by Gregg Meadows
On Wednesday evening, May 29 in the TVHS Cafetorium, Coach Brian Sterling and his staff celebrated the outstanding season that the 2024 Lady Dawg softball team recently completed, with their annual awards and recognition banquet.
The Lady Dawgs won an impressive 22 games during the course of a tough 2024 regular season schedule, won a D-I Sectional title, and bested a pair of postseason competitors – on the road – in the always tough OHSAA Division 1 Central District bracket, before bowing to No. 3 seed Hilliard Darby 3-2 – in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Div. 1 Central District title game.
Following are the awards and recognition that were received by team members:
• Don Barcus Award: Larsyn Holdsworth
• IMPACT Award: Paiton Murphy
• ACE Award (Attitude, Commitment, Effort): Kylan Brock, Caity Journey
• All-Muskingum Valley League – 1st Team: Kylan Brock, Paiton Murphy
• All-Muskingum Valley League – 2nd Team: Caity Journey, Ally Peterson
• Honorable Mention All-Muskingum Valley League: Alivia Reffitt, Ashlyn Davis
• Eastern District Awards: 1st Team – Kylan Brock, Paiton Murphy, Caity Journey, Ally Peterson
• Eastern District Awards: Honorable Mention – Alivia Reffitt, Ashlyn Davis
• 1st Team All-Ohio: Kylan Brock
• All-Ohio Honorable Mention: Paiton Murphy
The top hitters at the plate this season for the Lady Dawgs were:
• Kylan Brock: (.500 batting average, 43 hits, 2 home runs, 38 rbi’s (tops on team)
• Ally Peterson: (.500 batting average, 45 hits, four HR’s, 29 rbi’s, 41 runs scored, .595 On Base Percentage – tops on the team)
• Paiton Murphy: (.478 batting average, 43 hits, six HR’s – tops on the team, 30 rbi’s.)
• Caity Journey: (.434 batting average, 49 hits – tops on the team, 33 rbis’, 1st on team with doubles with 15, first on team with runs scored with 43)
• Olivia Reffitt: (.398 batting average, three HR’s, 33 rbi’s.)
• Larsyn Holdsworth: (.355 batting average, 30 hits, 29 rbi’s)
• Paiton Murphy led the Lady Dawg pitching staff with a 13-7 record in 112 innings pitched, giving up just 22 walks, while striking out 129 enemy batters on the season.
• Ashlyn Davis pitched 69 innings on the mound for the Lady Dawgs with a 9-0 record, giviving up just 11 walks, while striking out 79 opposition batters.
Muskingum Valley League Scholar Athlete awards and recognition went to the following Lady Dawgs.
Ten Tri-Valley High School Lady Dawg student-athletes who earned a varsity letter for the 2024 softball season while maintaining at least a 3.5 grade-point average in their studies to earn All-Muskingum Valley League Scholar Athlete honors. Representing the Lady Dawg softball program are (l-r) Tessa Green, Kylan Brock, Cydnee Wolford, Larsyn Holdsworth, Katelyn Paxson, Ally Peterson, Ashlyn Davis, Paiton Murphy, Delaney Bell. This special group of young ladies got it done in the classroom and on the diamond. Congratulations to all!
With just two seniors lost to graduation – Kylan Brock, and Caity Journey, next year’s team looks promising!