Whether it was the remarkable story of bouncing back from an injury, or the resilience of overcoming heartache in 2022 to lead their team to the state title in 2023, or just the relentless effort to not let her team lose, all of this year’s Deseret News softball Players of the Year were the catalyst to great team success.
Not all of them led their team to state titles, but whether in the circle or in the batter’s box, they were collectively among the most dominant players in their respective classifications.
Here’s a look at the 2023 Deseret News softball Players of the Year.
6A Player of the Year
Kiaira Smith, Herriman, Sr.
Kiaira Smith didn’t turn Herriman’s program around all by herself after a major disappointment in 2022, but in reality, she kind of did.
As a program in 2002, Herriman won just five games after Smith suffered two fractures in her back in the first game of the season. This season, with the ace pitcher in the circle and posing a major threat in the batter’s box, Herriman won 23 games and advanced all the way to the 6A state championship series.
“After having to take a year off to recover from two fractures in her back, she came back stronger than ever,” said Herriman coach Heidi McKissick. “Kiaira Smith is an amazing player on and off the field and was a key contributor to the success of our team this season.”
For the season, Smith finished with a 20-4 record as her team’s ace recording 231 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA.
At the plate, she finished with a .604 batting average and 1.089 slugging percentage. She had one of the most potential bats in the state with nine doubles, 11 home runs and 54 RBIs.
Smith has signed to play at Weber State beginning this fall.
5A Player of the Year
Eva Stoddard, Bountiful, Sr.
Whether she was in the circle, or batting third in the lineup, Eva Stoddard was at the center of everything Bountiful did this season, the No. 1 reason her team advanced all the way to the 5A state championship series against mighty Spanish Fork.
She even had Bountiful on the verge of potentially forcing a Game 3 with her outstanding pitching, but the defense let her down a bit in key spots.
Regardless, it didn’t take anything away from a remarkable season and career.
She finished with a an 18-4 record and a 1.91 ERA. At the plate she batted .370 with six home runs and 32 RBIs.
“Eva has been a hard worker since she started taking pitching lessons from me at a very young age. She has always been dedicated and determined when it comes to softball,” said Bountiful coach Butch Latey. “She was always the first one to practice and the last one to leave. She is one of the most organized players I have ever coached. It’s been my privilege to have coached her.”
One of the defining moments of the season for Bountiful was its 5-3 win over Salem Hills to advance to the championship series. Bountiful trailed 3-0 when she entered the game, but she came in and shut things down, which allowed the Redhawks to rally for the win.
Stoddard will continue playing softball at the next level at the College of Southern Idaho.
4A Player of the Year
Kate Dahle, Bear River, Sr.
Kate Dahle left a pretty impressive legacy behind at Bear River High School.
Two state titles, one runner-up finish, 609 nine career strikeouts and 51 wins in the circle.
“She has been a delightful young lady to coach. She leads by example and is proof that hard work leads to desired outcomes. Her efforts have resulted in her receiving an athletic scholarship to BYU. We wish her the best in this next endeavor,” said Bear River coach Calvin Bingham.
This season the BYU signee finished with a 1.63 ERA, a 20-5 record and 217 strikeouts.
She was truly at her best in the state championship series, especially after Bear River dropped Game 1 to Ridgeline. It was the fifth straight loss against Ridgeline dating back to the previous year’s state championship, and it would’ve been natural for doubt to creep in.
Not for Dahle. She pitched Bear River to comfortable wins in Game 2 and 3 as she struck out more batters and walked fewer in both than she did in Game 1.
Perhaps most notably, Ridgeline’s lineup had been held under five runs just three times all season prior to the championship series, and Dahle held them to four runs or fewer in all three games. She struck out 20 batters in those three games.
3A Player of the Year
Chloe Bytheway, Grantsville
This season, Chloe Bytheway just had a knack for pitching better in stressful moments. There’s no better example of that than in a key state tournament win over North Sanpete with a state championship berth on the line. Bases loaded, no outs in a key moment as the Hawks were looking to mount a comeback, Bytheway struck out the next three batters to get out of the games.
“As her coach, I have watched this young lady constantly keep hitters off balance with her variety of pitches and strong determination. She always seemed to play her best at the biggest moments. When she brings her ‘A’ game there is no one better. We saw her ‘A’ game all year long, especially in the state tournament,” said Grantsville coach Tony Cloward.
She finished the season with a 19-3 record, 201 strikeouts and a 1.65 ERA, with opponents batting just .131 against her.
“Chloe Bytheway is a coach’s dream. She plays softball year round and works on her craft as a pitcher daily. Chloe loves the game of softball and has always set high goals for herself for additional motivation,” said Cloward.
2A Player of the Year
Blakelee Christiansen, Enterprise, Jr.
Blakelee Christiansen was the daily leader in the dugout all season for Enterprise, which ultimately led to a 2A state championship for the Wolves, the second in the past three years with Christiansen on the squad.
“Blakelee has a passion for the game of softball, loves playing and loves the competitiveness of the game. She has a hard work ethic, an example to the other girls, and is a natural born leader,” said Enterprise coach Katye Jones.
She finished the season with a 21-5 record and 2.50 ERA in 140 innings. At the plate she batted .300 with six doubles and 34 RBIs.
Last season she was in the circle as Duchesne beat Enterprise twice to claim the state championship. Fast forward to this season in similar circumstances, and Christiansen earned the win in both wins over Duchesne en route to the title.
“She focuses a lot on her pitching and puts in lots of hours in the off season and during the season to be the best pitcher she can be. This was Blakelee’s third time pitching in the state championship game. She knew she needed to be mentally tough, have trust in her coaches, her teammates, and her catcher, Hailey Drake,” said Jones.
“Through experience she has learned that she didn’t need to strike everyone out. She knew she had teammates on and off the field that were there to back her up.”