KALAMAZOO, MI - From strong seniors to freshman phenoms, the 2022 high school softball landscape in the Kalamazoo-area featured a diverse and talented group of athletes.

With so many skilled players taking the diamond this spring, picking out the best wasn’t an easy task.

Input from area coaches helped nail down the top pitchers, catchers, infielders, outfielders and utility players and sort them into First Team and Honorable Mention categories.

Follow along as we recognize the top local softball players from this past season with our 2022 MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette Dream Team.

Richland Gull Lake softball player Mandy Esman poses for a photo during her senior season. (Photo by Main Street Portraits, used with permission)

Player of the Year: Mandy Esman, Richland Gull Lake

The senior shortstop capped an impressive high school career by batting .602 with a staggering 2.135 on-base plus slugging metric, which was primarily a result of her belting 17 home runs in 2022, which puts her 23rd in single-season state history. Esman also collected 13 doubles and eight triples, while driving in 59 runs, scoring 51 more and drawing 18 walks against just two strikeouts.

As a pitcher, Esman posted a 6-2 record with a 4.22 earned-run average, a 1.451 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings, while allowing 30 hits, 14 walks and 28 runs. She also stole 16 bases in 17 attempts and registered a .945 fielding percentage with just seven errors on the year.

Esman will continue her education and athletic career at Michigan State University, where she’ll be pitted against older sister and former Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive Softball Player of the Year Lauren Esman, who is a utility player at the University of Michigan.

First Team pitchers

Mattawan junior pitcher Madison Vrba releases a throw during a Division 1 softball state semifinal game on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Allen Park defeated Mattawan 4-2, and will compete in the state championship on Saturday. (Jake May | MLive.com)

Maddy Vrba, Mattawan

The junior pitcher led Mattawan to its first state semifinal appearance since 2017 by pitching some of her best games on the biggest stages, including four consecutive wins from the district finals to the state quarterfinals.

Vrba finished the season with a 16-9 record, a 2.20 earned-run average, a 1.01 WHIP and 162 strikeouts in 139 innings, while allowing 119 hits, 23 walks and 46 runs against a schedule that featured games against 17 ranked teams, including eventual state champ Allen Park, Division 1 No. 1 South Lyon.

Faith Edwards, Centreville

The junior pitcher enjoyed another outstanding season for Centreville, leading the Bulldogs to a 21-8 record by going 19-5 with a 3.58 earned-run average, a 1.257 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 115 innings, while allowing 130 hits, 15 walks and 84 runs.

A Grand Valley State commit, Edwards also posted a .961 fielding percentage between her time in the circle and in center field, while batting .558 with 12 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 56 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 18 walks against just two strikeouts.

First Team catchers

Kara Swan, Mendon

Swan made a repeat appearance on the Division 4 all-state team, after batting .561 with an eye-popping 27 doubles, three triples and one homers, while driving in 38 runs and scoring 67 more. Swan drew 13 walks against just five strikeouts and stole 18 bases in 20 attempts.

Defensively, the senior was about as good as they come among small school catchers, boasting a .996 fielding percentage and throwing out 44.4 percent of base stealers.

Otsego’s Kacie Scott (7) slides safely into third base against Kalamazoo Christian in Otsego, Otsego High School on Monday, May 24, 2021. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

Kacie Scott, Otsego

Otsego needed an influx of power after graduating current University of Toledo slugger Kendra VanderLugt, and Scott answered the call in 2022 by collecting 20 extra-base hits, including 15 doubles and four home runs. The senior backstop batted .449 and drove in 43 runs, while scoring 53 more, and although her strikeout total of 20 was a little bit higher than many of her Dream Teamers, she drew 27 walks and challenged defenses on the base paths by stealing 22 bags in 25 attempts.

Defensively, the senior backstop boasted a .963 fielding percentage and threw out three of 14 base runners.

First Team infielders

Kamryn Troyer, Centreville

The senior shortstop and Oakland University signee capped her high school career with another strong season, in which she batted .560 with 13 doubles, nine triples and nine home runs, while scoring 54 runs and driving in 45 more. She didn’t draw many walks (7), but she also struck out just four times and batted .735 with runners in scoring position.

On the base paths, Troyer went 13 for 15 on steal attempts, and she posted a .915 fielding percentage.

Maddison Diekman, Vicksburg

The sophomore shortstop will be one to watch over the next two seasons after enjoying a breakout 2022 campaign, in which she batted .528 with 15 doubles, four triples and two home runs, while scoring 65 runs and driving in 40 more. While Diekman will need to improve on her 16 strikeouts, she showed a good eye by drawing 17 walks.

Defensively, she registered a .905 fielding percentage against a tough slate of opponents, and she went 15 for 18 on steal attempts.

Jordan Wesaw, Portage Northern

One of the stars of Portage Northern’s ultra-talented junior class, Wesaw excelled at second base for the Huskies, batting .409 with 10 doubles, three triples and one home run, while scoring 43 runs and driving in 34 more. Perhaps her most impressive stat was her 9:2 walk-to-strikeout ratio, and she also played sound defense, registering a .924 fielding percentage against a tough schedule.

Otsego’s Jada Bolhuis (3) attempts a bunt against Kalamazoo Christian in Otsego, Otsego High School on Monday, May 24, 2021. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

Jada Bolhuis, Otsego

One of the state’s fastest softball players, Bolhuis will be taking her athletic talents to the University of Tampa women’s track team, but her final year of high school softball was a memorable one, as she led the Bulldogs to a district title by batting .593 with two doubles, three triples and two home runs, while scoring 74 runs and driving in 14 more from the leadoff spot. The senior second baseman drew 17 walks and struck out just five times, while stealing 29 bases in 32 attempts and registering a .975 fielding percentage.

First Team outfielders

Alyssa Bloomfield, Mattawan

Combined with sophomore sister Ashlyn Bloomfield, the senior left fielder formed a potent punch atop Mattawan’s order, which helped the Wildcats advance to the state semifinals, where they lost to eventual Division 1 champ Allen Park. The Lawrence Tech signee finished the year batting .469 with 12 doubles, six triples and eight homers, while scoring 53 runs and driving in 26 more. She also drew 15 walks against 11 strikeouts and went 4 for 4 on steal attempts.

Brooklynn Ringler, Vicksburg

Another one of Vicksburg’s stellar sophomores, Ringler was dynamite in center field, logging a .965 fielding percentage with just two errors all season, while also batting .519 with 15 doubles, two triples and nine home runs. She drove in 55 runs, scored 49 more and drew five walks against nine strikeouts.

Mya Brickley, Delton Kellogg

Delton Kellogg is another team that should a force next season thanks to a strong group of returners, including Brickley, who batted .455 with 12 doubles, three triples and seven home runs, while scoring 53 and driving in 35 more.

First Team utility player

Gwen Grosvenor, Decatur

The senior spent time at shortstop, third base, first base and catcher during the 2022 season and logged a .943 fielding percentage at some of the toughest defensive positions on the diamond. Offensively, the future Glen Oaks Viking batted .491 with 18 doubles, two triples and eight homers, while driving in 60 runs and scoring 51 more. Though her strikeout total was relatively high at 17, Grosvenor also drew 19 walks and was successful in 5 of 6 steal attempts.

- Schoolcraft’s Olivia Pavlak throws a pitch during a softball game against Three Rivers on Tuesday, June 1 at Three Rivers High School. Patrick Nothaft | MLive.com

Honorable Mention pitchers

Lauren Schabes, Jr., Mendon

Olivia Pavlak, Sr., Schoolcraft

Anna Griffioen, Jr., Portage Northern

Addison Bobbio, Jr., Portage Northern

Layni Heuring, Soph., Marcellus

Cecilia Conforti, Soph., Decatur

Jessica Dreier, Sr., Parchment

Abby Lucas, Sr., Otsego

Ava Forman, Soph., Three Rivers

Ellie Kling, Fr., Kalamazoo Hackett

Kalamazoo Christian's Maegen Meldrum (12) warms up before the game between Kalamazoo Christian and Ottawa Lake Whiteford for the MHSAA softball division 4 quarterfinals at Kalamazoo College Softball Field in Kalamazoo, Michigan on June 14, 2022. Whiteford won 13-0 in the fifth inning. (Gabi Broekema | MLive.com)

Honorable Mention catchers

Emily Baxter, Sr., Gobles

Clare Flory, Soph., Marcellus

Allie Trantham, Jr., Delton Kellogg

Kat Dreier, Fr., Parchment

Jordyn Grant, Jr., Paw Paw

Lydia Hinga, Soph., Portage Northern

Maegen Meldrum, Sr., Kalamazoo Christian

Mattawan sophomore shortstop Ashlyn Bloomfield throws a runner out at first base during a Division 1 softball state semifinal game on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Allen Park defeated Mattawan 4-2, and will compete in the state championship on Saturday. (Jake May | MLive.com)

Honorable Mention infielders

Payton Griffith, Sr., Mendon

Izzy Smith, Sr., Mendon

Ashlyn Bloomfield, Soph., Mattawan

Eliana Ruhrup, Jr., Mattawan

Kadyn Hoyt, Jr., South Haven

Ella Richter, Soph., Lawton

Aubrey Aukerman, Sr., Delton Kellogg

Abby Fichtner, Jr., Delton Kellogg

Allison Brandli, Soph., Delton Kellogg

Aubrey Herder, Jr., Kalamazoo Christian

Holland DeVries, Kalamazoo Christian

Reagan Broekhuizen, Sr., Kalamazoo Christian

Breanna Franks, Jr., Decatur

Emma Holmes, Sr., Marcellus

Sophie Ridge, Sr., Schoolcraft

Zoey Quinn, Jr., Portage Northern

Ava Coffinger, Soph., Richland Gull Lake

Madison Seibert, Fr., Plainwell

Sabrina Spence, Sr., Centreville

Ava Bachman, Soph., Hartford

Rylee Ackerman, Jr., Hartford

Audrey Schau, Sr., Kalamazoo Hackett

Kenslee Streit, Sr., Bloomingdale

Brooklyn Schiedel, Soph., Marcellus Howardsville Christian

Honorable Mention outfielders

Paige Thomas, Jr., Delton Kellogg

Rylee Deckard, Jr., Hartford

Lilly Price, Soph., Hartford

Jamie Tackett, Sr., Marcellus

Ali Janke, Sr., Otsego

McKenzie Lisowski, Sr., Gobles

- South Haven’s Taylor Holland digs into the batter’s box during a softball game against Three Rivers on Tuesday, June 1 at Three Rivers High School. Patrick Nothaft | MLive.com