HEPPNER — In a conference stacked with talent, the only easy selections for the Blue Mountain Conference coaches were Heppner’s Sarah Estes as player of the year and Weston-McEwen’s Bre Ward as pitcher of the year.

“Our league is the toughest in the state,” Heppner coach Petra Payne said. “We have a lot of talented girls representing Eastern Oregon. When league play starts, you know you have to be at your best and anybody can be anybody on any given day. Playing in this league helps prepare us for the postseason, and I think that shows when so many of our teams are not only in the playoffs but in the finals year in and year out.”

The state coaches were of the same mindset as the BMC coaches, selecting Estes as the 2A/1A state player of the year, and Ward as the pitcher of the year.

Heppner, which won the 2A/1A state title, had four players selected to the first team, while conference champion Weston-McEwen had three, and Union/Cove and Pilot Rock each had four.

Other TigerScots joining Ward on the BMC first team were infielder Hope Berry (first team all-state) and catcher Lily Langford (second team all-state).

Ward, the 2A/1A state pitcher of the year for the second year in a row, led the TigerScots to the conference title with a 9-1 record. She pitched 140 innings with a 16-6 record and a 2.70 ERA. She gave up 108 hits, struck out 243 (96 were looking at strike three), walked 122 and stranded 170 runners.

She helped her own cause at the plate, hitting .615 in 65 at bats. She had 40 hits, including 18 singles, 13 doubles, nine home runs and 39 RBIs. Defensively, she had three errors in 31 chances (.903%).

“Bre was our warrior in the circle the past two years,” W-M coach Jeff Griggs said. “You might say she more or less threw with her back to the wall, dealing all but one varsity inning this season. This girl is truly remarkable. In addition to her excellent pitching, she field a very high percentage and swung a mean bat leading the team in intentional walks and home runs.

“I will never forget her throwing extra innings against an opponent while telling her team they will get it done offensively, just leave the defense to her,” Griggs continued. “We won with a walk-off home run. Bre will be sorely missed as a player and captain.”

Berry, the TigerScots’ shortstop, was the cleanup hitter. In 79 at-bats, she hit .481 with 38 hits, including 25 singles, nine doubles, one triple and three home runs. She also had 25 RBIs, scored 27 runs and stole 16 bases. In the field, she had 11 errors in 58 chances (.810%).

“This season, we asked Hope to shift over to shortstop and she did an amazing job there,” Griggs said. “She was also able to provide invaluable support and expertise to her replacement at third. In addition to wielding a steady glove at shortstop, she was a lock in the cleanup spot on offense. More than anything, we will miss her smile and positive approach to softball next year.”

Langford, in her second full season behind the plate, had just two errors in 261 chances (.992%). She was lethal at the plate, hitting .592 with a .648 on-base percentage. In 76 at-bats, she had 45 hits, including 17 singles, 15 doubles, six triples and seven home runs. She drove in 39 runs, scored 44 runs and had 21 stolen bases. Most impressive was that she struck out just two times.

“We asked a lot of Lily and she was able to deliver,” Griggs said. “She may not have the imposing catcher stature, but she plays like a giant, guarding home plate, blocking dirt balls, calling pitches at times and gunning runners. She led us in hitting average, runs driven in and runs scored. The team appropriately nominated her for the slugger award. Next season, there will be some big shoes to fill behind the plate.”

The Rockets saw outfielders Hailey Severe and Kessa Litfin, infielder Hailey Thieme and utility player Paige Hansen named to the BMC first team. Hansen also earned third-team all-state honors, while Severe was named to the honorable mention team.

Thieme, the Rockets’ shortstop, hit .514 in 72 at-bats. She finished the season with 37 hits, including 21 singles, 12 doubles, one triple and three of Pilot Rock’s nine home runs. She drove in 37 runs, scored 24 times and had 14 stolen bases.

Hansen, who caught and played second base, hit .507 with 37 hits. She had 25 singles, eight doubles, three triples and one home run. She had 17 RBIs, scored 27 runs and had 23 stolen bases. She struck out just eight times in 73 at-bats.

A sophomore, Severe played right field and was the Rockets’ leadoff hitter. At the plate, she hit .389 with 28 hits, including 23 singles, two doubles, two triples and one home run. She drove in 12 runs, scored 23 times and had 23 stolen bases. She struck out just nine times in 72 at-bats.

Litfin, the center fielder, hit .322 with 19 hits. She had 15 singles, four doubles and nine RBIs in 59 at-bats. She also scored 25 runs and had a team-high 35 stolen bases.

Blue Mountain Conference

Player of the year — Sarah Estes, sr., Heppner

Pitcher of the year — Bre Ward, sr., Weston-McEwen

First team

Outfield — Kimber Ricker, sr., Union; Rillie Mitchell, jr., Grant Union; Hailey Severe, so., Pilot Rock; Kessa Litfin, jr., Pilot Rock. Infield — Karli Satterfield, fr., Union; Hope Berry, sr., Weston-McEwen; Gracee Hueckman, jr., Grant Union; Hailey Thieme, sr., Pilot Rock; Delaney Stefani, sr., Heppner. First base — Sarah Estes, sr., Heppner. Pitcher — Bre Ward, sr., Weston-McEwen; Maya Payne, jr., Heppner; Jenna Johnson, fr., Union. Catcher — Isa Payne, so., Heppner; Lily Langford, sr., Weston-McEwen. Utility — Hayden Gregory, jr., Union; Paige Hansen, jr., Pilot Rock.

Second team

Outfield — Evelyn Hodgson, fr., Weston-McEwen; Avree Lathrop, jr., Heppner; Brynlie Kopple, jr., Grant Union; Gracee Hemphill, jr., Pilot Rock. Infield — Cici Stefani, so., Heppner; Kashley Golden, sr., Pilot Rock; Rylee Workman, so., Grant Union; Shianne Claassen, so., Irrigon; Reagan Pickard, so., Weston-McEwen. First base — Olivia Sargent, fr., Weston-McEwen. Pitcher — Jada Deist, jr., Pilot Rock; Grace Kenyon, sr., Grant Union; Coley Gibbs, sr., Pilot Rock. Catcher — Autumn Severe, fr., Pilot Rock; Bristol Bailey, jr., Grant Union. Utility — Abigail Baird, fr., Union; Taylor Palmateer, sr., Grant Union; Avi Allen, jr., Union.

Honorable mention

Paeton Magdaleno, fr., Irrigon; Avaree Pantoja, fr., Irrigon; Hailie Burns, jr., Weston-McEwen; Kara Hansen, so., Grant Union; Nevaeh Moore, sr., Pilot Rock; Brooklynn Locey, so., Irrigon; Kathleen Baldwin, fr., Union; Olivia Ogden, jr., Heppner.