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Central Florida’s high school softball season hit full throttle in the final week of the regular slate, with a string of big offensive nights and dominant pitching performances setting the stage for the playoffs. Fans can help single out the top performer from games played April 20–25, 2026, by voting in this week’s Player of the Week poll.
Last week’s winner — Ocoee two-way standout Jadore Thompson — was recognized for her efforts during the April 13–18 window. This week’s field includes 27 nominees from schools across the region, representing both veteran leaders and breakout underclassmen.
How to vote and why it matters
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Voting for the Central Florida Player of the Week closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 3. The poll is intended to celebrate noteworthy high school performances and to bring communities together around the run-up to postseason play; there are no official prizes attached to the result.
Standouts from April 20–25, 2026
Below are the nominees and the key contributions that earned them consideration. The list mixes strong single-game stat lines and complete-game pitching efforts that swung outcomes or preserved a team’s momentum heading into the playoffs.
| Player | Position / School | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Skylar Colas | UTIL, Mount Dora | 2 hits in 3 at-bats including a home run; drove in 4 in a 15–3 win over Windermere. |
| Mary Czachorowski | 2B/P, West Orange | Collected 3 of 4 with 2 RBIs to fuel a 12–2 victory over Dr. Phillips. |
| Emmy Luke | UTIL, Eustis | Finished 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and 4 RBIs as Eustis beat Cheverus (ME) 6–3. |
| Kalyn Woods | OF, Boone | Went 2-for-3 with a long ball and two RBIs in a 12–1 win over Ocoee. |
| Samanthalea Edwards | P, Kissimmee Osceola | Perfect at the plate (4-for-4) with a double and homer in a 12–2 victory over East River. |
| Mackenzie Whitehouse | UTIL, Harmony | 3-for-3 performance with two triples and two RBIs in a 5–0 win at Viera. |
| Cierra Walker | UTIL, Windermere Prep | 3 hits in 3 at-bats, a double and 4 RBIs in a 16–1 rout of Legacy Charter. |
| Alajah Kimber-Gaines | 2B, Wekiva | 3-for-3 with three RBIs as the Mustangs rolled past Jones, 16–1. |
| Lily Lowery | UTIL, Pine Ridge | 3-for-4, double and triple, 2 RBIs in a 13–0 win over Port Orange Atlantic. |
| Analiz Martinez | UTIL, Lake Minneola | Remarkable 5-for-5 outing: two doubles, a triple, two homers and 7 RBIs in a 16–4 win. |
| Amiyah Jones | UTIL, Deltona | 3-for-4 with two RBIs as Deltona defeated Westerly (RI), 15–5. |
| Gianna Calderon | UTIL, Lake Nona | Freshman went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in a 21–8 victory over Cypress Creek. |
| Emma Hartung | UTIL, Trinity Prep | 3-for-4 with a double, homer and 2 RBIs in a 5–1 win at Lyman. |
| Brianna Santos | 1B/3B, East Ridge | Went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in a 17–1 victory over Lake Howell. |
| Ava Hertz | OF, Seminole | Logged a 3-for-4 night with a home run and two RBIs in a 13–3 win over Kissimmee Osceola. |
| Brenna Neal | UTIL, Celebration | 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs in a tight 17–16 win vs. Kissimmee Liberty. |
| Mercedes Cordero | UTIL, Orlando Christian Prep | Seventh-grader hit a homer and drove in five in a 15–7 win over City of Life Christian. |
| Morgyn Welch | LHP/1B, Horizon | Struck out 12 across seven innings to secure a 7–2 victory over Davenport. |
| Emerson Gunkel | P, The First Academy (Orlando) | Complete-game shutout with three strikeouts in a 1–0 win over Mount Dora Christian. |
| Nevaeh Williams | P/1B, Montverde Academy | Dominant: 14 strikeouts and no walks in a complete-game shutout, 4–0 over Cheverus (ME). |
| Emily Fantone | P, DeLand | Picked up the complete-game win and struck out five while going 2-for-2 at the plate (2–1). |
| Raelyn Richardson | C/1B, Mount Dora Christian | Slugged three doubles and a home run, finishing with four RBIs in a 13–3 win. |
| Shyanne Marble | C/CF, Ocoee | 3-for-3 evening with two home runs, three runs and three RBIs in a 16–0 rout of Freedom (Orlando). |
| Riley Johnson | 3B/P/C, Bishop Moore | 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs as Bishop Moore beat Lake Nona 8–4. |
| Abigail Latulippe | 3B/UTIL, Eau Gallie | 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in an 8–2 win at Bayside. |
| Layna Ayala | C/UTIL, Melbourne | FSU commit went 3-for-3 with two homers, two runs and three RBIs in a 6–1 win over Oviedo. |
| Shea Young | P/OF, Viera | Freshman threw a complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts in a 3–1 victory. |
Note on the poll: These fan voting polls are designed as a community celebration of high school sports — a way for fans to recognize outstanding single-game and pitching performances. While some nominees may attract very large vote totals, the primary goal is to highlight the athletes and their accomplishments rather than to bestow official awards.
Jeff Gardenour can be reached at jgardenour1962@gmail.com or on X @JMarkG1962 for corrections or tips related to Central Florida high school softball coverage.
