Spring Garden’s Bree Blevins and Cherokee County’s Kaitlyn Griffith are both just sophomores.

After the softball seasons they both turned in, one could very easily mistake them for seniors. Their abilities helped guide their respective teams deep in the postseason, which is why they have been selected as The Herald’s Players of the Year.

Blevins helped Spring Garden (25-8) earn its second straight Class 1A state tournament berth. She posted a 25-8 record in the circle and compiled a microscopic 0.949 ERA after giving up just 59 runs (29 earned) on 100 hits. She also had 64 walks with a whopping 421 strikeouts.

Along the way, Blevins also set a new school record in career strikeouts, surpassing Jessica Barnes mark of 491 strikeouts. She now has 680 Ks for her career.

At the plate, Blevins was just as potent. She was Spring Garden’s top hitter after batting .510 with 17 doubles, two triples and three home runs with 28 runs scored and 48 RBIs.

“Bree has had an exceptional year,” Spring Garden head coach Ann Welsh said. “She has been so consistent throughout the whole season. She’s come through in some tough situations, and I look forward to the next couple of years to see where our program will go.

“She is very deserving of the award, and it only adds to what she has accomplished this year.”

Griffith, who played second base for the Lady Warriors (33-9-1), batted .483 with 14 home runs, 14 doubles and six triples. She scored 46 runs and drove in 47 more. Griffith also had 15 stolen bases, 13 walks and had an on-base percentage of .568.

While all those numbers are certainly impressive, Cherokee County coach Travis Barnes said Griffith’s intangibles helped carry the Lady Warriors to the Class 4A North Central Regionals this season.

“She has been a leader on and off the field for our team,” Barnes said. “I feel that she is one of the best, if not the best, softball player in the state of Alabama.

“Kaitlyn is a true five-tool player: She has great speed, can hit for average, can hit for power, has a great throwing arm, and is outstanding defensively. But what makes her so special is her uncanny ability to make the players around her better. That is the mark of a true Player of the Year.”

Griffith is joined on the All-County team by four of her Lady Warrior teammates.

Sophomore pitcher Lauren Millsaps went 18-5 with a save in 129 innings pitched. She had a 1.30 ERA after giving up 35 runs (24 earned) on 54 hits with 38 walks and 152 strikeouts.

At the plate, Millsaps batted .342 with 39 hits in 114 at-bats. She had eight doubles and five triples and scored 32 runs with 14 RBIs.

Junior outfielder/pitcher Malorie Rosser batted .364 with 47 hits in 129 at-bats. She had seven doubles, two triples and a home run. Rosser also scored 35 runs, had 22 RBIs and walked 11 times.

As a pitcher, Rosser went 14-3 in 93 innings. She had a 0.75 ERA with 132 strikeouts, 49 hits, 22 runs (10 earned) and 18 walks.

Sophomore outfielder Deidra Davis batted .346 with 37 hits in 107 at-bats. She had nine doubles, scored 23 runs and had 18 RBIs.

Senior shortstop Rachel Hale batted .308 with 32 hits in 104 at-bats. She had nine doubles, 20 walks, 20 runs scored and 20 RBIs.

In addition to Blevins, Spring Garden had three other players selected to the team.

Freshman center fielder Jordan Sides batted .495 with 53 hits in 107 at-bats. She had five doubles, three triples, scored 31 runs and had 13 RBIs. Sides also stole 14 bases and had 14 walks with only 6 strikeouts as a leadoff batter.

Eighth-grade shortstop Heather Smart batted .456 with 47 hits in 103 at-bats. She had 14 doubles and a triple with eight stolen bases and 16 walks this season. Smart also scored 31 runs and had 23 RBIs.

Sophomore catcher Tara Mullinax batted .413 with 43 hits in 104 at-bats. She had eight doubles, three triples and two home runs with 26 runs scored and 30 RBI. Mullinax also had 12 stolen bases and seven walks.

Sand Rock had a trio of players selected to the team in Taylor Rogers, Tabitha Abernathy and Carrie Robertson.

Rogers, an eighth-grade pitcher, went 10-6 in 116 1/3 innings this season. She gave up 73 runs (52 earned) on 82 hits with 50 walks and 151 strikeouts. Two of Rogers’ wins were shutouts.

At the plate, Rogers batted .282 with four doubles, a grand slam and a triple. She also swiped 16 bases and only struck out six times in 78 plate appearances.

Abernathy, a junior left fielder, batted .292 with 21 hits in 72 at-bats. She scored 15 runs and had 17 RBIs.

Robertson, a junior center fielder, batted .219 with 16 hits in 73 at-bats. She scored 10 runs and had 11 RBIs.

Gaylesville had two selections on the All-County team in Amber Moseley and Krysta Nichols.

Moseley, a junior outfielder, batted .509 with 27 hits in 53 at-bats this season. She had nine doubles, three triples, three home runs and 30 RBIs. Nichols also had 14 stolen bases, six walks and only five strikeouts.

Nichols, a junior shortstop, batted .387 with 36 hits in 93 at-bats this season. She had 11 doubles, five triples and 14 RBIs. Nichols also had 19 stolen bases and 11 walks.

Cedar Bluff senior catcher/shortstop Ashley Abernathy rounds out the All-County team. She batted .372 this season for the Lady Tigers.