ASWA doles out top awards; Sweet Water’s Smith makes Super All-State

The Alabama Sports Writers Association named St. Luke’s Jeremiah Jackson Mr. Baseball and Brantley’s Leanna Johnson Miss Softball during Sunday’s annual banquet.

ASWA also honored Pleasant Valley volleyball player Anna Bryant with the Jimmy Smothers Courage Award.

Jackson led St. Luke’s to the Class 2A state semifinals, batting .637 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs in 34 games. Jackson hit .439 with 34 homers, 199 RBIs and 152 walks in his career, helping the Wildcats to a pair of state titles.

He was picked No. 57 overall in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Angels.

Jackson heads the Super All-State list and is joined by Homewood’s Josh Hall, Auburn’s Brooks Fuller, Andalusia’s Ethan Wilson, Sweet Water’s Jonah Smith, Hoover’s Sonny DiChiria, Cullman’s Will Morrison, Headland’s Chase Wilkerson, Mobile Christian’s Ethan Hearn and G.W. Long’s Dylan Register.

Troy signee Johnson led Brantley to the Class 1A state championship with a 48-4 record, posting a state-best 536 strikeouts and 31 shutouts with an 0.45 ERA. She also batted .374 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs.

She helped the Bulldogs to state titles in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Johnson is the first Class 1A player selected Miss Softball.

Johnson leads the Super All-State softball list along with Springville’s Abby Swaney, Fairhope’s Samantha Yarbrough, Spain Park’s Annabelle Widra, Thompson’s Lauren Haskins, Daphne’s Kennedy Cronan, Baker’s Victoria Ortiz, Wilson’s Johnna Staggs, G.W. Long’s Olivia Baker and Macon-East’s Taylor McKinney.

Jackson is the 20th Mr. Baseball and first St. Luke’s player to win the award. No player has repeated as Mr. Baseball.

Johnson is the 16th Miss Softball and first Brantley 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 16-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.

Pleasant Valley’s Bryant starred in volleyball and also played softball until her sophomore year when a foul ball screamed into the dugout and struck her in the head. She was diagnosed with a slow brain bleed, requiring surgery and months of rehabilitation.

Bryant returned to volleyball her junior season and was MVP of the Calhoun County tourney as a senior. She was a Bryant-Jordan Achievement Award winner.

2018 ASWA Super All-State Baseball

Mr. Baseball: Jeremiah Jackson, St. Luke’s

Josh Hall, Homewood

Brooks Fuller, Auburn

Ethan Wilson, Andalusia

Jonah Smith, Sweet Water

Sonny DiChiria, Hoover

Will Morrison, Cullman

Chase Wilkerson, Headland

Ethan Hearn, Mobile Christian

Dylan Register, G.W. Long

ASWA Mr. Baseball Winners

2018: Jeremiah Jackson, St. Luke’s

2017: Tanner Burns, Decatur

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

2018 ASWA Super All-State Softball

Miss Softball: Leanna Johnson, Brantley

Abby Swaney, Springville

Samantha Yarbrough, Fairhope

Annabelle Widra, Spain Park

Lauren Haskins, Thompson

Kennedy Cronan, Daphne

Victoria Ortiz, Baker

Johnna Staggs, Wilson

Olivia Baker, G.W. Long

Taylor McKinney, Macon-East

ASWA Miss Softball Winners

2018: Leanna Johnson, Brantley

2017: Annie Willis, Westminster Christian

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