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KENOSHA NEWS STAFF

The Bradford softball team is capping a historic season with a tour around the postseason awards circuit.

The Red Devils (23-2) made the school’s first trip to the WIAA State Tournament earlier this month and on Wednesday the first All-State honors rolled in. Bradford’s Alyssa Roberts and Courtney Mercier both earned first-team honors when the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association announced its All-State teams.

A total of six Kenosha County players were tabbed All-State. Wilmot’s Kristen Wood was named a second-team pitcher. Central’s Jess Hrncar was tabbed a third-team outfielder. Ali Brems (third-team pitcher) and Alyse Mikolas (honorable mention catcher) joined Roberts and Mercier in Bradford’s contingent.

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The WFSCA’s All-State award structure recognizes a 24-player (six pitchers, five catchers, seven infielders, five outfielders and one utility player) team at four levels — first team, second team, third team and honorable mention.

Roberts, a senior, was named the utility player on the first team. The Gatorade State Player of the Year as a junior, Roberts went 12-1 with a 1.00 ERA in the circle and batted .403 with nine extra base hits and tied for the team lead with 32 RBI this season. It was the third straight year of All-State honors for Roberts, who was a third-team utility player in 2007 and a third-team pitcher in 2008.

Mercier, a senior, added first-team All-State honors to the recent Southeast Conference Player of the Year award. Mercier, a third-teamer as a sophomore in 2007, batted .458 and led the Red Devils in nearly every offensive category, including extra base hits (20), home runs (5) and tied for the team lead with 32 RBI. Her slugging percentage was .904.

Wood went 11-3 for Wilmot, which finished the season at 16-3. The freshman ace had 179 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched (2.03 per inning) and an ERA of 0.56. The first-team All-Southern Lakes Conference performer also did her fair share of damage at the plate battting .364 with seven extra base hits, 12 runs scored and 13 RBI.

Hrncar, a UW-Green Bay recruit, batted .432 with a team-high seven triples and 27 runs scored as a table setter for Central (14-6). The senior outfielder, who earned All-SLC first-team honors, also had team highs in hits (41) and stolen bases (6).

Brems, a sophomore, was 10-0 with a 0.31 ERA in the circle for Bradford. The SEC Pitcher of the Year had 130 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched (1.94 per inning). A threat at the plate as well, Brems batted .438 with 23 runs scored and 14 RBI.

After earning third-team honors a season ago, Mikolas picked up honorable mention honors as a junior. A two-time All-SEC honoree at catcher, Mikolas batted .346 with three home runs, 13 RBI and 32 runs scored.

The WFSCA Players of the Year were: La Crosse Logan junior shortstop Michelle Mueller (Division-1), Southern Door senior pitcher Courtney Wautier (D-2), Grantsburg junior pitcher Michelle Lund (D-3) and Rosholt junior pitcher Chelsea Richter (D-4).

Stevens Point’s Tom Drohner was named Coach of the Year.