Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / June 8, 1998

BATON ROUGE – Four players who were instrumental in their teams advancing to the state softball finals were recently honored by being selected to play in the Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star doubleheader scheduled for today.

The games will be played at Port Barre High School beginning at 11 a.m.Selected were April Benn and Brandy Neal from Lutcher, Melissa Martin from Riverside and Kori Guillory from St. Charles Catholic. St. CharlesCatholic head coach Teri Hruska was also selected as the assistant coach for the East squad.

Benn and Neal helped Lutcher capture its first ever Class 3A state championship this past season. Benn, the District 10-3 most valuableplayer, batted .520 during the 1998 season with nine doubles, five triples,five home runs and 38 runs batted in. Benn, who has signed with Gulf CoastJunior College, was one of the two catchers selected to the East squad.

Brandy Neal was one of the five utility players slected to the East squad.

She was a member of the all-District 10-3A first team after batting .464with six doubles, four triples, four home runs and 31 runs batted in.

“It is a big honor,” Neal, who also signed with Gulf Coast, said. “It isexciting with two people from Lutcher playing. We have had a lot ofsupport and a lot of people are excited.”Martin helped lead Riverside to its first appearance in the Class 2A finals.

She led the Lady Rebels to the District 9-2A championship with a .513batting average with eight home runs, 41 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Thefirst-team all-District 9-2A selection will start in the outfield for the East squad.

“It is a honor and I am excited to get to play one more time,” Martin said.

Guillory, was selected as an utility outfielder on the East squad after helping St. Charles Catholic to the state Class 2A championship. Guillorywas selected to the all-District 9-2A team as a catcher, batting .278with 23 RBIs in 1998.

“I was shocked,” Guillory said after being told by coach Hruska that she had been selected to play in the games. “I was so excited. It is going to beexciting and intense.”Hruska led the Lady Comets to a 24-9 record and the state championship this season. She served as a coordinator at last year’s doubleheader andwill assist head coach Randy Bradshaw from Walker High School with game-time decisions and strategies this year.

This is the fourth straight year that an athlete from the River Parishes has been selected to play in the doubleader. St. Charles Catholic’s KellyTraina made it in 1995 and her sister, Kim, was selected the following year. The Lady Comets’ Angela Klumpp played in the games last year.

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