Rams, Pirates lead All-County softball honorees

May 28—Robeson County's high school softball season saw a little bit of everything.

One team lost just three games and one was winless. Two teams hosted playoff games — one to the third round — and one was the first team out of the field.

All, though, had strong individual performances worthy of recognition among the county's best.

Here is The Robesonian's All-County team and awards for the 2022 season:

Player of the Year

Purnell Swett's Summer Bullard was dominant both in the circle and at the plate as the Rams won the regular-season and tournament championships in the United-8 Conference, the Robeson County Slugfest title and reached the third round of the state playoffs.

Bullard, an All-County selection for the third time, was 16-2 with a 1.11 ERA, striking out 225 batters in 120 innings pitched, and hit .493 with 20 RBIs, 26 runs, 14 extra-base hits and two home runs.

For more on Bullard's award-winning season, see the related story here.

Pitcher of the Year

After a roller-coaster season that saw success in the circle, but also the challenge of injury, Lumberton's Halona Sampson was named Robeson County Pitcher of the Year.

Sampson was 7-4 with a 2.27 ERA, striking out 63 batters in 74 innings pitched. But the numbers only tell half the story; the sophomore was sidelined for nearly a month, from mid-March to mid-April, with elbow soreness.

"It started off good and getting to play and everything, then I got hurt; that was rough, being out and everything, not getting to play," Sampson said. "I got to come back, so I was really happy about that, getting to play again and trying to finish the season, and then we made the playoffs, so that was really good."

Sampson allowed one earned run or less in nine of her 14 pitching appearances, highlighted by a two-hit shutout of South View in the United-8 Tournament quarterfinals on March 2.

"We were a lot better team this season when she was in the circle, and she's a big difference-maker for us," Lumberton coach Mackie Register said. "She's a hard-worker, and she had a tough year with the injuries; I would have liked to have seen what we could have done without her injury, but that's just part of the game unfortunately. But her being a sophomore leaves us two more years to look forward to."

Sampson, who hit .220 with eight RBIs this season, previously earned All-County honors in 2021.

Coach of the Year

In leading Purnell Swett to its second straight conference championship and third-round appearance, William Deese earned Robeson County Coach of the Year honors. It is the second straight season he has earned the award.

"I'm not big on awards and things like that for me, but it's really indicative of how our team was this year," Deese said. "It's an honor to get that accolade, because it lets me know that my team did well, my girls played hard, and if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be in that situation."

Deese earned his 100th career win in softball — he also previously coached baseball — in the Robeson County Slugfest championship, as Purnell Swett beat Lumberton for the title.

Part of the challenge for this season, Deese said, was managing expectations.

"When you've got players like that, it's a challenge but it's also an easy way to manage." Deese said. "It has its ups and downs. These girls were hungry; they didn't like the way their season ended last year, that 1-0 game, against the same team (as this year), obviously, but they were more focused about what they wanted to do and they brought it every day."

The Rams (23-3) set a school wins record, and the conference tournament championship was the program's first since 2012.

"He's tough on us, he pushes us to our limits, he knows what to expect, he's been in this game for a long time, and he's had a bunch of success this season and none of this would have been possible without him," Bullard said. "He's just a great coach, he knows the game."

All-County Team

Chloe Locklear, Sr., C, Purnell Swett — .541 average, 30 runs, 23 RBIs, 13 doubles, two home runs

*Nyla Mitchell, Jr., SS, Purnell Swett — .456 average, 23 runs, seven RBIs, nine extra-base hits

*^Chan Locklear, Sr., 3B/P, Purnell Swett — .373 average, 27 runs, 22 RBIs, 11 extra-base hits, four home runs; 3-1, 2.13 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 23 innings pitched

*^Angelica Locklear, Sr., 1B, Purnell Swett — .459 average, 23 runs, 21 RBIs, six doubles

Josey Locklear, Sr., OF, Purnell Swett — .406 average, 20 runs, 12 RBIs, five extra-base hits

Alona Hanna, So., IF, Lumberton — .355, 22 runs, 22 RBIs, 19 extra-base hits, 14 doubles

Tiara Stueck, So., C, Lumberton — .357 average, 27 RBIs, seven extra-base hits

*Aniya Merritt, So., OF, Lumberton — .407 average, 18 runs, 22 stolen bases

*Nyiah Walker, So., OF, Lumberton — .333 average, 15 runs, 10 RBIs, six extra-base hits

*Santana Anderson, Sr., P/UT, Fairmont — .585 average, 37 runs, 39 RBIs, six home runs, 21 extra-base hits; 6-4, 2.35 ERA, 68 innings pitched, 112 strikeouts

Lakayla Chavis, Jr., IF/P, Fairmont — .391 average, 27 runs, 16 RBIs, six extra-base hits

Alexis Hinson, Sr., OF, Fairmont — .309 average, 26 runs, 13 RBIs

*Lindsey Floyd, Jr., 1B, Fairmont — .440 average, 13 runs, 26 RBIs, eight extra-base hits

Hailey Ray, Fr., OF, St. Pauls — .327 average, 20 runs, seven RBIs, six extra-base hits

Madison Williams, Sr., UT, St. Pauls — .300 average, eight runs, seven RBIs

Amari McLean, Sr., UT, Red Springs — 10 stolen bases, four extra-base hits

* — denotes 2021 All-County selection

^ — denotes 2019 All-County selection

Honorable Mention

Purnell Swett's Bella Finelli, Georgia Locklear and Constance Seals, Lumberton's Alyssa Stone and St. Pauls' Madison Locklear earned honorable-mention selections.

The All-County Team is selected by The Robesonian sports staff with input from coaches.