Published: 12:09 AM, Fri Jul 02, 2010
Leah Jones named to All-America squad
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor
Cape Fear High School softball standout Leah Jones has received her highest honor to date as she was selected to the MaxPreps.com All-America softball team.
Jones was one of 30 players nationwide named to the squad chosen by the MaxPreps writing staff, and the lone player picked from North Carolina. Only players who compete for schools that play softball in the spring were eligible for selection.
The team was announced Monday but Jones didn't learn of her selection until Thursday.
"I just found out like an hour ago,'' she said. "I don't think there's anything in all my seasons or in my sports career that felt as good as when I found out. I'm not an emotional person, but when I found that out it tore me up.''
Jones set a North Carolina high school state record this season with 18 home runs. She was named The Fayetteville Observer's All-Cape Fear region Player of the Year.
Jones ended the season with a .538 batting average that included 16 doubles, 44 runs scored and 52 RBI's.
All of those figures led or tied for the lead in Cumberland County this year.
Jones has had a busy summer already preparing for the fall when she'll enroll at N.C. State and become a member of the Wolfpack softball team.
She recently went to Pensacola, Fla., for a week of specialized workouts to focus on areas of weakness in her game. She followed that up by attending softball camp at N.C. State.
In addition, she's continued to play summer traveling softball with Lady Lightning Gold out of Charlotte. The team includes players from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Some of the players will be joining Jones on the N.C. State team.
"We're getting acclimated to each other,'' she said.
Jones said the thing about being named All-American that was most special was the recognition it gave her for all of the hard work she's put in.
"This shows I've put the last 16 years of my life into ball, practicing every day and doing everything I can to be the best and help out my school,'' she said. "I'm glad to get recognized for all this hard work.
"God just put it into the right place for me. Everything fell right into place this year.''
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com.