Local participation, exposure grow with third year of Utah All-State softball showcase
The state's best, including 22 Northern Utahns, descend on Ogden
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- West Field’s Brinklee Hadley rounds the bags during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Bear River’s Kate Wilson assess the batter during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Box Elder’s Kennadie Blackmer cuts at the ball during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Team Marvin celebates a home run by West Field’s Brinklee Hadley during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Syracuse’s Jazmine Prathan directs her teammates during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- West Field’s Brinklee Hadley snags a ground ball during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- West Field’s Ayzlee Sessions takes off for first base during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Layton High head softball coach Kiley Crockett encourages his team during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Box Elder’s Lucy Braegger fires away during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- Bear River’s Kate Wilson rips a pitch during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
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- A D1 Prospects official looks on during the Utah All-State Softball Invitational on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 4th Street Park in Ogden.
OGDEN — A record 22 Northern Utah softball players made a summer pitstop in O-Town for the third iteration of the Utah All-State Softball Invitational, a high school talent showcase hosted by D1 Prospects, on Wednesday at 4th Street Park.
Quickly growing in popularity since first introduced in 2023, the annual showcase pulled in nearly 100 players from across the state for a six-team round robin, according to event founder and organizer Shawna Weaver. In previous years, the event included a 14-game tournament.
Bear River head coach Jordan Theurer, fresh off leading the Bears to a 4A state championship this spring, and Layton head coach Kiley Crockett joined the likes of college head coaches Katelyn Groves (Utah State Eastern) and Mikelle Magalogo (Snow College) to coach the action Wednesday.
D1 Prospects hosts a similar All-State event in Idaho, along with more than 60 tournaments across Utah and Nevada. Meshing the state’s top prep talent with college coaches has always been Weaver’s primary goal with the annual showcase.
“We’re getting that attention, so I think we’re on the right road,” Weaver said. “These coaches and the colleges are starting to really see that this event has some validity for their recruiting process. … This year is a pretty big turning point for the program.”
Offseason exposure leads to big moments for players like West Field freshman Brinklee Hadley, homering back-to-back with Box Elder sophomore Kennadie Blackmer, in her first-ever All-State appearance alongside fellow Longhorns Ayzlee Sessions, Ella Doxey and Rylee Andreasen.
Hadley tallied 16 wins, ranking 13th overall in the state, and dealt a program-high 150 total strikeouts during her debut season pitching at West Field. On Wednesday, Hadley was surrounded by some of the state’s top sluggers and made her moment count.
“It’s been so fun to get to know other people and there’s some really great players here, so I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Hadley said. “I didn’t know what to come in and expect, but I’m super excited for the rest of the day because that (first) game was super fun.”
The event also serves as a senior sendoff for the state’s best, including All-State third baseman Grace Thomas of Syracuse. Region 1’s MVP, Thomas received her first invitation following a mega senior campaign featuring the state’s ninth-highest RBI total (52) and seven total home runs.
In addition to softball, Thomas helped the Titans’ girls basketball program achieve its first region title since 2012 and received Syracuse High School’s Athlete of the Year award. Thomas, and fellow senior Jazmine Prathan, represented two of longtime Syracuse softball coach Kelly Anderson’s final senior class at Wednesday’s showcase.
“My friends have done it before and I just got reached out to about the Instagram post and saw my name,” Thomas said. “It’s just weird to believe we’re actually that old but I think it’s fun to do one last thing together with one of my teammates, Jazmine.”
Ogden’s been home to an All-Star or All-State showcase for baseball and softball since 2023, with baseball’s roots dating back to the early 20th century. The 81st annual Utah All-Star High School Baseball Games returned earlier this month.
NORTHERN UTAH ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Bear River: Aubree Fry, Bella Douglas, Luci Roche
Box Elder: Kailee Hall, Kennadie Blackmer, Lucy Braegger
Clearfield: Jenna Lloyd
Davis: Jewel Korth, Serena Roth
Fremont: Savannah Palmatier
Morgan: Callie Averett, Joesi Kelly, Lexi Hardman
Ogden: Aracely DeLeon
Syracuse: Jazmine Prathan, Grace Thomas
West Field: Ayzlee Sessions, Brinklee Hadley, Ella Doxey, Rylee Andreasen
Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
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