, Demopolis

SS – Macey Petrey, Marengo Academy

OF – Kayla Marshall, Sweet Water

OF – Lara Little, Sweet Water

OF – Riley Newton, Marengo Academy

OF – Hannah Freeman, Marengo Academy

P – Natalie Tatum, Demopolis

P – Thea Luker, Sweet Water