5 Sandpoint softball players grab IEL honors
Senior Riley Cessna makes a throw to first to record an out during Game 2 of the 4A Region 1 championship series against Lakeland on May 13 at War Memorial Field. Cessna earned all-league honors for her play at shortstop this spring.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
Lily Gammon hits a triple during Game 2 of the 4A Region 1 championship series against Lakeland on May 13 at War Memorial Field. The senior claimed a spot on the all-league team.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
Senior Kinzie Ward stands in the batter's box during a doubleheader against St. Maries on April 20 at War Memorial Field. She secured all-league honors.
(File photo by DYLAN GREENE)
Jacey Cash secures a catch in the outfield during Game 3 of the 4A Region 1 championship series at Lakeland on May 15.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
Jaden Dickinson tosses a pitch during the doubleheader against St. Maries on April 20. The senior pitcher grabbed all-league honors.
(File photo by DYLAN GREENE)
Five Sandpoint softball players secured spots on the 4A IEL all-league team.
Jaden Dickinson, Riley Cessna, Kinzie Ward, Jacey Cash and Lily Gammon all took home honors.
Dickinson was a star on the mound for the Bulldogs this spring, and a bit of surprise, head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams said. Entering this year, Dickinson was known for being more of a relief pitcher, but she quickly developed her command on the bump over the first month of the season and became a key member of Sandpoint's starting rotation.
Dickinson appeared in 14 games this season and started seven. Over 33 1/3 innings, the senior recorded 28 strikeouts and held opponents to a .278 batting average.
Hawkins-Williams said Dickinson started to understand how to attack each batter she faced.
"What she developed throughout the season was a pitcher's mentality," she said. " ... She just really bought into what we were doing, and really worked on developing her speed and location."
At shortstop, Cessna was scooping up ground balls and firing bullets to record outs all season long. And it was only her second full year of her high school fastpitch. Cessna missed her freshman year due to injury and her junior campaign was taken away by the pandemic.
Despite that, she still entered this spring as one of Sandpoint's most experienced players, and Hawkins-Williams said the senior did whatever she could to show the younger players the ropes.
Cessna recorded a .333 batting average, drove in 13 runs, drew 14 walks and stole nine bases.
"It took her about a month or so to warm up at the plate, but once she did she was pretty much unstoppable," Hawkins-Williams said. "I'm really proud of her and the work she put in during the offseason to become such a standout player for us."
Ward etched her name in the history books this spring. She tied the school's home run record with four dingers. She also had a .362 batting average, 19 RBIs, nine stolen bases and three triples.
Hawkins-Williams had expectations for Ward entering the season, and she delivered.
The senior was a monster at the plate.
"I wasn't surprised at all by her performance at the plate and how well she did," she said. "I knew she could do it and I had a tremendous amount of faith in her."
Cash made her presence known in year one with the Bulldogs. The junior transfer from Burns, Oregon, was consistently making plays at center field and wasn't afraid to lay out for a catch to save some runs for her team.
"I felt she was our most outstanding defensive player," Hawkins-Williams said.
Cash put in a lot of time outside of practice to prepare herself for the level of play in the Inland Empire League. It was a tough road for Cash, but she stuck with it and her dedication paid off this season, Hawkins-Williams said. By the end of the year, Cash became a switch-hitter.
"The fact that she was able to hit left handed by the end of the season, I think says a lot about her work ethic and her drive to excel in this game," she said.
Gammon was the heartbeat of the Bulldogs this season. At catcher, she brought a passion and level of grit to the field that was unmatched, Hawkins-Williams said.
Gammon batted .424, drove in 20 runs, stole 10 bases and tallied five triples. She also batted an amazing .690 with runners in scoring position, a number Hawkins-Williams hasn't seen before.
When Sandpoint needed a run or a game-changing play, Gammon was there to get the job done.
"She performed better the more tense or stressful the situation was in the game," Hawkins-Williams said. "Her presence alone was huge on the field."
2021 4A IEL All-League softball team
MVP: Haylee Smit, Jr., Lakeland
Newcomer of the Year: Payton Sterling, Fr., Lakeland
Coach of the Year: Colleen Bevacqua, Lakeland
Pitchers: Kathryn Wardak, Sr., Lakeland; Devry Bursch, Sr., Lakeland; Jaden Dickinson, Sr., Sandpoint.
Infielders: Kinzie Ward, Sr., Sandpoint; Bella Fleischman, Jr., Moscow; Harley See, Jr., Lakeland; Riley Cessna, Sr., Sandpoint.
Outfielders: Addie Branen, Fr., Moscow; Jacey Cash, Jr., Sandpoint; Cienna Walls, Jr., Lakeland.
Catcher (Co-catcher): Megan Highfill, Fr., Moscow; Lily Gammon, Sr., Sandpoint.
