Coastal Preps Spring 2025 Midseason Award Nominees

We’ve reached the midway point of the season in baseball, softball and girls soccer and numerous area players and coaches are off to a fantastic start. It’s now up to you to decide the best of the best in several categories.

Voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 and results will be posted the following day.

***Stats are updated through April 14***

VOTE HERE

BASEBALL

Offensive Player of the Year

Senior catcher Tanner Berry, Ashley: Hits in the middle of one of the state’s most dangerous lineups. Through 18 games, Berry has a batting average of .396 with two doubles, three triples, one home run, 10 stolen bases, 18 RBI and 14 runs. 

Junior shortstop Gibson Todd, Topsail: The Pirates’ leadoff batter is hitting .452 with an on-base percentage of .558. He’s also got an area-best 23 stolen bases, three doubles, one triple, one home run, 10 RBI and 23 runs scored. 

Sophomore centerfielder Carston Wedemeyer, Laney: Not many pitchers have figured out a way to get Wedemeyer out. He’s hitting .472 with six stolen bases, six RBI and 21 runs scored. If you add in his seven walks and nine hit by pitches, it gives him an on-base percentage of .594. 

Pitcher of the Year

Junior Dominic Civelli, New Hanover: The righty is 4-1 with a 1.13 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 31 innings. 

Senior TJ Ziermann, Laney: In addition to being one of the best hitters in the Mideastern Conference, Ziermann is 4-0 with a 1.21 ERA and 59 strikeouts with only 10 walks in 34 2/3 innings.

Senior Jackson Lee, Ashley: Currently has a record of 6-1 with a 1.56 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 36 innings. 

Newcomer of the Year

Sophomore center fielder Brandon Bush, Hoggard: Is hitting .418 with nine doubles, one home run, 10 RBI and 19 runs scored. The talented youngster also has 13 stolen bases.

Freshman right fielder Wyatt Clewis, South Brunswick: Clewis has shined in his first high school season by hitting .350 with one double, two triples, seven RBI and 13 runs scored. He also has six stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .536.

Junior pitcher Tyler Kelly, North Brunswick: Had an incredible outing against Ashley on April 1 by throwing 6 2/3 scoreless innings. For the season, he has a 1.35 ERA in a 20 2/3 innings. 

Coach of the Year

Justin Bradley, Laney: The Buccaneers are one of the hottest teams in the state, having won nine consecutive games. Laney is 13-4 overall and 9-1 in the Mideastern Conference thanks to its ability to hit (.328 average) and pitch (2.35 ERA). 

Ben Stroehl, Ashley: Expectations were high for the Screaming Eagles, who returned nearly their entire starting lineup from last spring’s team that advanced to the NCHSAA 4A State Championship Series. Ashley has met those expectations by going 16-2 overall and 8-2 in the Mideastern Conference with a run differential of 70 (116-46). 

Justin White, South Columbus: The first-year coach has the Stallions alone in first place by two games in the Waccamaw Conference with an overall record of 13-2 and a perfect 10-0 mark against league foes. The Stallions have outscored their opponents 125-42.

SOFTBALL

Offensive Player of the Year

Senior shortstop Layla Carr, Laney: The speedy leadoff batter is hitting .460 with five doubles, three triples, one home run, 19 RBI and 25 runs scored. She leads the Mideastern Conference with 13 stolen bases.

Senior pitcher Macey Ciamillo, Hoggard: Ciamillo is one of the most feared hitters in the Mideastern Conference as is evident by her numbers – .421 with four doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. She’s also worked 11 walks with only four strikeouts. 

Junior first baseman Makenzi Clemmons, East Columbus: Several Gators could have gotten the nod here, but Clemmons is the choice. She’s got a batting average of .489 with eight doubles, one home run, 17 RBI and 13 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Year

Sophomore Gracie Coyle, East Columbus: Has helped the Gators already clinch the Waccamaw Conference title by going 11-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 69 innings. Coyle has thrown one no-hitter and two one-hitters.

Senior Kina Davis, South Brunswick: The reigning N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year is 10-2 with a 0.64 ERA and 173 strikeouts with only seven walks in 77 innings. She has thrown a pair of no-hitters, including a perfect game with 20 strikeouts vs. Laney on March 14, and five one-hitters.

Junior Makenly Horrell, Laney: In her first season as the full-time starting pitcher, Horrell is 9-1 with a 1.08 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings. She has thrown three complete games, including a perfect game against Ashley on April 10.

Newcomer of the Year

Sophomore third baseman Avia Dlouhy, North Brunswick: Dlouhy has played at a high level in her first season at the varsity level by hitting .419 with three doubles, one triple, nine RBI and 14 runs. She has also stolen seven bases.

Freshman third baseman Aleigh Godwin, East Columbus: The younger sister of former N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year, Karleigh Godwin (now at Oklahoma State), is quickly making a name for herself. Though 16 games, she is hitting .472 with 12 doubles, one triple, one home run, six stolen bases, 14 RBI and 28 runs scored.

Junior third baseman Brooklyn Somers, West Brunswick: In her first season with the Trojans, Somers is hitting .450 with seven doubles, one home run, eight RBI and 10 runs scored. 

Coach of the Year

Corey Harrison, North Brunswick: The Scorpions are 9-5 overall and 4-3 in the Mideastern Conference, which has them on pace to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2017. North Brunswick snapped long losing streaks against Hoggard (13 games) and Topsail (14 games) that dated back to 2017.

Jason Nance, East Columbus: Despite having no seniors and only three juniors, the Gators have already clinched the Waccamaw Conference title. They are 14-2 overall and 9-0 in league play, where they’ve outscored their opponents 94-20.

Bradley Rhodes, Laney: The defending Mideastern Conference champions are tied for first place again with an overall record of 12-2 and an 8-1 mark in league play. Laney is hitting an impressive .353 with 43 extra-base hits.

GIRLS SOCCER

Offensive Player of the Year

Senior forward Ellis Kelly, Hoggard: The reigning Coastal Preps Offensive Player of the Year is off to another great start with an area-best 68 points on 26 goals and 16 assists. She has finished with at least one goal and one assist in nine of 13 matches.

Senior forward Savannah Manset, Ashley: Leads the Screaming Eagles with 24 goals to go along with 10 assists. Earlier this season, Manset broke the program record for career goals.

Senior forward/midfielder Jakie Medina Leal, East Bladen: Has been instrumental in helping the Eagles win 11 of their first 13 matches by scoring 20 goals and adding 15 assists. 

Defensive Player of the Year

Senior defender Reese George, Hoggard: The anchor of the Vikings’ defense, which has allowed only 10 goals in 14 matches. George has also contributed offensively with one goal and five assists. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Naomi Shanewise, Cape Fear Academy: Has a goals against average of 0.45 (6 goals allowed in 1,065 minutes) and 38 saves through 14 matches. She has earned 10 clean sheets. 

Senior goalkeeper Morgan Tucker, Ashley: Has conceded only 2 goals against in 560 minutes over 12 matches for a goals against average of 0.29, which is the best in the area among starting keepers. 

Newcomer of the Year

Freshman forward Riley McNulty, Ashley: Has made an immediate impact with the two-time defending NCHSAA 4A East champions. The youngster has scored five goals and handed out a team-best 11 assists.

Freshman forward Morgan Murray, Coastal Christian: Through 14 matches, Murray has a team-best 34 points on 13 goals and eight assists. She has finished with at least two goals on five occasions.

Coach of the Year

Charles Barkman, Wilmington Christian Academy: In his first season, the former WCA standout has helped his alma mater surpass its nine wins from 2024.  WCA has a 10-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in league play. 

Meade McFarlane, Cape Fear Academy: McFarlane once again has the Hurricanes in contention for a NCISAA 3A state title after they finished as the runner-up a season ago. CFA is 12-1-1 overall and 9-0 in Coastal Plain Independent Conference action with a goal differential of 42 (48-6).

Jay Raynor, East Bladen: The Eagles sit at 11-1-1 overall and 9-1 in Waccamaw Conference with eight of those victories coming by shutout. East Bladen has outscored its opponents 67-12.

VOTE HERE