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‘Huge step forward’: Central Mountain’s Camdyn Weaver earns Express softball Player of the Year award

By HENRY HUBER 22 min read

MILL HALL – While Central Mountain softball maintained a few key pieces from last year's squad, half of the starting cast that helped lead the Wildcats to states had graduated amidst the run.

Five departing seniors put their chances of continued success into question, especially on the offensive end. With four of its top six batters gone and an unproven bunch of first-time starters filling their voids, it wasn't clear how it would match the previous year's production, which saw Central Mountain average nine runs per game and win 16 in a row.

Enter the continued development of Camdyn Weaver. Already proven as a pitcher, the junior took two inconsistent batting seasons and blew them out of the water in 2026, finishing among the area's top batters while thriving in her first year as ace.

Though Central Mountain's District 6 title streak ended in heartbreaking fashion, the program was able to post its 14th ten-win season in a row behind the leadership of Weaver. Her efforts played a large role in keeping the Wildcats competitive despite their new look and earned her this year's award for Express softball Player of the Year.

"Even when things aren't going her way, she is a leader," said Central Mountain manager Taylor Thompson following the team's closing effort against Mifflin County in May. "She brings those girls up, and she doesn't quit, and I think that her energy really goes out to everybody."

Apart from Weaver, Central Mountain senior Aubrey Eiler, Bucktail seniors Kendall Wagner and Eva Sockman and Bellefonte sophomore Abby Herr were all considered for this year's Player of the Year award.

Prior to 2026, it's safe to say Weaver wasn't known for her batting. She was an excellent reliever as a freshman while showing inconsistent promise as a slugger, and that continued throughout her sophomore campaign.

There, she closed her last 13 at-bats without a hit, finishing with a batting average of .171 and OPS of .655. This isn't brought up to roast seasons past; it's meant to paint a picture of how large of a step forward she took as a junior. In one year, she went from last among Central Mountain starters to second in the area in most hitting categories.

Facing arguably the toughest competition the area faced in 2026, Weaver closed as one of two local batters with a slugging percentage above 1.200 (1.204) and OPS above 1.700 (1.780), one of three to log over 40 RBIs (41) and one of four to finish above a .500 batting wise (.537). That batting-average uptick (.366) would've been a more-than-serviceable average in its own right.

Weaver led the area with six homers and five triples, adding eight doubles to accumulate 19 extra-base hits and proving previous promise as a slugger to be foreshadowing. And on 69 plate appearances, she got on base over 57 percent of the time.

Going through her stat sheet, it's harder to find a rough game than a noteworthy one.

In a rematch of last year's PIAA sub-regional against DuBois, Weaver went 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and five RBIs. She finished with five or more RBIs in a game four times, most notably logging seven in another two-homer outing against Selinsgrove, and multiple extra-base hits in five, hitting three (two doubles, one triple) in a 10-2 win over Shore.

Of her 17 starts, all but three saw her secure at least one hit, with nine featuring multiple and six featuring three. Five of those multi-hit games came in May, as she finished with a multi-hit streak of seven and logged 14 hits within a span of 17 days (five games).

It's an offensive season that would've warranted Player of the Year award consideration in its own right. And it's complemented by Weaver enduring another elevated role at the mound.

Though blemishes occasionally came up, Weaver posted one of the strongest pitching seasons in the area. She went 7-3 from the mound with an ERA of 3.12 – third best in the area - and was first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.7) with 94 strikeouts to 20 walks.

Against 417 batters, she allowed a batting average of .253 and on-base percentage of .296. 13 of her 17 mound appearances featured three earned runs or less, and seven featured seven or more strikeouts, including the double figures against Danville (twice) and Mifflin County.

While Central Mountain parts ways with another considerable class, most notably losing fellow all-stars Aubrey Eiler, Cirstyn Watson and Elise McKean, having Weaver back for another campaign should give its fans a lot to be excited about moving forward. Not only has she displayed dominance on both sides of the field, she's also elevated the teammates surrounding her, factors she could certainly build on in 2027.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Kelsie Wagner, Bucktail

Much like her first-year stints in girls tennis and basketball, Bucktail's Kelsie Wagner showed varsity inexperience wasn't a detriment in the third sport of her calendar year. Even on a team built around its most experienced senior class in years - perhaps ever, Wagner was a standout amongst standouts, making an impact in every regard and earning this year's award for Express softball Freshman of the Year.

In this case, no other freshman was considered for the award, as Wagner stood a level above the rest. However, other first-year standouts worth mentioning include Bellefonte catcher Ella Herr, Bald Eagle pitcher Karlee Fisher and Jersey Shore's Aubree Reichard, Amelia Thomas and Sophia Wrench.

Whether it was from the plate, in the infield or at the mound, Kelsie Wagner showed potential and then some in every spot she played. It can be argued that Bucktail's historic state win wouldn't have been secured without her, as she scored the go-ahead run that helped the Bucks defeat Greenwood, 3-2, off a leadoff double.

As a hitter, Wagner finished third on the team in practically every major category, posting a batting average of .492 (32-65), slugging percentage of .892, on-base percentage of .553 and OPS of 1.451. She also finished third on the team in doubles (11) and RBIs (21), adding three triples and homers and reaching home 27 times in 22 games.

Of those 22 games, 17 saw her log a hit - nine featuring multiple and five featuring three.

Three of her three-hit games against Smethport, CMVT and Northwest featured a homer, with the former two seeing her add a double and post a combined seven RBIs. And alongside her big play in states, Wagner also made an impact in districts, going a combined 4-of-7 with four runs and an RBI against Sullivan and Montgomery.

Aside from hitting, Wagner also showed strength as a base runner, stealing 15 bases on the season. That included stealing third on the way to the go-ahead run she scored against Greenwood.

There were ups and downs from the mound, but Wagner showed solid consistency there as well, finishing with a 4.06 ERA through 51 2/3 innings pitched. She closed out the campaign with 76 strikeouts to 48 walks and 40 hits, good for 1.471 strikeouts per inning, a 1.583 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a moldable WHIP of 1.703.

Though incomplete, six of her mound appearances featured zero hits, as she held Smethport and Sugar Valley without a hit for four innings and CMVT and Muncy without one for three. She struck out six and allowed two runs in an eight-inning win over South Williamsport. And in an 8-6 win over Lewisburg, she punched out a career-high 12 in 5 2/3 innings.

Whenever she wasn't on the mound, she was playing a similarly difficult position at shortstop and doing it well. Between her time there and at pitcher, she fell just short of a .900 fielding percentage (.870) on 46 chances with 16 putouts, 24 assists and three double plays to six errors.

With Bucktail losing its most impactful class in quite some time, Wagner's 2027 return and two years after it should offer assurance to its fans, alongside the return of other impactful underclassmen in Carrie Ditty and Rebekah Conway - both all-stars. It's hard to gauge the Bucks' future, but they have a sturdy foundation to build around.

FIRST-TEAM ALL-STARS

Abby Herr, Bellefonte

While Camdyn Weaver's dominance on both sides of the field stole the show for this year's Express Player of the Year award, it's safe to say Abby Herr had the strongest campaign when it came to area pitching. One year removed from posting the Express area's second highest ERA as a freshman, she upped the ante in a heightened role as a sophomore.

Through 77 1/3 innings pitched, the Bellefonte sophomore led the area in ERA (1.99) and WHIP (.931), playing a big role in her team's return to the PIAA Class 4A playoffs despite multiple key departures. She also led all area pitchers in strikeouts (140) and strikeouts per inning (1.81) and finished second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.67).

It wasn't a result of easy competition either.

Facing a strong State College offense in mid-April, Herr held the Little Lions to one run while striking out a career-high 19 batters. She then went on to record the same number in Bellefonte's district title win over Juniata.

Of her 16 appearances, Herr surpassed ten strikeouts in six games - eight in nine. She had 17 against Bishop Guilfoyle and 12 against Bedford, the latter which saw her help the Red Raiders hold the 20-win juggernaut to two runs.

In a season where Bellefonte's offense took a step back following the departures of esteemed hitters Taylor Brown and Jaylee Lose, Herr put together an MVP caliber campaign to help the Red Raiders finish above .500. She was also serviceable as a hitter, finishing with a batting average of .245 with three doubles and a homer.

P - Adrienne Masullo, Bellefonte

Alongside Herr, Bellefonte's Adrienne Masullo took a strong freshman season and built on it in all regards as a sophomore. While it's certainly debatable, the Red Raider pairing has a good case for fore fronting the strongest pitching season of any area team, which is made especially crazy by the fact they have two more years to grow.

Like Central Mountain in 2025, Bellefonte operated with a dual-starter approach through 2026, a back-and-forth method that proved considerably effective as Bellefonte gave up less than four runs per game. Through 57 innings pitched, Masullo posted the second-best ERA (3.07) and WHIP (1.218) in the area behind Herr, striking out 72 while allowing just 25 earned runs, 26 walks and 47 hits.

Notable pitching performances for the sophomore came against Tyrone, Clearfield, Central (twice) and Carrick, where Masullo surrendered a combined two earned runs and 14 hits through 30 innings pitched. She posted a four-strikeout one hitter in a complete game against Clearfield, struck out 18 combined in two matchups against Central and struck out a season-high 12 when it counted most, in a PIAA sub-regional against Carrick.

On top of her success as a pitcher, Masullo also led Bellefonte in multiple regards as a hitter, finishing first on the team in batting average (.357) and runs (18) and second in slugging percentage (.500) and OPS (.887). She logged four doubles, two triples, a homer while stealing three bases and started the season recording a hit in seven straight games.

Given Bellefonte maintains two strong pitchers and its three leading batters moving forward - including second-team all-star Ella Herr and perennial all-star Sloan Moore, there's certainly reason for optimism heading into 2027.

C - Eva Sockman, Bucktail

In terms of a collective group putting their best foot forward, the closing effort of Bucktail's 2026 class is an excellent example. Senior catcher Eva Sockman was at the forefront of that success, finishing among the top batters in the area and top candidates for this year's Express Player of the Year award.

When looking at Sockman's batting numbers on the season, a number of stat lines jump off the page. She led the entire area in RBIs with 44 and doubles with 17, finished second in batting average (.541) as one of two area batters with 40 or more hits and ranked third in on-base percentage (.551) and fourth in slugging percentage (.811) and OPS (1.362).

On top of her 17 doubles, she also had five triples and a homer to round out her slugging. All but three of her 21 appearances featured at least one hit, with 12 featuring multiple, seven featuring three and three featuring four. In two matchups against rival Sugar Valley, she went a combined 8-for-8 with six doubles, one triple, one homer and 11 RBIs.

In postseason (four games), Sockman went 6-for-13 with three RBIs and four runs. She did all she could in a closing effort against Tri-Valley that saw her go 3-for-3 with two doubles. And in her first season at catcher, she finished without an error, posting 163 putouts, 16 assists and two double plays.

Sockman closed out a storied career with 137 hits, 147 RBIs and 59 extra-base hits, never dipping below a .500 batting average or 1.300 OPS in all four seasons as a starter.

IF - Kendall Wagner, Bucktail

When discussing top-ranked hitting statistics in previous excerpts, one reality sticks out. Of the three main hitting percentages - batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, none of the previous athletes have manned the top slot, even the more absurd stat lines such as Weaver's and Sockman's.

That title goes to Bucktail first baseman Kendall Wagner. The four-sport athlete saved her best for last her senior season, setting insane new standards for Bucktail hitting with some of the top stat lines ever produced by a Buck.

In 2026, Wagner led the entire area in batting average (.625), slugging percentage (1.219) and on-base percentage (.596), good for an area-leading OPS of 1.815. Her absurd slugging percentage was a product of an area-leading 24 extra-base hits - 15 doubles, four triples and five homers. And she also led local athletes in runs (37) and finished second in RBIs (43).

Throughout the regular season, the senior only bat below a .667 in a game twice, generating a staggering 17 multi-hit games and five featuring three hits. She was just as consistent as a fielder at first as well, posting a fielding percentage of .981 on 103 chances with 93 putouts, eight assists and three double plays.

Wagner was instrumental in the Bucks picking up two tight wins over Moshannon Valley and rival Montgomery to start, going a combined 6-for-8 with two homers, a double, seven RBIs and four runs. From the team's fourth game to its district final matchup against Montgomery, she logged a hit in 17 games in a row, at one point posting multiple hits in 12 straight games.

Of all the athletes that were considered for Player of the Year alongside Weaver, Wagner had the best argument of dethroning her, finishing as this year's runner-up for the award. That's especially impressive given she was named Girls Wrestler of the Year for the second straight season in April, as she put together considerable careers in multiple sports, including basketball and tennis.

IF - Aubrey Eiler, Central Mountain

To open the season back in March, Central Mountain second baseman Aubrey Eiler fell one triple short of a cycle against a well-versed Williamsport pitcher and field. That set the tone for what was to come, as the senior built on an all-star caliber campaign in her first season as a starter in the runback.

Alongside Weaver, Eiler was one of two Wildcats and four area athletes to finish above a .500 batting average, batting a .507 on 67 at-bats and consistently providing her team with a spark as its leadoff hitter. With consistent batters alongside her and effective base running, she also finished second in the area in runs (36) and first in runs per game (2.12).

Her seven doubles, four triples and two homers helped her post a slugging percentage of .821. She got on base on over half her plate appearances, logging an on-base percentage of .541, and finished sixth in the area in OPS with a 1.362 as a result. And she also finished with 14 RBIs.

Following a hitless performance in CM's rematch against Williamsport, Eiler would never finish a game without a hit again, closing the season on a 12-game hit streak that featured eight multi-hit outings. Seven of those multi-hit games came in a row to close out the season, and she scored 18 runs within that span.

Against rival Jersey Shore, she went a perfect 5-for-5 with a double, RBI and three runs. And in Central Mountain's narrow district championship loss to Mifflin County, she did what she could to help the Wildcats rally, going 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs.

Apart from hitting, she also improved considerably as a fielder, posting a .936 fielding percentage on 47 chances with 43 putouts and an assist. Her balanced impact in all regards will be greatly missed as Central Mountain parts ways with the senior heading into 2027, as Eiler closed out her career as a two-time Express first-team all-star.

IF - Dani Miller, Jersey Shore

In the realm of Jersey Shore softball, Dani Miller produced one of the strongest careers in quite some time. Her senior season was no exception to that claim, as she closed things out on a high note as one of the area's most dominant hitters.

Miller finished with a batting average above a .400 (.461) for a fourth straight season, leading the Bulldogs in the category for a third campaign in a row with 35 hits. Behind five homers, four triples and five doubles, she finished fifth in the area in slugging percentage (.829). She got on base on over half her plate appearances, closed with an OPS of 1.335 – the seventh highest in the area - and contributed 23 RBIs.

In terms of season openers, Miller couldn't have set the tone better, going 4-for-5 from the plate with three homers, six RBIs and four runs. She logged four hits in another game against Danville - batting home two runs and scoring four times in the process - and she logged three hits and four runs in Jersey Shore's rout over Midd-West in the District 4 Class 4A semifinals.

While her last two seasons with the Bulldogs ended in heartbreaking fashion, she wrapped up her career as a four-year starter with three district championship appearances and two titles. The Maryland Eastern Shore commit finished with 136 hits in her career and will be sorely missed as Jersey Shore looks for ways to combat her absence.

IF - Raelee Repasky, Bald Eagle

After breaking out in 2025, Bald Eagle third baseman Raelee Repasky took the strengths she displayed as a sophomore and built on them in every way. In the wake of a difficult transition for the Eagles, she played a big role in leading them back to the District 6 Class AAA semifinals, finishing among the top sluggers in the area.

Coming off a season where she generated a dozen extra-base hits, Repasky maintained her success accumulating doubles and triples while building on her proficiency in launching balls over the wall. Her seven homers led the entire area, as she finished with a slugging percentage of .884, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it came to her improvements.

Repasky upped her number of RBIs and runs by ten or more from her sophomore to junior seasons, finishing with 31 and 18 respectively. From the plate, she closed with a positive strikeout-to-walk ratio, left seven less runs on base and got on base on half her plate appearances, finishing with the third best OPS in the area with a 1.371.

After going hitless in the team's opener against Huntingdon, the junior would go ten games without going hitless again. She'd cap things off with a batting average of .420, logging a hit in 17 of 22 games and multiple in ten. And against Bellefonte and Bishop McCort, she went a combined 7-for-8 with five RBIs and four runs.

As a fielder, Repasky posted a solid fielding percentage of .879 at third on 66 chances with 48 putouts, ten assists and three double plays. Bald Eagle once again parts ways with a strong cast of seniors heading into 2027, but its fans can rest assured knowing they have a proven leader within their infield.

OF - Mya Lehman, Jersey Shore

While operating on the lower end of Jersey Shore's batting order, senior Mya Lehman finished among its top batters, serving as a deeper spark plug that helped the Bulldogs prosper across the board offensively. She was a big reason Shore scored over eight runs per game and logged eight outings with ten or more runs.

As a batter, Lehman finished with her team's third highest batting average at a .391, with almost half of her 25 hits being of the extra-base variety. She logged six doubles, two triples and three homers and posted a .688 slugging percentage as a result. And with an on-base percentage of .444, she finished third on her team in OPS (1.132).

Of her 23 starts, 18 saw the senior log at least one hit - five featuring multiple. She went 3-for-3 with multiple extra-base hits twice, launching three homers for 8 RBIs against South Williamsport and a single and two doubles against Milton. And in postseason, she went a combined 3-for-7 with a double, triple and four RBIs.

On the season, she finished with a team-leading 24 RBIs while scoring 12 times herself. She'll be sorely missed alongside fellow first teamer Dani Miller and second teamer Lynna Clark, as she heads to Navy for her next venture.

OF - Casey Angellotti, Bald Eagle

Following the departure of Bald Eagle's esteemed outfield from last year's squad, Casey Angellotti wouldn’t just take over its toughest position at centerfield but also be tasked to lead the new-look group. Despite the challenge, the senior handled both tasks swimmingly, proving impactful despite her status as a first-year starter.

As a hitter, Angellotti had ups and downs but still finished above a .300 batting average (.306) while making an impact as a slugger.

Eight of her 19 hits were of the extra-base variety, as she finished second on Bald Eagle in home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.565). And she finished third on her team in RBIs (17) while getting home 21 times and getting on base on over 40 percent of her plate appearances.

All four of the games that saw her hit a homer ended in a Bald Eagle win, three of which featured multiple hits and four RBIs from the seniors. She finished five games with multiple hits - including a 3-for-3 outing against Penn Cambria - and she logged four RBIs thrice and multiple runs five times.

At centerfield, Angellotti rarely made mistakes, finishing the season with just two errors on 40 chances and even posting a double play in a 9-0 win over Jersey Shore. After patiently waiting for her turn to start, she proved more than capable when given the chance, earning a spot on this year's all-star team.

OF – Rebekah Conway, Bucktail

Overshadowed by the stacked infield Bucktail placed on the field this season was the tremendous improvements of center fielder Rebekah Conway. From her freshman to sophomore season, Conway developed considerably as both a batter and base runner, leaving her mark on a team brimming with experience as a result.

As a batter, Conway went from batting just above a .250 in her first season to nearing .400 in the next, turning 52 of her at-bats into 19 hits and finishing with a batting average of .365. With that uptick in hits, she was also able to build on every major hitting category from the season, hitting five doubles to finish with a .462 slugging percentage and increasing her number of RBIs (18) and runs (16).

Whenever she wasn't hitting, often times, she was fighting for walks. She made it on base an additional 16 times without getting a ball in play and got on base on nearly half her plate appearances. And once she got on base, she forced pitchers to pay extra attention to her, as she stole a team-leading 21 bases throughout the season.

Of her 22 starts, five saw her log multiple hits, including two three-hit outings against Muncy and CMVT that saw her accumulate a combined two doubles, four RBIs, and four runs. There's still work to be done as a fielder, as Conway finished with four errors this season, but there's plenty of time to do so as she prepares for the second half of her career.

UTIL – Harlee Witherite, Bald Eagle

Though she served more as a pitcher this season, Bald Eagle junior Harlee Witherite was just as impactful in her secondary role at designated hitter. Alongside fellow first teamer Casey Angellotti, she was a big reason the Eagles made district semis despite featuring six first-year starters, making the most of a greatly expanded role.

As a batter, Witherite finished second on the team in batting average with a .389 - one of five Eagles to log 20 or more hits and seven to close above a .300. Eight of her 21 hits were doubles, which landed her at third in the category and fifth in both slugging percentage (.537) and OPS (.954). She also bat home ten runners on the season.

Through 21 appearances, she logged a hit in 15, including five games featuring multiple.

Her biggest offensive performance came in a slugfest against Richland, where the junior went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and run, helping Bald Eagle pull off the 14-11 win. She also finished with multiple hits in wins over Jersey Shore, Central, Bishop Guilfoyle and Huntingdon - the latter being a 3-0 victory in districts.

Pitching wise, Witherite saw ups and downs as she led BEA in innings pitched (81 1/3). But even with a few tough performances, she finished with a solid ERA (4.99), a win-loss record (6-5) and strikeout total (43).

Of her 17 mound appearances, just four saw her surrender more than three earned runs. One week removed from her worst performance against Huntingdon, she bounced back in the rematch on the grand stage in District 6 Class AAA quarters, pitching a five-hit shutout through a complete seven innings to advance to Eagles to district semis.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-STARS

P - Lexi Frey, Jersey Shore

P - Carrie Ditty, Bucktail

C - Ella Herr, Bellefonte

IF - Lynna Clark, Jersey Shore

IF - Kelsie Wagner, Bucktail

IF - Cirstyn Watson, Central Mountain

IF - Addisyn Burns, Bald Eagle

IF - Lola English, Bucktail

OF – Amelia Thomas, Jersey Shore

OF – Riley Santostefano, Bellefonte

UTIL – Elise McKean, Central Mountain

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