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SportsDayHS 2024 all-area softball awards: Offensive player, pitcher of the year and more

See who are this year’s best offensive player, pitcher, newcomer and coach.

Below are the superlative award winners for our 2024 softball season...

More: Melissa’s Caigan Crabtree is The Dallas Morning News 2024 softball Player of the Year

Offensive player of the year

John H. Guyer High School  softball player Kaylynn Jones poses for a portrait, on Wednesday,...
John H. Guyer High School softball player Kaylynn Jones poses for a portrait, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at John H. Guyer High School in Denton. Jones is one of the top recruits in the nation and has signed with Oregon. (Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer)
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Kaylynn Jones, Denton Guyer, Sr.

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The Oregon signee hit .446 with 66 hits, 54 runs, 37 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 42 games for a team that was ranked No. 10 in the nation before a 13-inning loss in the 6A state semifinals to eventual state champion Weslaco. Jones went 4 for 7 with an RBI in that game against the nation’s eighth-ranked team. The senior second baseman hit .469 with two home runs, seven extra-base hits, 11 runs, 14 RBIs and six stolen bases in 12 playoff games as Guyer finished 37-5 and made its third state tournament appearance. Jones was the District 5-6A defensive player of the year.

Pitcher of the year

Denton Guyer pitcher Finley Montgomery (20) delivers a pitch to a Keller batter during the...
Denton Guyer pitcher Finley Montgomery (20) delivers a pitch to a Keller batter during the top of the 2nd inning of play. The two teams played their Game 1 of a best-of-3 Class 6A Region l final series softball game at Coppell Softball/Baseball Complex in Coppell on May 22, 2024. (Steve Hamm/SpecialContributor)(Steve Hamm)
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Finley Montgomery, Denton Guyer, So.

After going 21-1 as a freshman for Guyer’s 2023 state runner-up team, Montgomery was an all-state selection and the District 5-6A pitcher of the year as a sophomore and led Guyer to the Class 6A state semifinals. She was 27-3 with a 1.37 ERA and 215 strikeouts in 194 2/3 innings. She hit .297 with five home runs, second-most on the team. In two playoff elimination games that Guyer had to win to keep its season alive, Montgomery pitched a four-hit complete game in a 4-1 win over Southlake Carroll in Game 3 of the regional semifinals, then threw a two-hit shutout against Keller in Game 3 of the regional final to get Guyer to the state tournament. She pitched a 13-inning complete game in a 5-3 state semifinal loss to eventual state champion Weslaco, striking out 12 against a team that finished No. 8 in the nation.

Newcomer of the year

Melissa catcher Hutton "Lulu" Adrian (25) watches a long line drive sent foul while batting...
Melissa catcher Hutton "Lulu" Adrian (25) watches a long line drive sent foul while batting in the top of the 5th inning of their 5-0 win over Frisco Wakeland. The two teams played their Game 2 in the best-of-3 series Class 5A Region ll softball semifinal game at Frisco Emerson High School in McKinney on May 16, 2024. (Steve Hamm/SpecialContributor)(Steve Hamm)
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Hutton “LuLu” Adrian, Melissa, Fr.

The freshman catcher hit 22 home runs — the most in a season in Dallas-area history. She hit .496 with 39 extra-base hits and 64 RBIs (tied for the team lead) in 41 games as Melissa won the Class 5A state title. Adrian was the District 13-5A co-MVP and had a three-homer game against Princeton and had two-homer games against Princeton and Ennis. She hit .407 with five home runs and 13 RBIs as Melissa went 10-0 in the playoffs. Last year, she was rated the 81st-best player in the nation in the Class of 2027.

Coach of the year

Melissa head coach Cassie Crabtree, center shares her enthusiasm with her players at the end...
Melissa head coach Cassie Crabtree, center shares her enthusiasm with her players at the end of the bottom of the 2nd inning of play against Lake Belton. two teams played their Class 5A semifinal softball game at red and Charline McCombs Field in Austin on May 31, 2024. (Steve Hamm/SpecialContributor)(Steve Hamm)

Cassie Crabtree, Melissa

In her third year as the head coach at Melissa, Crabtree led the school to its first state tournament appearance and to the Class 5A state title. Melissa went 10-0 in the playoffs and finished 38-2-1 and ranked No. 13 in the nation by MaxPreps. Crabtree has also been a head coach at Van, Forney and Lampasas at the high school level and in college at UT-Dallas. She also spent time as an assistant coach at UT-Tyler. Crabtree was a three-sport athlete at Forney, playing softball, volleyball and basketball, and she was a pitcher and utility player at Southern Arkansas. Crabtree likes going to the lake in her free time.

2024 Softball awards

The Dallas Morning News 2024 softball Player of the Year: Melissa’s Caigan Crabtree

Offensive, Pitcher, Newcomer and Coach of the Year

All-area first, second, and third teams

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