By Mark Gregory
Sports Editor
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
Before the season started, Plainfield North senior Greta Thompson knew the season would be a good one – she just didn’t know how good.
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, all Thompson was post a 23-3 record and pitch the Tigers to second-place in Class 4A, claiming the first-ever girls team trophy in school history.
Thompson pitched 159.2 innings, allowing only 40 earned runs and striking out 152 batters. She allowed 130 hits and walked only 75 all season.
Thompson was a nominee for the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year and was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 3A All-State second team.
For her efforts, Thompson was also named the 2018 Voyager Media Softball Player of the Year.
“It is such an honor and I am so blessed to have these accomplishments and be nominated for everything,” Thompson said of her postseason accolades. “I am just blessed. I don’t think you can predict something like this. This is so much better than anything I could have asked for. My team has backed me all year and has come through and I couldn’t have done any of this without them.
“I have played with a lot of these girls since I was little and there are a lot of seniors on this team and we knew going into this year that we were going to have a great season.”
Averaging less than one strikeout per inning, Thompson works the strike zone, keep the hitters off balance and force a batter to make a bad swing on a good pitch.
As that only works with solid defense.
“It is such a game changer because you don’t have to be perfect, it just takes all the pressure off,” Thompson said. “You have to trust the hard work that you put in during the offseason will come through for you.”
No matter how Thompson gets batters out – it’s the fact that she does that kept North coach Kelly Ash putting her in the circle.
“There is nobody that I trust more,” Ash said. “She battles. She gives it everything she has. I just can’t say enough of her. She is not over powering, she pitches to contact and hits her spots and she stuck to her game plan all year and it worked. She is one of the best. She is a great kids and I am going to miss her a lot.”
Thompson will continue to play in the Midwest, heading to Green Bay next season.
“I really felt comfortable and at home there, which is something you don’t always feel when visiting a school,” Thompson said. “And I don’t mind playing in the cold.”
The rest of the All-Area team is:
Hannah Antzoulatos
Joliet Catholic
Batted .452 for the Angels with 53 runs scored, while driving in 34. She posted 12 doubles and six home runs on the season. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 3A All-State third team.
Kelsey Bernhard
Downers Grove North
Sophomore catcher starred on defense, while hitting .464 with 16 RBI, nine doubles, 30 runs scored and only two strikeouts all season.
Natalie Bond
Bolingbrook
Junior first baseman was All-Conference in SWSC Blue hitting a .500 in conference and a .407 for the season.
She posted a pair of home runs and 22 RBI for the Raiders.
Tallied a .945 fielding percentage.
Allison Bugajski
Minooka
The sophomore shortstop batted .349 with three home runs, 22 runs scored and 14 stolen bases on the season. As a lead-off hitter, she led the Indians in hits, runs scored, and stolen bases.
Joanna Cirrincione
Resurrection
Senior shortstop batted .487 with a .594 on base percentage, a .750 slugging percentage and a 1.344 on base percentage – all leading the team. She also posted the team in runs (40), triples (3) and stolen bases (31). The four-time GCAC Red Division all-conference selection will play at Grand Valley State next year.
Estelle Czech
Downers Grove North
Sophomore first baseman became one of the team’s top pitchers.
At the plate, she batted .443 BA, with four home runs, 28 RBI, 22 runs scored.
Kelsey Domagala
Plainfield South
Senior left fielder, she batted .429 with 33 RBI, seven doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs.
Ashley Eiermann
Westmont
Senior was a four-year starter for the Sentinels as a catcher, shortstop and centerfielder – taking on pitching duties this year. This season, she batted .459 with 41 RBI.
Gina Followell
Plainfield East
A three-year varsity starter has been a jack of all trades for the Bengals. Has played outfield and first base, but this season was the go-to pitcher.
She threw in all of the big games, posting 13 wins on the season. She tossed 139 innings with a 2.36 ERA, striking out 137 and allowing 122 hits. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State third team.
Taylor Gatz
Maine South
Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State third team member batted .444 on the season, scoring 10 runs for the Hawks.
Sarah Gersch
Joliet West
Senior shortstop batted .380 for the Tigers scoring 36 runs, and stealing 26 bases. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State third team.
Maggie Greco
Downers Grove South
Batted .513 on the season with 17 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
Hallie Hall
Bolingbrook
Senior batted .492 for the season with 30 RBI. This season, she split time at third base and behind the plate posting a .978 fielding percentage. Hall will continue her softball career at James Madison University next year.
Sarah Herbert
Resurrection
A junior third baseman, she batted .417 with a slugging percentage of .684 and an on base plus slugging of 1.120.
She paced the team in RBI (36), doubles (11), home runs (3) and was tied for triples (3).
Taylor Herschbach
Lockport
Scored 43 runs and drove in 36 runs for Lockport, while batting .458 with 17 doubles and four home runs.
Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Lauren Johnson
Lockport
Batted .500 on the season with 30 RBI, 50 hits and 28 runs scored.
Jen Krizka
Joliet Catholic
Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 3A All-State second team member batted .452 with 17 doubles, eight home runs, 45 RBI and 24 runs scored this season.
Sam Malinder
Plainfield North
Batted .400 on the season, totaling 50 hits on the year, including 11 doubles, three triples and four home runs. She drove in 34 runs and scored 22. The NIU commit was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Melissa Manzo
Downers Grove North
Junior infielder batted .462 on the year with six doubles, two home runs and 33 RBI. Only struck out twice on the year.
Tara McElligot
Lockport
Batted .400 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI for the Porters, scoring 41 runs and posting a .930 slugging percentage. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State first team.
Randi McKay
Downers Grove South
Batted .506 on the season with 27 RBI, while striking out only three times.
Larissa Ortiz
Romeoville
Freshman utility player batted .391 with a .931 slugging percentage and 12 home runs. She posted a .942 fielding percentage.
Britney Richardson
Maine South
The senior centerfielder batted .408, recording 29 hits in 71 at bats, with a slugging percentage of .873 and an on base percentage of .468.
Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Amberly Rodriguez
Plainfield East
A four-year varsity starter was the leadoff hitter and centerfielder for the Bengals.
She batted .439 with 35 runs scored in 32 games. She posted six doubles, three triples and one home run. Stole 16 bases.
She was a four-time SPC All-Conference Player and will play next season at Northern Illinois University. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Courtney Schoolcraft
Lockport
Batted .387 with 36 RBI, 28 runs scored and seven home runs. She was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State third team.
Taylor Shingler
Lockport
Hit .528 with 56 hits, 17 RBI and 38 runs scored for the Porters. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Ryan Shaughnessy
Plainfield North
Batted .414 with seven doubles and three home runs for the Class 4A runners-up. She scored 40 runs and drove in 25. Will play at Ohio University next season. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State third team.
Lexi Siwek
Plainfield North
Hit .373 for the Tigers, posting 25 RBI, seven doubles, two triples and two home runs and scoring 37 runs. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 4A All-State second team.
Madison Szymanski
Joliet Catholic
Batted .482 for JCA with 18 doubles. She drove in 45 runs and scored 39. Was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Class 3A All-State second team