Lady Bucks land four, Lady ‘Cats three on All-State team
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA – The 2022 PAHSSBCA All-State softball teams were released for all six PIAA classifications this week and locally Clinton County softball players picked up some honors.
For Bucktail it was another year of plenty of All-State players. The Lady Bucks grabbed four of the spots in Class 1A.
Mak Wagner led the charge with a first team selection at shortstop. Lady Bucks’ seniors Jordan Burrows and Emma Poorman joined junior Haley Burrows as second team selections.
Central Mountain’s 22-3, state tournament-run season was capped with three All-State selections. Pitcher Adalynn McKeague, shortstop Caitlyn Watson and utility player Allison Lininger found themselves on the second team All-State squad.
Wagner’s unbelievable play at shortstop and her district best .603 average cemented her as a sure bet for the All-State first team. The Bucktail sophomore’s three home runs tied her with Emma Poorman for the team lead.
Wagner also stole 30 bases, knocked in 39 runs and connected on a Bucktail best 41 hits in 2022. The most impressive stat line for Wagner was that she only struck out twice in 77 plate appearances this season. It was her second straight All-State nomination, after grabbing the honors as a freshman a season ago.
Bucktail junior Haley Burrows had another astounding season at second base. Burrows batted an impressive .492, had a 17-game hitting streak and hit safely in 19 of 22 games. She led Bucktail with 32 steals and 42 runs scored. Her 31 hits was good for second on the Lady Bucks roster. After missing her freshman season in 2020 due to Covid, Burrows has now made the All-State team twice following an impressive 2021 season. She was a second team selection this season.
Senior Emma Poorman wrapped up an excellent career by being named to her third straight All-State team. Poorman was selected in 2019 and 2021. She could have very well made it four years in a row if Covid wouldn’t have cancelled the 2020 season. 2022 saw the Bucktail player be selected once again at the Utility position.
Poorman batted .473, had a team-high three home runs and drove in 27 runs. In the circle her 1.63 ERA and her 85 strike outs led to her second team utility selection. She went 8-1 during 2022 and eclipsed the 200 career strike outs. She threw multiple no-hitters and a perfect game at Sugar Valley, but her best effort of her career was bittersweet in Bucktail’s 1-0 loss to eventual state champions Montgomery in the District 4 1A semifinals.
Senior Jordan Burrows made up for being overlooked a season ago on the All-State squad. The talented Bucktail catcher garnered the honors in 2019, but wasn’t selected a year ago. Bucktail’s all-time hits leader Burrows hit .407, scored 30 runs and knocked in 22 RBI’s to get herself back on the all-state squad as a second team catcher.
Central Mountain pitcher Adalyn McKeague was virtually unstoppable in the circle in 2022. McKeague’s 1.24 ERA and her 13-3 record was impressive. The sophomore’s 155 strike outs were even more impressive. McKeague would earn a Class 5A second team spot as a pitcher.
The Lady Cats weren’t done with McKeague on the All-State team. Junior Allison Lininger grabbed a second team spot as a utility player. Lininger was dominant in the circle as well with a 2.50 ERA and 64 strike outs. Lininger also hit an impressive .400, a team-high 35 hits and batted in 18 runs.
Caitlyn Watson rounded out the Lady Wildcats all-state selections. The Wildcat senior shortstop batted .434 during 2022. She also knocked in 15 runs, scored 33 runs and collected 33 hits on the season. She was named as second team shortstop in 5A.
The PAHSSBCA All-State teams are voted on by coaches throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
