Lakeside softball players receive All-Region and County All-Star honors

By Tom Doolittle

Lakeside High School sophomores outfielder Marie Collop (pictured left) and pitcher Aubrey Blackstock (pictured below), along with junior shortstop and utility player Susanne Boden (pictured right) were named to the All Region 6 AAAA First Team in softball. In the order of their mention, batting averages were .462, .512 and .533, respectively. Boden  led the team in most statistics.

The Boden name might be familiar to some, as triplets Allison, Lauren and Stephanie were publicized nationally for their 2010 academic honors as Lakeside's co-valedictorians and salutatorian—as well as record setting athletic exploits. All three are now softball players at Pomona College in California. Scott Boden, the players’ father volunteers as the Lakeside team’s assistant coach.

Meanwhile, on November 1, Lakeside seniors Mallory Mayhew, Ashley Raymond and Madison Mayhew (captain) played in this year’s DeKalb All-Star Softball Classic. The event, in its sixth year, showcases the top fifteen (15) seniors from the north and south county. The Softball Classic was set up as an avenue for DeKalb schools’ senior players to display their talents for college recruiters or generate publicity for them.

In the game, Southwest DeKalb’s Elexcia Simmons slapped a one-out, RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a 10-run rally by the South to overtake the North 12-11. Southwest's Imani Gayle and Chamblee's Erin Bell  were named player of the game for South and North respectively

Lakeside head coach, Tricia Newmyer, pleasantly surprised with the her team’s season performance, said, “We were a very young team and still posted a 12-6 record, one of the best in Lakeside's history,” and explained further that the team only had five players who returned from the previous year, few as previous starters.


2011 Region 6-AAAA First Team
Marist - Ashlyn Johns (3B), Taylor Bradley (SS), Erin McDenitt (CF)
Miller Grove - Elan Conklin (1B), Dionne Roland (2B)
Chamblee - Erin Bell (P), Taylor Harris (OF), Jessie Bragg (3B)
Lakeside - Susanne Boden (INF), Aubrey Blackstock (P), Marie Collop (OF)
Dunwoody - Stacey Ward (P), Breanna Rhoden (C), Elyse Ferguson (OF)
SW DeKalb - Trenece Nash, Imani Gayle (P), Elexcia Simmons


Writer Tom Doolittle is a 17-year Northlake area resident, founding trustee of Northlake Community Alliance, Inc., founder Northlake Business Forum and writes the www.NorthlakeStation.blogspot.com