OSWEGO COUNTY — Sandy Creek sophomore Julia Hollister was selected second team in Class C to highlight the four Oswego County players named to the 32nd annual NYSSCOGS High School Softball All-State Teams.
She was joined by Comets classmate Scout Preston, who was chosen as the fifth-team shortstop, along with Pulaski senior pitcher Emily Birmingham, a third team honoree in Class C.
Altmar-Parish-Williamstown senior Alivia Turk was named a fifth-team outfielder in Class B to round out the area selections.
Hollister batted for a .529 average to go with 17 runs batted in and led Sandy Creek with five triples and seven stolen bases. Preston finished with a .521 batting average while leading the Comets with 21 RBIs and 27 total hits.
The duo was integral in helping Sandy Creek (19-3 overall) to its first Section 3 Class C championship in four years and the 20th title for the program since 1991.
Birmingham made her second straight all-state squad after securing a second-team spot last year.
She helped lead Pulaski to consecutive Section 3 titles in 2019 and 2021 before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Sandy Creek this year.
Birmingham tallied 168 strikeouts in 94 innings and finished with a 1.25 earned run average in the pitching circle this year for the Blue Devils (14-4), according to the Section 3 stats website.
She also led Pulaski in batting average (.596), runs scored (35), total hits (34), and doubles (14) while ranking second on the team with 20 RBIs.
Turk led APW with a .508 batting average, 33 total hits, five triples, six home runs, 25 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, per Section 3 stats.
The senior outfielder helped lift the Rebels (10-7) to their first Section 3 Class B finals appearance since 2016.
APW entered sectionals as the No. 11 seed and beat three higher-ranked teams en route to the title game.
Mexico High School senior MacKenzie Craig was recently selected as an Upstate NY Lacrosse Academic All-American.
She was one of nine players selected from the upstate region, which encompasses Section 3 and 4.
The honor is bestowed annually to a select group “who exhibits exemplary lacrosse skills, good sportsmanship on the field, and represents high standards of academic achievement,” according to the USA Lacrosse website.
Craig scored 20 goals as a senior to rank second on the Tigers and added two assists. She played four varsity seasons over a five-year span, the 2020 campaign was called off due to COVID-19 concerns.
She also played soccer and volleyball during her high school tenure.
FOUR COMETS ON TIMES ALL-NORTH
Hollister and Preston were among four Sandy Creek softball players recognized on the Watertown Daily Times All-North Team.
Hollister was named to the first team while Preston was joined on the second team by pitcher/infielder Kendall Darling and eighth-grade outfielder, Baylee Williams.
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