Jun 24, 2017 4 min read

She is the key to one of the most powerful offensive ignitions, the anchor to a suffocating defense and the heartbeat to a Class A team that is the best in the state.

McKenna Lampe, the sophomore centerfielder for West Greene’s softball team, enjoyed a spectacular season helping the Pioneers to a historic season: back-to-back section and WPIAL championships and a state final victory over Williams Valley in a come-from-behind victory never seen before at that level.

For those accomplishments, McKenna Lampe is the Player of the Year on the Observer-Reporter All-District Softball Team.

McKenna joins three other Pioneers – her twin sister Madison, a third baseman, shortstop Madison Renner, and second baseman Kaitlyn Rizor – on the first team. Pitcher Jade Renner made second team.

Other first-team members are pitcher Bailey Parshall of Belle Vernon; pitcher Dana Vatakis of Monessen; infielder Sara Jubas of South Fayette; infielder Kaci Alderson of Chartiers-Houston; and outfielder Kylah Kubizcki of Canon-McMillan.

Joining Jade Renner on the second team are infielder Savannah Adams of Bentworth; infielder Ellie Serna of McGuffey; infielder Tara Staley of Waynesburg; outfielder Kayla Hopkins of Canon-McMillan; catcher Megan Walker of Carmichaels; outfielder Kayla Alderson of Chartiers-Houston; infielder Macie Kesneck of Chartiers-Houston; and infielder Natalie McNett of Carmichaels.

Lampe actually improved on her batting average of last year, going from .618 to .643 this season. Her defense in center field dramatically improved and she made arguably the most important defensive play of the season in a state quarterfinal game against Claysville-Kimmel in Somerset.

“Her speed sets her apart from other softball players,” said West Greene head coach Bill Simms. “She does a lot of things so well. Not only is she a fast runner, she is an instinctive runner. God has blessed those girls. But they work hard. Their work ethic is phenomenal. And that makes for such a great role model when other girls see them working just as hard as someone not that talented.

“Having her in center field allows us to position our left fielder and right fielder in more aggressive positions because of her range.”

Her softball acumen was amazing. Lampe is one of the few players in any classification who bunted for a double, setting down a perfect ball between third base and the pitching circle, then taking second base when she noticed it was not being covered.

“She probably has done that six or seven times over the last two years,” Simms said. “She is daring. We teach being aggressive and she takes off with that.”

She improved in nearly every offensive category, cracking seven home runs and driving in 33 runs, which would lead most teams in the WPIAL. Lampe’s 64 runs and 48 stolen bases led the state (all classifications), according to MaxPreps. She is ranked the fifth best player in the state and 252nd best in the country.

“She has what we would say is the total package,” Simms said.

All those factors come together to create an outstanding player and an attitude that nothing is impossible, even overcoming a 7-0 deficit after two innings in the state final game against Williams Valley.

“It’s still pretty amazing. I still can’t believe it,” Lampe said. “There was some pressure (after making it back to the state finals) but we didn’t take it that way. We didn’t worry about it. We never lost confidence (down 7-0). We just got back in the dugout and regrouped.”

With the immense talent on this team, it might be easy to become selfish in the field and at the plate. But that never happened, Lampe said.

“We’ve played together for a lot of years and that helps,” she said. “It says a lot about us that we know how each other plays and we can count on each other, have confidence in each other. I think that is important.”