June 01, 2001
Player of the Year
Nichol Moeller, Westminster: Moeller, a junior, was the driving force behind Westminster's run to the Class 4A state championship. She pitched in all or part of each of the team's games, going the distance 19 times. She was 17-5 with a 0.65 ERA, with 99 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 151 innings. While working away from hitters, she most always stayed ahead in the count, frustrating the opposition by inducing scores of grounders. She also helped her own cause at the plate, hitting close to .300, with five doubles and 11 RBIs. Her crowning achievement, however, came in the state title game against Dulaney, when she allowed just two hits and struck out eight in a 1-0 victory.
Coach of the Year
Bryan Shumaker, Westminster: In his first year at the helm, Shumaker led the Owls from a troubled enigma to Class 4A state champion. Shumaker had been an assistant before replacing coach Lisa Harford, who was forced to resign during the off-season while battling Parkinson's disease. He had his work cut out for him. Westminster had graduated six key seniors, and had lost another to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. After early back-to-back losses, however, the Owls regrouped to win seven of their next eight and never looked back, beating Anne Arundel powers Chesapeake and Glen Burnie in the regionals before topping Dulaney, 1-0, to claim the state championship. It was the second state title in three years for Shumaker, who in 1999 guided the Owls girls soccer team to the Class 4A championship.
First team
Casey Brengle, Westminster: Numbers can't begin to tell the story of the area's premier catcher. The junior hit .354 with two homers, five triples, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored. She also called 90 percent of her team's pitches and possesses a rocket of an arm, throwing out all three would-be base stealers in the 4A state semifinals and final.
Trish Brown, North Carroll: The Panthers' senior was one of the most feared hitters in the area, batting .400 with five doubles and 15 RBIs. The three-year varsity standout also had a fielding percentage of .962 while playing first and second base, helping her team to a spot in the 3A state semifinals.
Abby Cannistraci, South Carroll: The Cavaliers' shortstop left her mark as one of the premier players in Carroll County and the Central Maryland Conference this season. Batting .406 and excelling with her glove, she helped South Carroll to a sixth-place finish in the CMC.
Meredith Carter, Francis Scott Key: The senior was a terror on the mound, where she went 10-2 with a 0.70 ERA and 88 strikeouts, and at the plate, where she batted .400 with a .585 on-base percentage. As the Eagles' leadoff hitter, Carter stole 22 bases and scored 20 runs.
Kelly Fick, Liberty: The Lions' junior was a jack of all trades, hitting a county-best .462 with five doubles and three triples while splitting time between catcher, shortstop, second base and designated hitter. Her effort earned her first-team All-CMC honors.
Amber Frantz, Liberty: Hitting from the leadoff spot, this outfielder batted .368 with 10 stolen bases and seven RBIs. A four-year varsity player, Frantz has now made All-County and All-CMC each of the past three years.
Tessa Gist, Francis Scott Key: The junior excelled in the fundamentals, not only batting .415 with three doubles and scoring 12 runs, but also earning a reputation as a standout sacrifice bunter and strong defensive center fielder. She was an impact player for the Eagles, who finished second in the Monocacy Valley Athletic League.
Ashley Martin, North Carroll: The powerful junior earned first-team All-CMC honors by batting .377 with four doubles, four triples and three home runs. The outfielder's 21 RBIs led the Panthers, and her 15 runs scored ranked second on the team, which lost in the 3A state semifinals.
Katie Riley, North Carroll: The fastest girl in the county during indoor track season, Riley showed this spring that she also excelled on the diamond. Playing the outfield, the junior batted .325 with three extra-base hits and 12 RBIs. She had 10 stolen bases and scored 18 runs to earn first-team all-league honors.
Kristy Shaffer, North Carroll: Only a broken arm could stop this junior, who was batting .415 with six extra-base hits from the leadoff spot before succumbing to the injury April 30. Cast and all, the shortstop returned during the playoffs to pinch-run for the Panthers.
Sarah Stambaugh, Francis Scott Key: Stambaugh played a key role for the Eagles all season, batting .358 with 16 RBIs, two triples and four doubles. She also made a strong contribution with her glove at first base, helping Key advance to the region semifinals.
Lauren Wilder, Francis Scott Key: Wilder was the consummate double threat - a standout infielder who also excelled at the plate. The junior hit .404 for the Eagles with 11 RBIs, 19 runs scored, three home runs and a double. As a shortstop, she also showed good range and a strong arm.
Emily Wolfing, South Carroll: The perennial All-County senior again left her mark in Carroll County. The athletic third baseman hit .333 and was tough defensively at the hot corner to earn first-team All-CMC honors.
