Flyers take top honors in Firelands

After one of the more impressive softball seasons in recent memory, St. Paul junior catcher Ella Kalizewski was selected as the Firelands Conference Player of the Year for the 2026 season. Kalizewski helped the Flyers to 15 wins this spring. She batted .623 with 14 doubles, two triples and nine home runs and drove in 54 runs. Her season was punctuated when she finished 5 for 5 with three home runs — including two grand slams — and an Ohio-record 14 runs batted in in a single game on April 24 at Plymouth. The 14 RBI in a game is also a top-15 performance in U.S. high school softball history, according to the NFHS and MaxPreps record books. Kalizewski was joined on the Firelands first team by sophomore shortstop Ryleigh Mansfield-Bush. The leadoff hitter for St. Paul batted .412 with two doubles, two triples, one home run and 17 RBI. She also scored a team-high 35 runs. Monroeville (17-7) also had a pair of first-team selections. That included senior third baseman Madi Reiber, who batted .460 with 10 doubles, six triples, four home runs and 25 RBI. Reiber was joined on the first team by junior pitcher Payton Weilnau. She was 13-6 with a 2.06 earned run average this season. Weilnau struck out 220 batters with 35 walks in 105 2/3 innings for Monroeville, which reached a district title game for a third straight year this season. Second-team picks included St. Paul senior pitcher Bella Guerra (8-8, 4.99 ERA, 67 Ks) and Monroeville junior Taylor Scheid (.351, three doubles, four triples, two home runs, 26 RBIs). Area honorable mention selections were Payton Preston (St. Paul) and Alayna Tyler (Monroeville). Crestview junior Allison Volz was the FC Pitcher of the Year. She was 9-7 with a 1.95 ERA with 115 strikeouts and 22 walks in 89 2/3 innings for the Cougars. Mapleton's Mike Leibolt was the FC Coach of the Year. The Mounties won the FC outright for the first time since 2006 and finished with a No. 8 ranking in the final Division VI state coaches poll. Flyers' Snyder tops FC baseball list After helping lead the St. Paul baseball team to 21 wins, senior Izaac Snyder was named Firelands Conference Player of the Year. Snyder, who pitched and played second base for the Flyers, was joined on the first team by teammate Alex Marsh, a sophomore pitcher. St. Paul senior shortstop Landon Fries, senior catcher Gabe Snyder and freshman third baseman Casey Fries were also first-team selections. St. Paul coach Aaron Fries was selected as FC Coach of the Year after winning the league championship and finishing the season with a No. 3 ranking in the state baseball poll. Second-team picks included St. Paul junior Nate Griffin (pitcher), Monroeville junior Owen Patchen (outfield) and Eagles sophomores Ethan Smiley (infield/outfield) and Jake Fries (3B, pitcher). Area honorable mention selections were St. Paul freshman outfielder River Couch and Monroeville sophomore shortstop Reid Wasserman. South Central senior Wes June was named Pitcher of the Year. ALL-FIRELANDS SOFTBALL FIRST TEAM Allison Volz, Crestview, Jr.; Payton Weilnau, Monroeville, Jr.; Ella Kalizewski, St. Paul, Jr.; Audrey Hellickson, Mapleton, Sr.; Madi Reiber, Monroeville, Sr.; Addison Hess, Mapleton, So.; Gracie Thomas, New London, Sr.; Carlee Crider, Crestview, Jr.; Mallory Ringler, Crestview, Jr.; Zaida Myers, South Central, Jr.; Bella Hillman, Crestview, Jr.; Ryleigh Mansfield-Bush, St. Paul, So. Player of the Year: Ella Kalizewski, St. Paul Pitcher of the Year: Allison Volz, Crestview Coach of the Year: Mike Leibolt, Mapleton SECOND TEAM Kelsi Clark, Mapleton, Sr.; Bella Guerra, St. Paul, Sr.; Mattie Bates, Mapleton, Sr.; Aubree Hess, Mapleton, Fr.; Payten Frye, Mapleton, So.; Olivia Yetter, New London, Sr.; Taylor Scheid, Monroeville, Jr.; Pailee Wilson, New London, Sr.; Makayla Case, Western Reserve, Jr.; Lilli Jarrett, Western Reserve, Sr.; Bria White, Crestview, So.; Sydnee Middaugh, South Central, So. HONORABLE MENTION Viola Culler, South Central, So.; Payton Preston, St. Paul, So.; Addison Yetter, New London, So.; Maylee Wetzel, Western Reserve, Sr.; Alayna Tyler, Monroeville, So.; Anna Call, Crestview, Jr.; Jaiden Simonson, Mapleton, Sr.; Makayla Cunningham, Plymouth, Jr. ALL-FIRELANDS BASEBALL FIRST TEAM Weston June, South Central, Sr.; Alex Marsh, St. Paul, So.; Izaac Snyder, St. Paul, Sr.; Jarrett Burrer, Plymouth, Sr.; Landon Fries, St. Paul, Sr.; Lincoln Distl, Plymouth, Jr.; Gabe Snyder, St. Paul, Sr.; Kayn Patton, Crestview, Jr.; Blake Welch, Western Reserve, Sr.; Carson Keener, Crestview, Jr.; Casey Fries, St. Paul, Fr.; Gabe Wrobleski, Mapleton, Sr. Player of the Year: Izaac Snyder, St. Paul Pitcher of the Year: Weston June, South Central Coach of the Year: Aaron Fries, St. Paul SECOND TEAM Drew Spoerr, Cresteview, Sr.; Nate Griffin, St. Paul, Jr.; Troy Ayers, South Central, Sr.; Ethan Smiley, Monroeville, So.; Gavin Trzil, Western Reserve, Fr.; Jake Fries, Monroeville, So.; Keegan Beverly, Plymouth, Jr.; Owen Patchen, Monroeville, Jr.; Kaden Blair, South Central, Sr.; Oliver Harrison, New London, Sr.; Lex Grose, Plymouth, Sr.; Brody Sword, New London, Sr. HONORABLE MENTION Brayden Parrigan, Crestview, Jr.; Caleb Pausch, Western Reserve, Sr.; River Couch, St. Paul, Fr.; Reid Wasserman, Monroeville, So.; Lucas Distl, Plymouth, So.; Henry Thomas, New London, Fr.; Bently Workman, Mapleton, So.; Greyson Fisher, South Central, Jr.