Zoeller named to NOW All-Suburban softball team
Shortstop led Homestead, slugged nine homers
Homestead shortstop Michelle Zoeller was recently named to the NOW Newspapers All-Suburban softball team.
Zoeller, a power-hitting shortstop (nine home runs), was the only representative from the North Shore area on the All-Suburban team. Zoeller, a junior, led the Highlanders to a 20-5 record and a berth in the WIAA sectional finals, where they lost to Greater Metro Conference champion Menomonee Falls. The loss ended a run of three straight WIAA State Tournament berths for the Highlanders.
Whitefish Bay, Nicolet, Brown Deer and Shorewood did not have any selections to the team. Homestead has had five chosen to the team all-time including 2007 Player of the Year Lindsey Cashman and 2006 Coach of the Year Dave Keel. Shorewood has had one player chosen, while Bay, Nicolet and Brown Deer are still looking for their first selections.
Other selections to the 2009 team include senior pitchers Lauren Beres and Kayla Schlegel, senior outfielder Liz Wiese and junior catcher Megan Duerlinger of New Berlin Eisenhower; Beth Nitz (pitcher) and Morgan McCoy (outfield) of Menomonee Falls; Shannon Butts (utility), Stacey Butts (infield) and Sara Fisher (outfield) of Greenfield; Lexi Sotiros (infield) of Brookfield East; Amy Johnson (infield) and Jannelle Schroder (utility) of Germantown; and Alisa Damitz of Cudahy (infield).
Shannon Butts was named the player of the year. Greenfield's Jack Miller is the coach of the year.
For the first time ever, fans had a say in which players made the team through online voting. Fan voting accounted for 25 percent of the selection process; staff voting made up the rest.
The leading online vote-getters at each position: utility - Shannon Butts (94 votes); outfield - Fisher (69); infield - Stacey Butts (89); pitcher - Cudahy's Sam Homa (86); catcher - Duerlinger (108); coach of the year - Miller (89); and player of the year - Sotiros (74). Homa did not receive enough staff support for inclusion, but was named high honorable mention.
For more NOW All-Suburban coverage, including profiles on this year's selections, visit MyCommunityNOW.com.
