By Paul Lecker
Wausau Pilot & Review
Newman Catholic pitcher Ashley Jankowski was among the 10 first-team selections to the 2023 All-Marawood Conference South Division Softball Team, as voted on by the six conference coaches following the regular season.
Jankowski batted .395 with nine RBI, and had a 3.62 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 79 innings pitched during the regular season for the Cardinals.
Newman’s Lily Shields was named to the second team, and Maria Christophersen and Paige Guld were among the honorable mention choices. Newman finished 3-7 in the Marawood South and 8-9 overall after making a run to the WIAA Division 5 sectional final before losing to Stevens Point Pacelli.
Wisconsin Rapids Assumption senior pitcher Ava Schill was named Player of the Year and joined teammates Cristin Casey, Claire Nelson and Anna Schooley as unanimous first-team selections.
Schill went 11-2 with 85 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings pitched, while also hitting .509 (27-for-53) with two homers, 25 RBI, 10 doubles and 17 runs scored.
Stratford’s Laney Pankratz, Auburndale’s Ashlyn Grimm, Mya Krings and Erin Griesbach, and Edgar’s Makayla Wirkus were also first-team selections.
2023 All-Marawood Conference Softball Team
(*denotes unanimous selection)
First team: *Ava Schill, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Cristin Casey, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Claire Nelson, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Anna Schooley, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; *Ashlyn Grimm, sr., Auburndale; Erin Griesbach, sr., Auburndale; Mya Krings, so., Auburndale; *Makayla Wirkus, jr., Edgar; *Ashley Jankowski, jr., Wausau Newman Catholic; *Laney Pankratz, so., Stratford.
Second team: Sadie Galbreath, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Macy Vollert, so., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Arianna Cavanaugh, fr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Samantha Stanton, jr., Auburndale; Morgan Streveler, jr., Edgar; Leah Davis, sr., Edgar; Bridget Salber, jr., Marathon; Lily Shields, so., Wausau Newman Catholic; Tessa Berg, sr., Stratford; Bailey Linzmaier, sr., Stratford.
Honorable mention: Lydia Smits, jr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Maleia Kolo, sr., Wisconsin Rapids Assumption; Taylor Anderson, so., Auburndale; Danika Blomberg, fr., Auburndale; Reagan Borchardt, sr., Edgar; Emery Borchardt, so., Edgar; Lauren Karlen, jr., Marathon; Kali Prihoda, sr., Marathon; Paige Guld, jr., Wausau Newman Catholic; Maria Christophersen, sr., Wausau Newman Catholic; Emma Roeper, so., Stratford; Gracie Schmidt, fr., Stratford.
Player of the Year: Ava Schill, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.
Coaches of the Year: Charlie Nelson and Rob Schill, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.
