Sean C. Morgan
Sweet Home High School junior Ally Tow was named the Sky-Em League Player of the Year in softball.
“I was actually kind of surprised that I got it,” Tow said.
“It’s a true testament to Ally as an athlete,” Hartsook said. “She’s incredibly competitive. She always wants to be the best player for her team on the field. She is an amazing scholar and a good citizen. It’s nice to have someone like that represent the community.”
This was Hartsook’s first year coaching Tow, but she has watched her from afar as a community member.
“It’s enjoyable to watch her compete in anything she does,” Hartsook said. “I’m excited for her future as an athlete and as a student.”
She also received second-team all-state honors as an outfielder.
“She’s respected in our league and in our state for ability to play softball,” Hartsook said.
Tow hit a .410 average on 83 at bats. She collected five doubles, four triples and seven home runs, batting in 36 base runners and scoring 39 times with a fielding percentage of .974.
Tow started playing on a traveling softball team at age 10, she said. She and a couple of other teammates played on that team together. “I don’t think we won a game.”
The next couple of years, they started picking up a win or two, Tow said.
“I really like team sports,” Tow said. “I like all the girls that play. My coaches obviously have a really big impact on me.”
Volleyball is her top priority, she said. She plans to play in college, but if she goes to a small college where it might work, she’ll play both volleyball and sotball.
The Huskies had a rough year losing two key players, including junior pitcher Brianna Hoffman, who moved and pitched for the Florence Falcons in Montana, which went on to win a state championship this year.
Ashtyn Walker and Sarita Zanona had to step up this year and pitch, Tow said, and freshmen had to step up in other key places.
“I think we did pretty good,” Tow said. Her team was third in league, losing to Mazama in the play-in round of state playoffs.
Next year, “I think we’ll still be pretty good,” Tow said. Losing Zanona, a senior, will be tough, and senior Madi Barringer has had a huge role.
The team will pick up some good JV players, and “Ashtyn will do a good job pitchign next year if she continues pitching this summer.”