For North Penn, it was a season to remember and to celebrate, as the Knights captured the District 1-6A Title and made it all the way to the PIAA semifinals.
Julia Shearer, Brie Wilmot, Gianna Cimino and Maddy Gronback were standouts at their respective positions and a big piece to North Penn success, and they are all members of the Reporter/Times Herald/Montco Media All-Area Team.
The Knights, up and down the lineup, kept finding ways to come through in the clutch.
Maddy Gronback had a three-run home run to win it for North Penn against Avon Grove on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Kev Hunter, MediaNews.
For instance, Gronback’s game-winning three-run homer against Avon Grove in the opening round of districts.
“That last at-bat, I really just wanted to provide for my team,” she would describe. “Everybody did their job today, and even though it didn’t come through the way it usually does right away, we fought hard that game to back up Julia. And I just knew, in that moment, with runners in scoring position, I had to do what I had to do.”
Hatboro-Horsham’s Kendal Leitner pitches in the top of the first inning against Plymouth Whitemarsh Monday, May 9, 2022. (Ed Morlock – MediaNews Group)
Meanwhile, Kendal Leitner pitched Hatboro-Horsham to one of its finest seasons.
After a 1-0 win over rival Quakertown in a game in which Leitner dominated, coach Kelly Krier would say afterward: “I don’t know how many adjectives I have left to describe her. She came tonight ready to play. She hit every spot. She just was awesome from start to finish. She just was in the zone, and we saw it in warmups. So it was just a great night. I’m really happy for all the seniors and I hope they remember it forever.”
North Penn’s Brie Wilmot had two RBI in the win over Hatboro-Horsham on Friday, May 27, 2022. Kev Hunter, MediaNews.
Other senior standouts included Wissahickon’s Grace Franczyk, Plymouth-Whitemarsh’s Lauryn Kane, Upper Merion’s Vanessa Hutchinson and Central Bucks West’s Bailey Demusz, all of which were tremendous leaders for their respective clubs.
Junior Kayley York was a major catalyst for Souderton Area while junior Tess Kearney was a constant contributor for the Hatters.
Reporter/Times Herald/Montco Media All-Area Team
First Team
P – Julia Shearer, North Penn, Junior
P – Kendal Leitner, Hatboro-Horsham, Senior
C – Grace Franczyk, Wissahickon, Senior
1B – Brie Wilmot, North Penn, Junior
2B – Gianna Cimino, North Penn, Sophomore
3B – Lauryn Kane, Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Senior
SS – Kayley York, Souderton Area, Junior
OF – Maddy Gronback, North Penn, Senior
OF – Tess Kearney, Hatboro-Horsham, Junior
OF – Vanessa Hutchinson, Upper Merion, Senior
DP – Bailey Demusz, Central Bucks West, Senior
Second Team
P – Abby Burns, Souderton Area, Senior
P – Dakota Fanelli, Archbishop Wood, Junior
C – Sarah Sabocsik, North Penn, Junior
1B – Katelyn Fitzgerald, Wissahickon, Senior
2B – Alyssa Tooley, Hatboro-Horsham, Sophomore
3B – Annabelle Smink, North Penn, Junior
SS – Sophia Collins, North Penn, Senior
OF – Reagan Bauman, Pennridge, Junior
OF – OF – Leanna Schenk, Abington, Junior
OF – Riley York, Souderton Area, Senior
DP – Abby Lineman, Central Bucks West, Senior
Honorable Mention
Abington: Ellie Pierce, Junior; Lauren Everitt, Junior
Archbishop Wood: Maura Yoos, Sophomore; Maggie Devlin, Junior; Abby Windish, Senior
Cheltenham: Kendall Nelson, Freshman
Dock: Trinity Landis, Junior; Erin Miles, Sophomore; Melissa Moyer, Senior
Germantown Academy: Kayleigh Howard, Junior; Malia Walton, Junior
Hatboro-Horsham: Abby Waeltz, Junior; Marissa Rapino, Senior; Amya Lundy, Junior; Megan Mills, Senior
Lansdale Catholic: Samantha McHugh, Junior
Lower Moreland: Liz Neeld, Junior; Jessica Dugo, Senior
Norristown: Alana Echevarria, Freshman
North Penn: Reyna Doherty, Junior; Bella Nunn, Sophomore
Pennridge: Averi Dockery, Freshman; Catelyn Thrush, Senior
Plymouth-Whitemarsh: Molly Moore, Junior; Samantha Skivo, Sophomore; Rian Reed, Freshman
Pope John Paul II: Kelsey Bryant, Senior; Ally Hourigan, Senior
Souderton Area: Kendall Clemmer, Sophomore
Upper Merion: Molly Guilliand, Freshman; JoEllen Johnson, Freshman
Upper Moreland: Natalie Walton, Junior; Devyn Kniese, Junior; Erin Schaffert, Senior; Ava Bailey, Sophomore
William Tennent: Katie LaPlaunt, Sophomore; Oliva Clee, Junior; Morgan Kocher, Freshman
Wissahickon: Danielle Ciliberto, Senior
