Tedford, Kyle, Smith and Fenn also earn recognition

Expecting anyone different?

After all, Lilly Bethune capped a stellar prep career with a remarkable senior season that resulted in the West Limestone senior garnering recognition after recognition.

Class 4A Hitter of the Year? Yep.

Class 4A first-team All-State? No doubt.

Super All-State? Certainly.

All-County Overall MVP? You betcha.

That’s what a .541 batting average, .576 on-base percentage, 1.878 OPS, 31 home runs and 91 RBIs can do for a trophy case.

Make room for one more.

Bethune headlines The News Courier’s All-Area softball team as the Overall Player of the Year.

Athens’ Caitlyn Tedford (Hitter of the Year) and West Limestone’s JuliAnn Kyle (Pitcher of the Year) took home the other top accolades, while Athens’ Chuck Smith and West Limestone’s Molly Fenn each earned Coach of the Year honors.

See capsules for each honoree below as well as the complete All-Area softball team, including honorable mentions.

Editor’s Note: The All-Area softball team was picked after reviewing the 2025 season and speaking with local coaches. However, with a limited number of spots, it’s possible some deserving players were left out.

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PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Name: Lilly Bethune

School: West Limestone

Class: Senior

Highlights: Compiled a .541 average with a .576 on-base percentage, 1.302 slugging percentage, 1.878 OPS, 91 RBIs, 86 hits, 82 runs, 31 home runs, 16 doubles, 16 walks and six triples | Class 4A Hitter of the Year | Class 4A first-team All-State (outfielder) | Super All-State | All-County Overall MVP 

Coach Speak: “Players like Lilly don’t come around often. She’s naturally gifted, but it’s the way she carries herself that sets her apart. She always showed up early, stayed late and wanted to be coached. That kind of hunger combined with her talent is rare. At the plate, Lilly was almost unstoppable. She had power, patience and an incredible feel for the moment. Whether we needed a big hit or someone to get on base and make something happen, she delivered. The main word that comes to mind is clutch. She led by example, encouraged younger players and always brought energy without needing the spotlight. She made the team better just by being who she is.” — Molly Fenn

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HITTER OF THE YEAR

Name: Caitlyn Tedford

School: Athens

Class: Junior

Highlights: Compiled a .518 average with a .595 on-base percentage, .806 slugging percentage, 1.401 OPS, 76 runs, 72 hits, 67 stolen bases in 70 attempts, 33 RBIs, 25 walks, 12 doubles, six home runs and five triples | Class 5A first-team All-State (outfielder)

Coach Speak: “Caitlyn is the catalyst, spark and table-setter for this team. We knew if she led off an inning and got on, we would score 90 percent of the time. She is a player that coaches love to have on the team. Caitlyn puts in quality extra work and effort all throughout the year. She has a routine and sticks to it.” — Chuck Smith

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PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Name: JuliAnn Kyle

School: West Limestone

Class: Senior

Highlights: Compiled a 1.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 240 strikeouts in 132 innings. Held opposing hitters to a .142 batting average against en route to earning 21 wins | Class 4A first-team All-State (pitcher)

Coach Speak: “JuliAnn was the complete package. Not only was she an incredible hitter for our offense, but in the circle, she had the best year yet. Her pitches had great movement and she could change speeds effectively to keep hitters off balance. But what really set her apart was her mindset. Whether it was bases loaded or a tight game in the final inning, she stayed composed and trusted in her preparation. She had a quiet intensity, the kind that gave the whole team confidence. You could see it in her eyes — she wanted the ball in big moments and didn’t shy away from pressure. That mentality, combined with her talent, made her one of the toughest pitchers in this region.” — Molly Fenn

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COACHES OF THE YEAR

Name: Chuck Smith

School: Athens

Highlights: Led the Golden Eagles to a 36-20 record and Class 6A, Area 15 title. Athens also advanced to the state tournament and came just one win shy of reaching the championship series.

 

Name: Molly Fenn

School: West Limestone

Highlights: Led the Wildcats to a 44-7 record, county title and Class 4A, Area 15 title. West Limestone also advanced to the East Regional and came just one win shy of reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2003.

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First Team

Alaina Grace King, Ardmore

Aynslee Malone, Ardmore

Payton Pennington, Ardmore

Amaya Green, Athens

Jaicey Harty, Athens

Paisley Howell, Athens

Lily Lowery, Athens

Addyson Butler, Athens Bible

Hadley Robison, Athens Bible

Carly Nave, Clements

Grace Bielat, East Limestone

MJ Woodfin, Elkmont

Leigha Carder, Lindsay Lane

Lydia Carter, Lindsay Lane

Briley Miller, Lindsay Lane

Aubrey Bethune, West Limestone

Katie Lyn Kyle, West Limestone

Lilee Legg, West Limestone

Haley Waggoner, West Limestone

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Honorable Mention

Ardmore: Makena Hall, Addison Mikel

Athens: Abby Lopez

Athens Bible: Destiny Burns

Clements: Zailey Moran

East Limestone: Mahaley Lassie, Kailey Matthews

Elkmont: Nyla Parker, Savannah Williams

Lindsay Lane: Lily Jackson, Madi Tucker

Tanner: Paige Castrejon

West Limestone: Ella Yarbrough