Photo by David Schreiber Utica Stevenson junior Jessie Plague delivers a pitch. Plague was named to the Macomb Area Conference Red Division’s All-Conference team along with teammates juniors Marissa Borkowski and Mackenzie Jones, and senior Ashley Coffin.

By Sue Teggart
C & G Sports Writers

Macomb Area Conference softball teams found themselves in the headlines quite a bit this season, in large part thanks to terrific runs by teams like Utica Stevenson and St. Clair Shores Lake Shore and Lakeview in the state tournament.

Now it’s time for the talented individuals behind the conference’s quality teams to take a bow.

MAC coaches got together late in the year to vote for the 2008 All-Conference teams and the most valuable players in each of the five divisions.
Here’s a complete list of all the local players who received postseason honors.

MAC Red
Macomb Dakota captured its first league title with a 10-2 record. Utica Stevenson was second (8-4), followed by Utica High (7-5), Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (6-6) and Romeo High (6-6), Port Huron Northern (3-9) and Utica Eisenhower (2-10).

The league’s MVP was Dakota’s Renee Zaccagni, and the Coach of the Year went to Dakota’s Rick Fontaine.

All-Conference awards went to Zaccagni, Jaclyn Crummey, Mareeca Jordan, Sierra Gay and Kelsey Hines, Dakota; Jessie Plague, Ashley Coffin, Marissa Borkowski and Mackenzie Jones, Stevenson; Lauren Histed, Kathryn Mulka and Melissa Ballard, Utica; Claire Cannon and Nicole Ricken, Chippewa Valley; Shannon McIntyre and Hannah Wendt, Romeo; and Caitlin Reynolds, Port Huron Northern.

MAC White
Fair Haven Anchor Bay captured the league title with a perfect 12-0 record. The Tars went on to make an appearance in the Division 1 state semifinals before bowing out of the tournament.

Marine City High took second with an 8-4 record, followed by St. Clair Shores Lake Shore (7-5), Utica Ford II (6-6), St. Clair High (6-6), Grosse Pointe North (3-9) and Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (0-12).

The league’s MVP was Anchor Bay’s Natalie Wellman, and the Coach of the Year was Anchor Bay’s Len Perkins.

All-Conference players are Wellman, Olivia Nicholas, Amanda Bigelow, Amanda Schneider and Samantha Scott, Anchor Bay; Aubrey Smith, Britney Rhodes, Kassie Snyder and Jessica Koehler, Marine City; Melissa Richards, Katie Cornman and Erika Lozon, Lake Shore; Lindsey Trujillo and Alison Kueppers, St. Clair; Rachel Lentz, Grosse Pointe North; Amanda Dunford, L’Anse Creuse North.

MAC Blue
Lakeview earned back-to-back Blue Division titles (making it four-straight for the Huskies, the other two came in the Gold) with an 11-1 record.  Warren Cousino took second at 8-4, followed by Grosse Pointe South (7-5), Fraser High (7-5), Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse (6-6), Port Huron High (3-9) and Warren Mott (0-12).

The league’s MVP was Lakeview’s Melissa Lovati, and the Coach of the Year was Lakeview’s Shane Smith.

All-Conference players are Lovati, Kelly Martz, Brittany Ott, Lauren Korolowicz and Kory Farmer, Lakeview; Lexi Pinelli, Alyson Pinelli, April Boggus and Meghan Kmiecik, Cousino; Aimee Abraham and Morgan Beonn, Grosse Pointe South; Katie Kloosterboer, Jacklyn Opalewski and Liz Krause, Fraser High; Kelly Tresick and Stephanie Brown, L’Anse Creuse; Kandace Thomas, Port Huron; and Catherine Rayos, Mott.

MAC Gold
Marysville High earned back-to-back Gold Division titles with a perfect 12-0 record.  Roseville High took second at 9-3, followed by Warren Woods Tower (8-4), Eastpointe East Detroit (6-6), Madison Heights Lamphere (5-7), and a Center Line High (1-11) and Warren Lincoln (1-11) tie.

The league’s MVP was Marysville’s Lindsay Stocker, and the Coach of the Year was Marysville’s Ryan Rathje.

All-Conference players are Stocker, Julianna Dobney, Lauren Davis, Nicole Hayman and Dome Schroeder, Marysville; Angela Martin, Samantha Gray, Marie Juhl and Kristina Martin, Roseville; Tiffany MacMillan, Rebecca VanDosen and Brittany Iaanucci, Tower; Caitlin Schneider and Amanda Gray, East Detroit; Kate Hemsler, Center Line; Allison Jaskulka and Meaghann Muldoon, Lamphere; and Kirsten Rude, Lincoln.

MAC Silver
St. Clair Shores South Lake and Sterling Heights High were co-champions of the Silver Division with 10-2 records. Warren Fitzgerald and Madison Heights Madison tied for second after 7-5 seasons, followed by Clinton Township Clintondale (6-6), New Haven High (2-10) and Mount Clemens High (0-12).

The league’s MVP was Madison High’s Katie Malak, and Coach of the Year honors were shared between South Lake’s Dave Ahearn and Sterling Heights High’s Christina Harlan.

All-Conference players are Sarah Beauduy, Ashley Lopiccola, Tiffany Gordon and Jenna Sumpter, Sterling Heights; Megan McEveney, Alyssa Karpinski, Leigh Slater, Jessica Nannini and Stephanie Oben, South Lake; Cierra Voorhies, Rachelle Stawinski and Kaitlin Pegouske, Fitzgerald; Malak and Alicia Sweeney, Madison; Holly Kaiser and Heather Soucie, Clintondale; and Tasha Lenont, Mount Clemens.

You can reach Sports Writer Sue Teggart at steggart@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1107.