Susan Whitney/The Gazette The 2008 All-County Softball Team includes: (front row, from left) Katie Nalley, Terri Kellaher, Jessica Mattia, Shrice Dillard, Sharde Estep, Talaya Giles, Lauren Fusco; (back row, from left) Coach of the Year Wes Courtney, Leah Williams, Amanda King, Meagan Gontarek, Erin Snyder, Anna Duranske, Alice Tintle, Lauren Decker and Erin Sheehan-Wright.

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Player of the Year

Katie Nalley, Bowie, Sr., SS

Nalley makes her second appearance on the Gazette-Star first team. She was among the Bulldogs’ leaders in nearly every offensive category, including hitting .589 (33 for 56) with five doubles, five triples and five homers. She drove in 38 runs, scored 26 and led the team with a stellar 1.125 slugging percentage. She was second on Bowie with a .667 on-base percentage and will play for Mount Olive College in North Carolina this fall.

Coach of the Year

Wes Courtney, Gwynn Park, 20th year

Courtney guided the Yellow Jackets to a 19-1 mark and the top seed in the 2A South Region tournament. Gwynn Park won its 18 regular season contests by an average of 15 runs and limited its opponents to five runs. Courtney then guided the Yellow Jackets to an 11-0 victory over Bowie in the county championship game during a battle of previously unbeaten squads. Courtney said he owes much of the team’s success to longtime assistant coach Bub Blandford.

First Team

Terri Kellaher, Bowie, Sr., 2B Kellaher was an ideal leadoff batter, hitting .510 (25 for 49) with nine doubles, four triples and three homers. She drew 23 walks to boost her on-base percentage to .680, had 32 runs, 19 RBI and committed only two errors in 45 chances. She will play next year at Prince George’s Community College.

Erin Sheehan-Wright, Elizabeth Seton, Sr., OF

A four-year starter for the Roadrunners, Sheehan-Wright makes her second appearance on the Gazette-Star first team. She hit .373 (28 for 75) with two doubles, one triple and led the Roadrunners with 19 runs scored. She displayed superb range, a strong arm and plans to attend Columbia Union this fall.

Lauren Decker, Elizabeth Seton, Sr., C

A two-time Gazette-Star first teamer, Decker hit .474 (37 for 78) with nine doubles, three triples, a team-high 28 RBI and a stout .667 slugging percentage. Fewer than 10 baserunners attempted to steal on her all season. The Catholic University recruit was selected to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference first team.

Lauren Fusco, St. Vincent Pallotti, Sr., P

Playing a variety of roles, Fusco sported a stellar 1.13 earned run average while yielding only six walks in 62 innings. She led the team in hitting at .368 (19 for 52) and also played first base, second base and shortstop and made several appearances as a relief pitcher, picking up one save. Making her second appearance on the first team (2006), she is headed to McDaniel College this fall.

Shrice Dillard, Gwynn Park, Sr., INF

With senior Jordan Reid injured for most of the season, Dillard stepped forward to lead the Yellow Jackets in most offensive categories. She hit a three-run home run and a two-run triple as Gwynn Park beat Bowie in the county championship game. She led the Yellow Jackets in hitting with a .581 average (36 for 62) and eight doubles, two triples, nine homers, 41 runs and 17 RBI.

Anna Duranske, Grace Brethren, Jr., C

The junior led the 7-5 Eagles in virtually every offensive category, hitting .400 (16 for 40) with three doubles, two triples, two homers, 19 runs and 12 RBI. She was selected to the All-Potomac Valley Athletic Conference first team.

Jessica Mattia, Gwynn Park, Soph., P

The sophomore pitcher worked nearly every game for the Yellow Jackets, holding County 3A/2A/1A League opponents to just five runs. She then punctuated her season by striking out 12 against Bowie, allowing one hit an infield single in the county final.

Sharde Estep, Gwynn Park, Sr., INF

Though she missed the final five games with an injury, the senior infielder hit .500 (19 for 38) with six doubles, five triples and two doubles. She led the squad with 19 RBI while scoring 17 runs. After spending the previous three seasons at third base, Estep played most of the season at shortstop in place of the injured Jordan Reid .

Erin Snyder, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sr., OF

Making her second appearance on the first team, the senior outfielder hit .554 (36 for 65) with eight doubles, four triples, two homers, 44 runs and 33 RBI. She had three hits, three runs and four RBI in the Raiders’ 12-7 victory against Bowie in the 4A South Region final, then had one of the Raiders’ three hits in the 3-0 state semifinal loss to Sherwood.

Amanda King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sr., 3B

King hit .568 (25 for 44) with seven homers, four doubles, one triple, 32 runs and 32 RBI. She played stellar defense at third base and turned an unassisted double play in the 3-0 loss to Sherwood in the 4A state semifinals. She plans to play soccer and softball at Prince George’s Community College.

Alice Tintle, Elizabeth Seton, Sr., P

Seton overcame a back injury to go 8-4 with a 2.40 earned run average and struck out 55 with 18 walks in 83 innings. Tintle beat eventual WCAC champion O’Connell (Va.) 4-1 during the season and beat Good Counsel in the WCAC playoffs before suffering a nine-inning setback against top-seeded Paul VI (Va.) in the conference semifinals. She’s headed to Catholic University in the fall.

Leah Williams, Frederick Douglass, Fr., OF

The only freshman on the first team, Williams helped the Eagles go 16-3 and beat Southern of Anne Arundel in the 3A South Region playoffs. Williams hit .591 (26 for 44) with three doubles, one home run, 13 walks and struck out only once. She led her team with 32 runs and was selected as the club’s most valuable player by coach Bill Hay.

Talaya Giles, Largo, Sr., INF

Arguably the best defensive infielder in the County 3A/2A/1A League, Giles handled 68 chances without committing an error. She was equally strong at the plate, batting .459 (27 for 59) with five homers, three doubles, two triples and 12 stolen bases. She is headed to Bowie State University this fall.

Meagan Gontarek, Eleanor Roosevelt, JR.

One of the strongest underclassmen for the 4A South champion Raiders, Gontarek batted .357 (25 for 70) with eight doubles, two homers, 37 runs and 32 RBI. She had two hits and scored two runs in a 12-7 victory over Bowie in the 4A South Region final and had one of their three hits in the 3-0 loss to Sherwood in the state semifinals.

Second Team

Kelly Trimble, Pallotti

Lauren Keim and Lacey Ennis, Laurel

Derika Tucker, Forestville

Sarah Bednarik, Jessica Scruggs and Katie Cooper, Bowie

Ranelle Taylor, Janae Randall and Tiana Randall, Gwynn Park

Meryl Collins and Michelle Shackleford, Charles H. Flowers

Nydia Bryan-Green, Amanda Veader and Sam Colein, Seton

Kristin Taylor, Grace Brethren

Jacklyn Hall, Riverdale Baptist

Laura Crowe and Ethany Encarnacion, Oxon Hill

Shelby Suit, Parkdale

Kimberly Meyer, Bladensburg

Patty Diaz, Henry A. Wise

Britini Tyson, DuVal

Megan Windsor and Christina Smith, Douglass

Erin Cocchiaro, Roosevelt