Maggie Hicks has shown a multitude of qualities on the softball field, and any attempt to pinpoint just one of those traits could be considered fruitless.
Sheridan Coach Tamara Strawn prefers to point out her star player’s off-field virtues.
“She’s just an all-around great person,” Strawn said. “She leads us in prayer. She leads in encouragement. Her heart is in it for all of her teammates.”
Hicks did it all for the three-time state champion Lady Jackets, batting a healthy .529 her senior season and playing rock solid at shortstop. Hicks is the
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
All-Arkansas Preps Softball Player of the Year.
Hicks led the Lady Jackets in home runs (9), RBI
(33), triples (6), runs (40), stolen bases (16) and slugging percentage (1.094). Defensively, it was difficult to get a ball past Hicks.
“She robs people of base hits,” Strawn said. “It’s so crazy to watch other shortstops and you see that they’re good, but they’re not Maggie good.”
Hicks signed with her dream school — the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville — and said she is eager to do whatever she’s asked to do for the Razorbacks.
“I’ve been told I could play in the infield or in the outfield,” Hicks said. “I’m willing to do anything and if that’s cheering the team on from the dugout, I’m comfortable with that, too.”
It could be hard to keep Hicks out of the Razorbacks’ starting lineup. She finished her career by going 4 for 4 in a 17-2 victory over Marion in the Class 6A state championship game. She singled twice, doubled and smashed an inside-the-park home run in her high school finale.
“Our semifinal game against Benton was much more stressful,” Hicks said. “It was our fourth time to play them and every game had been close. They were good enough that they could have beaten us. We weren’t familiar with Marion and I think that helped us focus. We knew they were good but I think it helped that we didn’t know much about them.”
Hicks plans on majoring in social work at Arkansas. She wants to be a counselor.
“I love talking to people,” Hicks said. “I want to know about them, what their problems are and how to help solve them.”
“Maggie is just a different breed of person,” Strawn said. “She’s all-around unique.”
At a glance
SCHOOL Sheridan
CLASS Senior
HEIGHT 5-6
POSITION Shortstop
NOTEWORTHY Daughter of Byron and Kristi Hicks. … Signed with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. … Hit nine home runs and drove in 33 runs. Averaged .529 for the season and went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double and two singles in the state championship game. … Stole 16 bases and struck out only five times in 93 plate appearances. … Named Wendy’s Softball Player of the Year for Arkansas.
Softball statistics
Batting
(Minimum 60 at-bats)
SENIORS
PLAYER, SCHOOL AB R H AVG.
Tylar Vernon, Pangburn 84 59 60 .714 Hannah Bourgeois, Pangburn 98 45 59 .602 Crystal McVay, White Hall 68 29 39 .574 Summer Rains, Pangburn 92 34 50 .543 Hanna Smith, Bald Knob 91 56 49 .538 Katharine McConnell, Pr. Gro. 64 21 34 .531 Maggie Hicks, Sheridan 85 40 45 .529 Janna Smith, Bald Knob 91 39 47 .516 Kylie Scott, Prairie Grove 64 23 33 .516 Olivia Williams. FS Northside 65 19 33 .508 Sofie Housley, Dover 109 29 54 .495 Tymber Riley, Bentonville 79 43 39 .494 Audrey Laird, Hd. Academy 64 28 31 .484 Grace Bryant, BHG... 100 18 48 .480 Holly Crutchfield, Glen Rose 94 37 45 .479 Courtney Resinger, Dardanelle 80 5 38 .475 Skylar Campbell, Pottsville 104 44 49 .471 Jessica Williams, De Queen 81 41 38 .469 Tristan Cunningham, Lincoln 81 24 38 .469 Madison Wiggins, EPC 98 33 45 .459 Maly Tabor, Mountain Home 72 23 33 .458 Karsen Dunavan, Searcy 70 19 32 .457 Jacii Powell, Magnolia 68 17 31 .456 Kynlee Brimer, Bald Knob 77 33 35 .455 Kaitlyn Lankford, Lincoln 73 20 33 .452 Reisa Bakenhus, De Queen 91 39 41 .451 Callie Eary, Vilonia.... 71 37 32 .451 Carley Antwine, Farmington 99 43 44 .444 Daniele Singleton, Bauxite 97 42 43 .443 Abby Lee, Dardanelle 88 18 39 .443 Brooke Roush, BHG. 88 42 39 .443 Aspen Campbell, Pottsville 86 40 38 .442
JUNIORS
PLAYER, SCHOOL AB R H AVG.
Joley Mitchell, Rose Bud 85 82 56 .659 Jenna Wildman, Bentonville 110 52 64 .582 Allie Weber, Dardanelle 82 40 47 .573 Kenley Hawk, Pal.-Wheatley 81 53 44 .543 Katelyn Grayum, Pangburn 83 35 45 .542 Sydney Ward, Paris.. 109 22 57 .523 Grace Hartle, Rose Bud 96 29 49 .510 Taylor Kelley, Berryville 88 30 44 .500 Grace Pickens, Bald Knob 109 47 54 .495 Morgan Nelson, Bentonville 101 37 49 .485 Jehlian Wright, Harrisburg 60 29 29 .483 Jorika Alvarez, Dardanelle 96 33 46 .479 Grace Murry, El Dorado 82 35 39 .476 Kadyn Johnson, Mtn. View 62 30 30 .476 Kinlee Varnell, Bald Knob 95 40 45 .474 Megan Whitworth, Pangburn 84 40 40 .476 Madi Pierce, Bald Knob 93 36 44 .473 Jillian Goodwin, Star City 85 45 40 .471 Molly Harrison, Lonoke 96 42 45 .469 Lexy Taylor, De Queen 60 23 28 .467 Kristen Hurst, Rison. 73 16 34 .466 Blair Quarles, White Hall 63 18 29 .460 Allie Whitlock, Valley View 89 8 40 .449 Larran Simmons, El Dorado 69 20 31 .449 Honesty Holt.Bentonville West 92 13 41 .446 Terika Dillard, Blytheville 72 34 32 .444 Sophia Hampton, Pottsville 86 35 38 .442 Lea Jones, El Dorado 68 15 30 .441 Kaitlyn Peavy, Tuckerman 68 28 30 .441 Jade Stanley, Paragould 75 36 33 .440 Lexy Lee, Paris 114 37 50 .439
SOPHOMORES & FRESHMEN
PLAYER, SCHOOL AB R H AVG.
Abby Lochala, Hd. Academy 72 26 50 .694 Bailey Camp, Perryville 66 — 41 .621 Jadyn Hart, Paris. 107 50 64 .598 Karley Hawk, Pal.-Wheatley 83 36 49 .590 Ally Sockey, Greenwood 68 36 40 .588 Gabbi Scott Curtis, Gravette 96 59 56 .583 Anna Walker, Harrisburg 71 35 40 .563 Reagan Rapert, Melbourne 74 26 40 .541 Katie Dreling, Valley View 80 11 43 .538 Kinley Webb, Lincoln 63 23 32 .508 Shelby Kelly, Dardanelle 84 23 42 .500 Kyndal Dollar, McCrory 68 26 38 .500 Hallie Wacaser, B’ville West 97 45 48 .495 Trista Goodwin, Star City 102 7 50 .490 Hope Hartle, Rose Bud 95 42 46 .484 Kayla Richardson, Hackett 64 27 31 .484 Riley Walthall, Cabot 102 33 47 .471 Amelia Besterfeldt, Dover 111 24 52 .468 Lora Grave Hill, Berryville 94 44 44 .468 Belen Sanchez, Batesville 62 20 29 .468 Kylie Griffin, Greenbrier 99 32 46 .465 Angela Price, Greenwood 67 28 31 .463 Abbie Cain, Pottsville 93 43 43 .462 McKenzie Vaughan, B’ville 93 28 43 .462 Mariah Squires, Alma 88 11 40 .455 Meagan Allen, EPC 97 38 44 .454 C. Weast, Star City 95 14 43 .453 Meledy Owens, Gentry 64 22 29 .453 Carlin Whaley, Magnolia 64 15 29 .453 Aubrey Lee, Cabot 93 34 42 .452 Sophie Morrison, Alma 78 22 35 .449 Kloey Harlson, Harrisburg 85 7 38 .447 Jacqueline Fields, Dover 79 11 35 .443 Hallie Siems, Stuttgart 84 10 37 .440 Katie Hallman, Mountain View 66 20 29 .439
Pitching
(Minimum 40 innings pitched)
PLAYER, SCHOOL IP W-L ER ERA
Kenley Hawk, Pal.-Wheat. 129.2 19-5 7 0.38 Jenna Hipp, Rose Bud 99.0 16-2 11 0.78 Kloey Harlson, Harrisburg 153.0 — 20 0.92 Bailey Buffington, Bauxite 161.2 29-0 22 0.95 Lexy Taylor, De Queen. 94.1 16-2 13 0.96 Cailey Cochran, Bentonville136.1 23-2 25 1.28 Maegan Pistokache. Searcy 113 — 22 1.36 Grace Bryant, BHG 127.0 12-1 25 1.38 Paige Devecsery, F’gton 114.1 16-3 23 1.41 Meagan Allen EPC 182.1 24-7 41 1.57 Aspen Campbell, Pottsville 98.1 17-3 24 1.71 Hallie Siems, Stuttgart. 161.1 18-6 43 1.87 Shannon Lasey, Pottsville 79.2 10-0 24 2.11 Nikki Schneider, Glen Rose146.0 18-6 44 2.11 Jaylee Engelkes, Greenbrier127.1 — 40 2.20 Haylee Davis, Jonesboro 146.1 18-9 52 2.49 Bailey Elmore, Gravette 124.2 12-3 45 2.53 Anna Wynn, Star City 88.0 8-6 35 2.78 Chandler Weast, Star City 94.0 9-7 44 3.28 Taylor Coulson, Alma. 97.1 8-8 50 3.60
SOFTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
PLAYER CLASS POS. SCHOOL
Bailey Buffington Sr. P Bauxite Skylar Campbell Sr. OF Pottsville Caily Cochran Jr. P Bentonville Haley Cornell Sr. C Bentonville Maggie Hicks Sr. SS Sheridan Joley Mitchell Jr. SS Rose Bud Tymber Riley Sr. 2B Bentonville Hanna Smith Sr. SS Bald Knob Tylar Vernon Sr. C Pangburn Jessica Williams Sr. C De Queen
SECOND TEAM
Carley Antwine Sr. 2B Farmington Reisa Bakenhus Sr. 3B De Queen Mary Kate Brown Jr. SS Atkins Aspen Campbell Sr. P Pottsville Karsen Dunavan Sr. OF Searcy Kenley Hawk Jr. P Palestine-Wheatley Honesty Holt Jr. C Bentonville West Janna Smith Sr. OF Bald Knob Ashlyn Spears Sr. P Cabot Jenna Wilderman Jr. OF Bentonville
FRESHMEN & SOPHOMORES
Meagan Allen So. P East Poinsett Co. Bailey Camp So. SS Perryville Katie Dreiling So. P/IF Valley View Kylie Griffin Fr. 3B/SS/OFGreenbrier Jadyn Hart Fr. P Paris Kaitlyn Howard So. P/OF Sheridan Aubrey Lee So. 1B Cabot Ally Sockey Fr. IF Greenwood McKenzie Vaughan Fr. P/3B Bentonville Hallie Wacaser So. P/IF Bentonville West
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kent Early, Bentonville
How they were selected
Members of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps boys and girls teams were nominated by coaches and selected by members of the Democrat-Gazette’s sports staff with help from the state’s high school coaches.
Softball leaders
HOME RUNS
Joley Mitchell, Rose Bud 24 Tylar Vernon, Pangburn 19 Haley Cornell, Bentonville 13 Jadyn Hart, Paris 12 McKenzie Vaughan, Bentonville 12 Hanna Smith, Bald Knob 12
RBI
Joley Mitchell, Rose Bud 71 Tylar Vernon, Pangburn 68 Jadyn Hart, Paris 55 Summer Rains, Pangburn 52 Hope Hartle, Rose Bud 50 Tymber Riley, Bentonville 50 Abby Lochala, Harding Academy 50 McKenzie Vaughan, Bentonville 49
DOUBLES
Sydney Ward, Paris 18 Carley Antwine, Farmington 17 Morgan Nelson, Bentonville 16 Allyson Simon, El Dorado 16 Hanna Smith, Bald Knob 16
TRIPLES
Skylar Campbell, Pottsville 8 Lora Grace Hill, Berryville 8 Jayden Hart, Paris 7 Meagan Allen, EPC 6 Rylee Curd, Bald Knob 6 Whitney Ellis, Van Buren 6 Keragan Gordon, EPC 6 Kylie Griffin, Greenbrier 6 Maggie Hicks, Sheridan 6 Janna Smith, Bald Knob 6 Jenna Wildeman, Bentonville 6
STRIKEOUTS
Meagan Allen, EPC 354 Kenley Hawk, Pal.-Wheatley 292 Kloey Harlson, Harrisburg 287 Hallie Siems, Stuttgart 249 Sydney Ward, Paris 241 Jadyn Hart, Paris 232 Katie Dreiling, Valley View 225 Makenna Keeton, Morrilton 221 Bailee Henard, Rivercrest 215 Bailey Buffington, Bauxite 211 Cailey Cochran, Bentonville 210