15 CLASS 6A SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH 
 

RILEY BRADEN, OLATHE SOUTH
 
Braden earned All-State honorable mention and All-Sunflower second-team honors as a junior last year. The senior pitcher went 14-7 a season ago as she struck out 189 batters and had a 1.892 ERA. She helped lead the Falcons to a 14-8 record and a regional final appearance a year ago. Braden is committed to playing softball at Rockhurst University.

ADDY CANFIELD, DERBY
 
Canfield meets the criteria of a proven ace after posting a 19-2 record with a 2.47 ERA and 136 strikeouts to lead Derby to a third-place finish in Class 6A last season. The senior also delivered at the plate, batting .434 with 4 home runs, 31 RBI and a .747 slugging percentage while anchoring the third spot in the order. The McLennan (Texas) Community College signee earned All-Class 6A second-team and All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first-team honors.
 

REAGAN CHAPMAN, WASHBURN RURAL

Chapman was one of the top freshmen in the state and helped Washburn Rural reach the Class 6A state championship game where they fell to Olathe West. Taking over as the Junior Blues’ starting shortstop, Chapman hit nearly .400 and had 8 of Rural’s team-record 34 home runs heading into the state tournament. She also drove in 27 runs. With the graduation of All-Class 6A pitcher Emmerson Cope and No. 2 pitcher Piper Titsworth, Chapman may help fill the void in the circle this year as well. She was named the Centennial League newcomer of the year and first-team all-league and also was a first-team All-Class 6A selection.
 

KYLER DEMEL, DERBY
 
Demel used a solid offensive performance in the 2022 Class 6A state tournament as a springboard for greater production last season, when she batted .494 with 27 RBI and scored 35 runs to help the Panthers finish third in 6A. The left-handed hitting outfielder improved on a .304, 13-RBI season as a sophomore. A Butler Community College signee, Demel was selected to the All-Class 6A second team as an outfielder and earned All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first-team honors in the designated player spot.
 

BAILEY DILLON, OLATHE NORTH

Dillon earned All-State second -eam and All-Sunflower honorable mention honors as a junior last year. The senior infielder hit .459 with 38 runs scored and 21 stolen bases heading into state. Dillon helped lead the Eagles to a 17-6 record and a regional championship. Olathe North led its state quarterfinal 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth, only for Olathe West to storm back for a 7-6 walkoff finish on the Owls’ way to eventually become state champion.
 

KENNEDY GLASSFORD, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Glassford earned All-State and All-Sunflower first-team honors as a sophomore last year. The junior outfielder had a .475 batting average last season, second on the team behind only Kendall Yarnell for a group with five batters hitting at .429 or higher. Glassford helped lead Olathe Northwest to an undefeated regular season and a fourth-place state finish.
 

PIPER HARRIS, GARDEN CITY

Harris, a junior first baseman and middle infielder, will be counted on to help lead the Buffaloes. She was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection last year, hitting .476 with 21 RBI and 22 runs scored. She had a .987 fielding percentage at first base. Harris delivered 55 hits in her first two seasons and will have a shot at some school records over the next two seasons. Harris has helped the Buffaloes amass a 34-8 record over the last two seasons.
 

KELSEY HOEKSTRA, SHAWNEE MISSION NORTH
 
Hoekstra earned All-State and All-Sunflower first-team honors as a junior last year. The senior pitcher delivered 222 strikeouts last season across 115 innings, finishing with a 0.910 ERA. Hoekstra had two perfect games, six one-hitters and 10 shutouts. She was also a problem for opponents with her performance at the plate. Hoekstra drove in 25 runs as she produced 19 extra-base hits, including eight home runs. For her career, Hoekstra has racked up over 600 career strikeouts while being named her league’s pitcher of the year each of the previous two seasons. She is committed to playing softball at Rutgers University.
 

BREVYN KELLEPOURIS, OLATHE WEST

Kellepouris earned All-State and All-Sunflower first team honors as a sophomore last year. The junior pitcher went 19-1 with a 1.79 ERA and a single-season school record with 131 strikeouts. She helped lead Olathe West to a 24-1 record and a state championship, a first for the program during its first state appearance. Kellepouris is committed to playing softball at the University of Central Arkansas.
 

REAGAN NEITZEL, MANHATTAN

A four-year starter for the Indians, Neitzel has earned All-Centennial League honors of some kind each of her first three seasons, including first-team honors last year. The Indians’ primary catcher, Neitzel hit .372 last year in helping the Indians to their first Class 6A state tournament appearance in 20 years with the trip ending with a tough 3-2 loss to Derby in the quarterfinals. Neitzel also drove in 27 runs, tying departed Kierra Goos for the team-high in RBI. Neitzel calls all the team’s pitches and also mixes in a little time at third base as well.
 

BRE SEVERINO, OLATHE NORTHWEST
 
Severino earned All-State second team and All-Sunflower first team honors as a junior last year. The senior pitcher/infielder went 10-1 last year with over 100 strikeouts and a sub-2.00 ERA. At the plate, she drove in 36 runners and hit eight homers with a .429 batting average. Severino helped lead the Ravens to an undefeated regular season and state appearance last season. Severino closed out the team’s 9-1 win over Free State in the state quarterfinals before pitching the entirety of the Ravens' 12-inning thriller in the semifinals, ultimately losing 3-1 against Washburn Rural.
 

GABRIELLE STAUFFER, CAMPUS
 
Stauffer provided plenty of pop at the plate last season for Campus, batting .506 with 6 home runs and 33 RBI. The senior offers the Colts plenty of defensive versatility as well as the primary center fielder and occasional catcher, where she earned all-league first-team honors way back as a freshman. Last spring, the Hutchinson Community College signee helped Campus post a 12-10 record, and was selected to the All-Class 6A and All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first teams at outfielder.
 

STELLA TRUE, OLATHE NORTH
 
True earned All-State honorable mention and All-Sunflower second team as a sophomore. The junior infield had a .444 batting average a season ago for the Eagles. True helped lead the Eagles to a 17-6 record and a regional championship, only to loss in the state quarterfinals to eventual state champion Olathe West.

MALIYAH WARREN, OLATHE WEST

Warren earned All-State and All-Sunflower second-team honors as a sophomore last season. The junior infielder had a .479 batting average while driving in 21 runs a season ago for the Owls. Warren helped lead Olathe West to a 24-1 record and turn the program’s first state appearance into a 6A state championship. She is committed to playing softball at the University of Central Florida.
 

KENDALL YARNELL, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Yarnell earned All-State and All-Sunflower first-team honors as a junior last season. The senior infielder hit around .540 last year with 15 home runs and 49 RBI. Yarnell enters the year with the program’s all-time record for home runs at 31. Yarnell helped lead the Ravens to an undefeated regular season and state appearance last season. Olathe Northwest lost in the semifinals, 3-1, in a 12-inning thriller against Washburn Rural before ultimately finishing fourth.