Western Athletic Conference runner-up Great Bend features rightfielder DeShawnna Bryant, shortstop Paige Thexton and second baseman Kya Behr on the All-WAC first team.

Behr .505 (49-97, 40 R, 44 RBI); Bryant .488 (42-86; 27 R, 39 RBI); and Thexton .375 (33-88, 42 R, 20 RBI) sparked the Panthers’ offense. 

The Panthers (22-7, 10-2 WAC) qualified for the 5A state softball tournament by beating Newton 4-3 and Goddard 5-3. Behr hit home runs in both regional games.

Earning second-team All-WAC honors were centerfielder Camyn Post (.424, 36-85; 34 R, 16 RBI);  pitcher Chayla Prendergast (11-2, 4.91 ERA), pitcher Braelyn Turner (Turner 8-5, 3.88 ERA) and catcher Kamryn Koelsch (.384, 28-73; 8 R, 18 RBI.

Hays (15-12, 11-1 WAC) won the WAC title beating the Panthers in two of three games. Hays ended the season with five consecutive losses. Pitcher Aubree Thomas (. 478; 7-6, 2.51 ERA) earned Player of he Year honors. Hays High’s Abby Gillan was named WAC Coach of the Year.

WAC FIRST TEAM

HAYS—P Aubree Thomas, 12; P Riley Dreher, 11; SS Dezarae Schmidt, 12

GREAT BEND—RF DeShawnna Bryant, 11; SS Paige Thexton, 12; 2B Kya Behr, 9;

GARDEN CITY—SS Piper Harris, 11; P Kyleigh Whitehurst, 11

DODGE CITY—C Tatum Steiner, 11

PLAYER OF YEAR—Aubree Thomas, Hays

COACH OF YEAR—Abby Gillan, Hays

WAC SECOND TEAM

HAYS—IB Lakyn Zimmerman, 12; 2B Dani Willeford, 11

GREAT BEND—CF Camyn Post, 9; P Chayla Prendergast, 9; P Braelyn Turner, 10; C Kamryn Koelsch, 10

GARDEN CITY—CF Yasmin Angales, 9

DODGE CITY—SS Emma Bell, 10

LIBERAL—SS Taylor Harding, 11

WAC SOFTBALL

Hays 11-1 15-12

Great Bend 10-2 22-7

Garden City 6-6 9-16

Dodge City 2-10 6-21

Liberal 1-11 6-19

GREAT BEND (10-2, 22-7)—WW Pratt 5-3, 5-1; WW Hutchinson 17-5, 14-4; W McPherson 8-6; L Manhattan 1-4; WWW Liberal 16-2, 15-4, 15-0; WW Dodge City 15-3, 8-0; W Dodge City 4-1; L Goddard Eisenhower 4-9, L Maize South 5-10; W Derby 9-8, W Wichita NW 13-3; L Hays 1-3; WL Hays 13-3, 8-11; WWW Garden City 4-1;  16-1, 12-0; W Salina South 6-5; L McPherson 0-6; WW Hays TMP; W Newton 4-3; W Goddard 5-3; L Spring Hill 5-14