Coastal Preps Spring 2023 Midseason Awards

April 8, 2023, 5:07 pm | by Tim Hower

We’ve reached the midway point of the season in baseball, softball and girls soccer and numerous area players and coaches are off to a fantastic start. It’s now up to you to decide the best of the best in several categories.

A link to vote for the honors is at at the bottom of the post. Voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 and results will be posted the following day.

***Stats are updated through April 8***

BASEBALL

Offensive Player of the Year

Senior center fielder Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick: The reigning N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year is hitting .500 (14-for-28) with an on-base percentage of .714 through 12 games. Jenkins leads the Mideastern Conference in walks (19) and runs scored (21).

Senior first baseman/pitcher Cam Jernigan, Ashley: Jernigan is having a huge season both at the plate and on the mound for the Screaming Eagles, so he could have easily also been nominated for Midseason Pitcher of the Year. He gets the nod here because he has a batting average of .432 (16-for-37) with four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 18 RBI and 11 runs scored.

Senior catcher Cameron Rickabaugh, Topsail: Rickabaugh has been incredible for the Mideastern Conference leaders. He is hitting .526 (20-for-38) with five doubles and one home run. Rickabaugh also has an on-base percentage of .654 and 17 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Year

Senior Cooper Cavanaugh, Topsail: The southpaw is one of the hardest throwers in the league and he pairs that with a really solid selection of breaking balls. Cavanaugh is 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 30 innings.

Senior Sean Smith, New Hanover: Smith is part of the area’s best 1-2 starting pitcher combination. He is currently 3-1 with one save and a 0.69 ERA. The UNC Greensboro signee has struck out 35 batters in 30 1/3 innings.

Senior Bromley Thornton, New Hanover: The UNCW signee has been as good as advertised, going 5-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 35 innings.

Newcomer of the Year

Sophomore pitcher Cole Barnes, Ashley: In his first year on the varsity roster, Barnes is 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in seven appearances. He’s struck out 35 batters and issued only seven walks in 32 innings.

Junior infielder/outfielder Caleb Robles, New Hanover: Robles transferred from Ashley and has made the most of his new home. He’s hitting .351 (13-for-37) with a pair of doubles, 16 RBI and nine runs scored. Robles has a team-leading on-base percentage of .478.

Junior right fielder Luke Vargo, Hoggard: The Vikings lost a lot of their offensive production from last year due to graduation, but Vargo has helped fill the void. He is hitting .400 (16-for-40) with three doubles a team-high 14 RBI.

Coach of the Year

David Harris, Topsail: The first-year coach has his Pirates alone atop the Mideastern Conference standings at 7-1. Topsail already has road victories at South Brunswick and New Hanover, who are both tied for second place a game back.

Aaron Rimer, New Hanover: Rimer has the Wildcats at 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the Mideastern Conference, just a game behind Topsail. New Hanover has dealt with the some injuries, but the team seems to be getting healthy for a second-half run.

Chris Sotriffer, South Brunswick: Sotriffer took over the reigning 3A runner-up and has kept the momentum rolling. Despite graduating a pair of standout pitchers, South Brunswick is off to a 10-2 start. They are tied for second place in the Mideastern Conference with a 6-2 mark.

SOFTBALL

Offensive Player of the Year

Sophomore pitcher Macey Ciamillo, Hoggard: Ciamillo is also one of the area’s top pitchers, but what she’s done at the plate through 13 games made it impossible to keep her off this list. She is hitting .475 (19-for-40) with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 21 RBI and 18 runs scored.

Junior catcher Linde Cline, Pender: Not many players across the state have put up more impressive power numbers than Cline. She has 16 hits in 27 at-bats for a .593 batting average. Cline has six doubles, one triple and five home runs.

Senior second baseman Zoey Vincent, Topsail: The reigning Coastal Preps Co-Offensive Player of the Year continues to shine atop the Pirates’ lineup. She has a .525 batting average (21-for-40) with four doubles, three triples, 11 stolen bases and 15 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Year

Senior Ali Bunch, Laney: Has done a majority of the pitching for the Buccaneers, who sit atop the Mideastern Conference standings with Hoggard and South Brunswick. Bunch is 7-2 with a 1.66 ERA and 70 strikeouts with only nine walks in 54 2/3 innings.

Sophomore Kina Davis, South Brunswick: The Cougars are in a three-way tie for the Mideastern Conference lead thanks in large part to the right arm of Davis. She is 8-2 with a 0.54 ERA and 127 strikeouts with only nine walks in 65 innings.

Junior Kennedy Sloan, Topsail: The reigning Coastal Preps Pitcher of the Year has a 5-3 record with a 2.72 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.

Newcomer of the Year

Senior shortstop/catcher Ariana Flores-Acosta, South Brunswick: In her first year with the Cougars, Flores-Acosta has been a force in the middle of the lineup. She is hitting .375 (12-for-32) with seven doubles, one triple, six RBI and six runs scored.

Freshman utility Vayda LeQuire, Ashley: LeQuire has been a Swiss Army knife for the Screaming Eagles, playing catcher, shortstop and third base. Her stats at the plate are impressive, as she’s hitting .356 (16-for-45) with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, eight RBI and eight runs scored.

Freshman utility Kaylee Woodcock, Pender: Like LeQuire, Woodcock has played several different positions in her debut season. At the plate, the freshman has a .500 batting average (15-for-30) with seven doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored.

Coach of the Year

James Pierce, South Brunswick: The Cougars finished fourth in the Mideastern Conference with a 6-6 record in 2022, but they’ve already matched that win total this season. They are currently 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the MEC.

Annah Radford, Hoggard: Radford’s Vikings are 10-3 overall and 6-1 in Mideastern Conference play. Hoggard has outscored its opponents 125-33.

Bradley Rhodes, Laney: The veteran coach has the Buccaneers in position to win their first Mideastern Conference title since 2014. Laney is 9-3 overall and 6-1 in league play. They’ve hit 12 home runs in 12 games.

GIRLS SOCCER

Offensive Player of the Year

Junior forward Ella Johnson, Hoggard: Despite joining the team late, the two-time defending Coastal Preps Offensive Player of the Year has four goals and four assists even though she gets marked tightly by every opponent.

Sophomore midfielder Laney Parker, Laney: Parker is tied for the team lead with 21 points on eight goals and five assists.

Sophomore forward Karina Peat, Ashley: Peat has been a force for the unbeaten Screaming Eagles. She leads all area players with 49 points on 18 goals and 13 assists.

Defensive Player of the Year

Senior goalkeeper Bella Ellison, New Hanover: The Richmond signee continues to prove why she is one of the best goalkeepers in the state. She leads the area at 8.1 saves per game and has five clean sheets in 10 matches.

Sophomore defender Reese George, Hoggard: George has been a rock on the back line for the Vikings, who have allowed only nine goals in 12 matches. She’s also chipped in a pair of goals and one assist.

Junior defender Maggie Roepke, Ashley: In addition to being one of the area’s top defenders, the Temple commit has dished out three assists for the undefeated Screaming Eagles. Ashley has allowed only seven goals in 13 matches.

Newcomer of the Year

Freshman forward Kieran Bradley, Ashley: The already potent Ashley offense got a boost with the addition of Bradley, who has three hat tricks. She leads the team with 19 goals to go along with eight assists.

Freshman midfielder Alina Sandoval, Trask: The talented freshman has scored 16 goals and dished out seven assists for the Titans, who are off to a 10-2 start.

Sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Williams, Hoggard: Williams has allowed only one goal in 400 minutes while splitting time with Avery Kievit. She made a remarkable 16 saves in a 0-0 draw against Charlotte Latin earlier in the season.

Coach of the Year

Caleb Fearing, Trask: Fearing has the Titans on track for their first winning season since 2014, when they finished 8-7-1. At 10-2, Trask has already matched its win total from the past two seasons combined (10-23).

Erik Graf, Ashley: The Screaming Eagles are a serious 4A state championship contender. Ashley has won each of its 13 matches, and has outscored its opponents 79-7. They’ve already had four mercy-rule wins.

Justin Schatz, Hoggard: Despite dealing with injuries to several key players, the Vikings continue to show why they are one of the premier programs in the state under the direction of Schatz. Hoggard is 9-2-1 overall and 5-1 in the Mideastern Conference.