Landry, Thurman lead 4A All-State softball, baseball
Although neither of their teams qualified for the Class 4A state softball and baseball tournaments in Sulphur, both St. Thomas More’s Shellie Landry and Belle Chasse’s Nick Thurman displayed talents that simply couldn’t be ignored.
Landry, a senior left-fielder, who was the most feared hitter in the Lady Cougars’ lineup, enjoyed a stellar senior season in the outfield hitting .586 for the season with a .627 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, 22 doubles, 56 RBIs and three stolen bases.
Like Landry, Thurman was the biggest threat in Belle Chasse’s lineup and opponents often elected to walk him instead of giving him the opportunity to swing the bat. Thurman only recorded 18 RBIs but hit .414 on the year with a .770 slugging percentage, six home runs, nine doubles and three triples.
For their efforts, Landry and Thurman were named the Class 4A All-State softball and baseball Outstanding Player award winners by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Three players representing the one local league, District 6-4A, were picked for the team.
Lutcher High’s Jared Poche and St. Michael the Archangel’s Adam Cagnina made the 4A baseball squad. Poche (10-1, 1.12 ERA) also hit .403 with 28 RBIs. Cagnina hit .339 with two home runs and 29 RBIs.
Another Lutcher athlete, Kassidy Zeringue, made the 4A softball team after hitting .427 with 62 stolen bases in 64 attempts.
Class 4A softball state champion Teurlings Catholic had three all-state first team selections in senior pitcher Julienne Broussard (11-1; 1.01 ERA), junior first baseman Morgan Angelle (.389 avg., 31 RBIs) and senior right-fielder Hailey Green (.344 avg., 28 RBIs).
After leading Leesville to its first state softball appearance, which ended with a 7-6 loss to Teurlings in the state championship, Wampus Cats head coach Kelly Kaiama-Goodwin was named the Class 4A Coach of the Year.
Holy Cross head coach Greg Battistella earned baseball Coach of the Year honors after leading his team past No. 1-seed St. Thomas More before losing to Teurlings in the state finals.
Other first team all-state selections were St. Thomas More’s Sarah Arceneaux (.531 avg., 4 HRs, 49 RBIs), Leesville’s McKenna Goodwin (18-13, 1.39 ERA), Belle Chasse’s Jackie Johnson (17-7, 1.17 ERA), Vandebilt Catholic’s Leah Bergeron (20-7, 1.24 ERA), Cabrini’s Colleen Levy (.600 avg., 24 RBIs), Vandebilt Catholic’s Makelle Pena (.539 avg.), Neville’s Megan Lively (20-2, 0.81 ERA), Ellender’s Kyler Trosclair (.527 avg., 34 stolen bases), Academy of Our Lady’s Sarah Bolotte (18-12, 2.40 ERA) and Alexis Cressonie (.396 avg., 32 RBIs), St. Louis’ third baseman Elise Ainge (.418 avg., 20 RBIs) and shortstop Shelby Borders (.526).
In addition to Battistella, Holy Cross was well-represented on the all-state first team with second baseman Sammy Capielano (.391 avg., 19 RBIs), outfielder Ryan Taylor (.372 avg., 1 HR, 24 RBIs) and Johnathan Billings (9-2, 1.99 ERA) being chosen.
Teurlings, who won the Class 4A baseball state championship, placed two players on the first team in pitcher Trent Cormier (7-1) and outfielder Myles Meche (.409 avg., 1 HR, 31 RBIs), while semifinalist St. Thomas More had two selections in pitcher Connor Toups (7-1, 1.41 ERA) and outfielder Andrew Stevenson (.558 avg., 1 HR, 19 RBIs).
Other members of the first team all-state selections for baseball are Minden’s Derek Herrington (7-0, 2.68 ERA, .613 batting average), St. Louis’ Matt Gallier (.451 avg., 28 RBIs), Morgan City’s Andrew Gautreaux (.398), Shaw’s J.P. France (8-2), West Ouachita’s Kodie Tidwell (.405 avg.), Neville’s Patrick McGuire (.381 avg., 16 HRs, 50 RBIs) and Will Watson (.513 avg., 10 HRs, 43 RBIs).