St. Cloud senior Hannah Nasco, a Division I softball signee with Jacksonville University, has been named the season’s Osceola News-Gazette Softball Player of the Year.
It was a clean sweep of awards for Nasco, who earlier last month was named Orange Belt Conference Player of the Year.
“A lot of people marvel at her talent and athletic ability but when I think of Hannah Nasco, my first thought is ho w she works her tail off at absolutely everything she does,” St. Cloud Coach Ray Whobrey said at her signing ceremony. “She never settles for good, she strives for excellent. As with all our seniors, she lost a year because of COVID and then had some injury issues both her junior and senior seasons. Had those events not occurred, there is no doubt in my mind she would have set every major softball record in school history (in a record book full of impressive players). She has an incredible future in front of her, both on and off the field.”
Nasco hit .521 in her senior season, leading the Bulldogs in hitting, runs scored (38), stolen bases (21) and extra base hits (17). She closed her Bulldog career hitting .448 for her career, among the schools leaders, with 10 home runs.
Nasco is joined on the All-County team by Bulldog teammates: pitcher Brooke Scott and seniors Delaney Carnell and Kiley Holland. Scott, a sophomore, hit .422 with 19 RBI and was also the top pitcher on the Bulldog staff with a 9-7 mark and a 2.51 ERA. Carnell, a Furman University signee, hit .358 and led the Bulldogs with 33 RBI.
Harmony led all county teams with seven selections, and also featured Coach of the Year Kristi Mindrup. The Longhorns were OBC Champions with a perfect 7-0 record against county opponents, and also recorded the most wins in the county with a 14-6 final record.
Six of the seven Longhorns honored were underclassmen, led by sophomore Aurielle Reavis, who led the burnt orange in hitting (.597, 40- for-67). She knocked in 19 runs, had 12 extra base hits and led the team in stolen bases (20).
She is joined on the All-County team by teammates Ireland Sibbitt (junior, .464, 21 runs), Lindsey Green (freshman, .429), Amanda Whalen (junior, .453), Natalie Booth (sophomore, .484), who all hit over .400.
Senior Brinley Cowart, the Longhorns top pitcher, earns a spot on the All-County team; as does junior Dominica Kohout, who hit .387 this season.
Coming off the best season in school history (19-5) in 2021, Liberty returned some outstanding players, and the Chargers placed four players on the All-County team –seniors Jehna Morales, Blanca Elaraj, and Kayleen DeJesus. Sophomore Yasmin Elaraj was also named.
Morales hit .567 this season and led both the Chargers and county with five home runs. Dejesus hit .421 with 20 RBI and nine extra base hits; while Yasmin Elaraj hit .515 and led Liberty in doubles (10) and RBI (28).
Osceola (10-15) had two players named to the All-ONG team in juniors Nayeli Hernandez and Brianna Bailey. Hernandez led the Kowboys in practically every offensive category, including batting average (.478) and runs scored (34).
Kacey Pagan, Celebration’s outstanding freshman, hit .529 this year to earn the final spot on the squad.
