Southwest Wake Athletic all-conference softball team, 2016
League champion Fuquay-Varina dominated the Southwest Wake Athletic Conference softball all-conference awards as senior Ashlyn Long won player of the year and coach Deb Clarke earned coach of the year.
Fuquay-Varina (19-4, 14-2) won 10 straight games to close the regular season. Fuquay also placed Cathan Soto on the first team and Taylor Smith and Cassidy Keith on the second team.
Every team in the SWAC had at least one player go all-conference.
Apex (17-4, 12-3*) had Shelby Poliachik and Julia Cerasi on the first team and Kaitlyn Long on the second team.
Holly Springs (13-8, 11-5) put Alyssa Green and Ashton Jones on the first team.
Panther Creek (15-7, 10-6) led all teams with three representatives on the first team in Rachel Johnson, Sarah Aukamp and Cassidy Somers.
Middle Creek (13-9, 9-6*) placed Gianna Gravius on the first team and Devin Wallace on the second team.
Apex Friendship (5-11, 5-11) had Alyssa Yarem on the second team in its inaugural year.
Also on the second team were Katelyn Ellard of Green Hope (10-10, 8-8) and Erica Hayes of Cary (1-19, 1-15).
The sole representative for Athens Drive (1-18, 1-15) was Melanie Darges on the second team.
*Note: Apex and Middle Creek did not play twice.
SWAC all-conference softball team
Player of the Year: Ashlyn Long, Fuquay-Varina
Coach of the Year: Deb Clarke, Fuquay-Varina
First team
Ashlyn Long, senior, Fuquay-Varina
Shelby Poliachik, junior, Apex
Cassidy Somers, junior, Panther Creek
Julia Cerasi, senior, Apex
Rachel Johnson, junior, Panther Creek
Gianna Gravius, sophomore, Middle Creek
Alyssa Green, senior, Holly Springs
Sarah Aukamp, junior, Panther Creek
Ahston Jones, senior, Holly Springs
Cathan Soto, sophomore, Fuquay-Varina
Second team
Devin Wallace, senior, Middle Creek
Melanie Darges, junior, Athens Drive
Kaitlyn Long, senior, Apex
Lily Morris, senior, Middle Creek
Alyssa Yarem, sophomore, Apex Friendship
Katelyn Ellard, junior, Green Hope
Taylor Smith, sophomore, Fuquay-Varina
Erica Hayes, senior, Cary
Cassidy Keith, senior, Fuquay-Varina
Lindsay Mitchell, senior, Holly Springs
This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Southwest Wake Athletic all-conference softball team, 2016."