June 17, 2012
High school softball player of the year: Ritchie’s DeLancey a unanimous pick
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PARKERSBURG - It is hard to repeat at anything. Just ask the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Mavericks if you have a doubt.

That wasn't the case, however, when it came to selecting the player of the year in softball this season as Ritchie County's Allison DeLancey was a unanimous pick by the W.Va. Sports Writers Association to take the award back to Ellenboro for the second straight year.

"Awesome," said DeLancey. "I have always practiced to make myself the best. I never really thought about [winning the award]. But now that I have won it for the second time, it's cool."

Not exactly the words opponents of the Rebels' DeLancey would utilize to describe the senior standout.

"There is no better player in the state than her," explained Ritchie County coach Dave Mossor. "She deserves it. I don't know what I'll do without her next season."

DeLancey, who will attend West Virginia University in the fall and major in pharmacy, captured the award over a star-studded cast of nominees that included Class AAA first-team all-state captain Morgan Aguirre from Logan, Class A first-team captain Tara Paczewski from Cameron, Lincoln's Aleks Lawson, Robert C. Byrd's Mecca Henderson and John Marshall's Kylie Howard - the winner of the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award.

Aguirre hit .449 with five home runs, 15 doubles and 32 runs batted in while amassing a 15-5 mark on the mound with 158 strikeouts and a 1.53 earned run average. Henderson posted a 22-13 record with 225 strikeouts and Howard finished with a .504 batting average with five homeruns, 13 doubles, eight triples and 49 RBIs.

Just as impressive were Lawson, who hit .460 with 16 doubles, and Paczewski, who hurled two perfect games and finished with a 15-6 record with 135 strikouts and a 1.23 ERA.

"There are just so many wonderful and talented ball players in this state," said DeLancey. "It is an honor to be selected over players like those."

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