Lily Kenney, Lexi Ross Take Home Shoreline's Top Honors - Middlesex County Sports

Pictured: Cromwell sophomore Lily Kenney emerged from a crop of outstanding young pitchers in the Shoreline to be named the conference’s pitcher of the year.

Some of what we’ll remember most from this fascinating 2021 Shoreline Conference softball season:

North Branford steamrolled its way through the second half of the season, winning 15 of 16, culminating in another Shoreline Conference championship.

Freshman pitcher Kiley Mullins’ shutout performances for the Thunderbirds in the semifinal against Coginchaug and final against Old Lyme set the stage for what could be three special seasons to come.

The Player of the Year — senior Lexi Ross — comes from a team (Valley Regional) that did not qualify for state tournament play, so Ross’ career ends on quite a high note.

Pitcher of the Year Lily Kenney of Cromwell leads a remarkable class of young arms that we should hear from again and again over the next several years.

Leah May, who attends Portland and faced the possibility of not having a season because of low turnout, was the top hitter on the East Hampton/Portland team. The co-op came together just before the season began. May hit two home runs for the Bellringers.

The list of players who received all-conference recognition:

Player of the Year: Lexi Ross, Valley Regional

Pitcher of the Year: Lily Kenney, Cromwell

Coach of the Year: Steve DeMartino, Coginchaug

Conference champion: North Branford

All-Shoreline First Team

Pitchers: Lily Kenney, sophomore, Cromwell; Bella Richwine, freshman, Haddam-Killingworth

Catcher: Hanna Senerchia, junior, North Branford

**North Branford slugger Jada Miconi will go on to play at Western Connecticut State.**

Infielders: Madison Tessmer, junior, Cromwell; Jada Miconi, senior, North Branford; Grace Lathrop, senior, Old Lyme; Amalia DeMartino, senior, Coginchaug

**Coginchaug’s Amalia DeMartino will go on to play at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York.**

Outfielders: Jamie Anderson, junior, Cromwell; Ivy McNiel, freshman, H-K; Lexi Ross, senior, Valley Regional

Utility: Samantha LaFemina, junior, Hale-Ray; Paige Kolesnik, senior, Old Lyme

All-Shoreline Second Team

Pitchers: Bella Hills, junior, North Branford; Kelly Boothroyd, senior, Coginchaug

Catcher: Dana Boothroyd, senior, Coginchaug

Infielders: Jessica Stricker, senior, Hale-Ray; Ella McGlynn, senior, H-K; Erica Piercey, senior, North Branford; Ava Marenna, junior, Coginchaug

**Erica Piercey, right, will go on to play at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.**

Outfielders: Kendall Kollmer, senior, Old Saybrook; Sophia Ouelett, senior, North Branford; Emma Bayor, freshman, Old Lyme; Allison Strang, sophomore, Coginchaug

Utility: Victoria Gage, junior, Old Lyme; Abby Amara, junior, Valley Regional

All-Shoreline Honorable Mention

Pitchers: Christina Lombardi, senior, Old Saybrook; Kaleigh Bodak, sophomore, H-K; Abby Benson, sophomore, Valley Regional

Catcher: Brooke Praskievicz, sophomore, Hale-Ray; Leah May, junior, East Hampton/Portland; Sydney Robison, sophomore, Morgan

Infielders: Malena Signorello, sophomore, Cromwell; Lindsey Onofrio, freshman, North Branford

Outfielders: Grace McFarlin, sophomore, Cromwell; Lily Bourgeois, junior, Hale-Ray