2025 Daily Journal All-Area Softball Team

With 27 all-state standouts and several more all-conference selections that helped fuel spostseason runs, the Daily Journal All-Area Softball Team is as good as it gets.

First team

Ava Lorenzatti, Beecher, Jr., P/3B

Lorenzatti continued to prove herself as one of the nation’s top softball recruits in 2025, helping lead the Bobcats (37-2) to a state title in Class 2A. The Florida State commit pitched 125 innings, had 214 strikeouts and a 1.51 ERA. She also hit .469 with eight home runs, 20 doubles and 39 RBIs. She was named River Valley Conference Player of the Year and first-team ICA Class 2A All-State.

Taylor Norkus, Beecher, Jr., P/3B

The other half of Beecher’s two-headed monster in the circle, Norkus also made the Class 2A All-State first team. She posted an ERA of 0.98 in 121 innings to go with 196 strikeouts and only 18 walks. She got the win in Beecher’s 5-2, 10-inning win in the state title game, allowing one hit and no runs over the final five innings. An All-RVC selection, Norkus hit .286 on the year with 24 RBIs.

Rhaya DePaolo, Bishop McNamara, So., 1B

DePaolo saw her first varsity action for the 19-6 Fightin’ Irish, and the sophomore hit the ground running. She batted .552 and slugged .798 with 52 hits and 51 RBIs, only striking out twice in 109 plate appearances. She also did not commit an error at first base and earned Class 2A All-State first-team honors.

Teagan McCue, Bishop McNamara, Sr., SS

Bishop McNamara’s everyday starter at short, McCue set the tone for the Irish with a .458 batting average and .958 slugging percentage. The Northwestern commit also had 55 hits and 22 stolen bases on the year and made just two errors in 98 chances at shortstop. She was named second-team All-State in Class 2A and joined rare air as a four-time All-Area pick.

Lydia Hammond, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Jr., P/OF

The Daily Journal Player of the Year, Hammond was responsible for some of the biggest moments across the Class 4A landscape this season. She tossed a perfect game against state-ranked Fremd, threw a shutout and had the walk-off hit in a nine-inning win against state-ranked Benet, then went on a postseason run allowing a total of four earned runs, 22 hits and 52 strikeouts over 38 innings en rout to a sectional title. Hammond earned a spot on the Class 4A All-State second team and All-SouthWest Suburban Conference team by going 19-9 with a save in 29 appearances that totaled 188⅓ innings. She broke her own school record with a 1.31 ERA and struck out a school-record 261.

Suttyn Hop, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Sr., C

After spending her freshman season across town at Bishop McNamara, Hop became a program pillar in her three seasons as a Boilermaker. The other half of the battery for two All-State pitchers and two sectional titles over the past three years, Hop was a menace both behind and at the plate. The Rock Valley College commit posted a .357 average and slugged a team-best .519, leading the Boilers in home runs (three) and RBIs (37) while adding eight doubles and five stolen bases, earning third-team All-State and All-SWSC honors.

Bella Pusateri, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Sr., OF

A four-year starter, Pusateri is the only member of each of the teams who embarked on the program’s regional four-peat. The Indiana State recruit made her third All-State (third team), All-SWSC and All-Area teams after hitting a team-best .443 to go with a team-best .997 OPS. The leadoff hitter had 58 total hits, including six doubles and a triple, scored a team-high 36 runs and stole a team-high 25 bases.

Khloe Picard, Coal City, Jr., C

A Class 2A All-State second-teamer in 2025, Picard helped the Coalers go 20-13 and win their fourth straight regional title. She was also an All-Illinois Central Eight Conference pick, hitting .420 on the season with seven home runs, 40 RBIs and just four strikeouts. She threw out a third of base stealers on the season.

Maddie Simms, Gardner-South Wilmington, Jr., P/IF

A force both at the plate and in the circle, Simms led the Panthers to a 21-11 record and second-place finish in the RVC. She had 219 strikeouts in 139 innings, posting a 2.19 ERA, and also slashed .495/.533/.871 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs. Simms was named first team ICA Class 1A All-State and also All-RVC.

RyLyn Adams, Herscher, Sr., SS

Adams was a tough out at the top of the Tigers lineup. She collected 68 hits with a batting average of .598. Once she got on base, the speedy Adams went 41 of 42 on stolen base attempts. She was named to the All-ICE Team and also earned a spot on the Class 2A All-State second team while helping lead the Tigers to a regional title.

Jaz Manau, Manteno, Sr., C

A first-team All-State selection in Class 2A for the second time in her career, Manau’s presence at the plate and behind it helped the Panthers go 20-7 (13-1 ICE) and win their second straight conference title. She hit .536 with an OPS of 1.397, scoring 31 runs and driving in 30. She upped her OPS to 1.554 in Manteno’s 10 games against ICA-ranked opponents.

Addison Lucht, Milford-Cissna Park, Jr., SS

Lucht was walked 41 times in 100 plate appearances, but when given pitches to hit, she capitalized. She slashed .570/.760/1.263 with an OPS of 2.023, seven home runs, 45 runs and 39 RBIs. The junior shortstop also had 22 steals and was named first-team ICA Class 1A All-State for the third straight season, leading the Bearcats to a 15-10 record.

Sophie Klawitter, Peotone, Jr., P

Klawitter put up crooked numbers all season for the Blue Devils (12-14), including in a nine-inning, 20-strikeout perfect game against Lisle on April 14 and a seven-inning, 15-strikeout no-hitter the very next day. She finished with a 0.94 ERA and a staggering 329 strikeouts in 158 ⅔ innings. She also hit .353 and was an All-ICE and first-team Class 2A All-State selection.

Molly Southall, Wilmington, Jr., OF

Southall’s dangerous bat in the heart of the Wildcats lineup was a major factor in the winningest season for Wilmington (23-7) since 2019. She slashed .493/.667/1.141 with nine home runs, 47 RBIs, 48 runs and 34 walks. She had twice as many assists (four) as errors (two) in center field and was made the ICA Class 2A All-State first team for the second straight year.

Second team

Elena Kvasnicka, Beecher, Jr., 2B

Makenzie Johnson, Beecher, Jr., OF/C

Ava Olson, Beecher, Sr., SS

Bridget Bertrand, Bishop McNamara, Sr., C

Bristol Schriefer, Bradley-Bourbonnais, So., OF

Madi Petersen, Coal City, Sr., OF

Cheyenne Hayes, Grant Park, So., P/SS

Keira Ahramovich, Herscher, Jr., C/OF

Kylee Cunningham, Kankakee, Sr., P/C

Aubrey Goudreau, Manteno, Jr., SS

Macy Iwanus, Manteno, Sr., P/1B

Ava Peterson, Manteno, Sr., P/OF

Taylor Stefancic, Wilmington, Jr., 3B

Keeley Walsh, Wilmington, So., 2B

Honorable mention

Analeah Ramirez, Bishop McNamara; Victoria Torres, Bishop McNamara; Liv Woolman, Bradley-Bourbonnais; Sydney Jemar, Central; Rayven Perkins, Central; Masyn Kuder, Coal City; Kaycee Graf, Coal City; Bailey Henneike, Donovan; Ella Mack, Gardner-South Wilmington; Anistin Hackley, Herscher; Addie Whitaker, Herscher; Kyla DeWitt, Iroquois West; Amelia Scharp, Iroquois West; Kylie Glogowski, Kankakee; Lillian Landis, Kankakee; Sophie Peterson, Manteno; Lillie Harris, Milford-Cissna Park; Sydnee VanSwol, Momence; Addison Hartman, Reed-Custer; Amber Syc, Reed-Custer; Christey Moore, St. Anne; Christa Holohan, Watseka; Sarah Parsons, Watseka; Nina Egizio, Wilmington; Taryn Gilbert, Wilmington