The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy softball team enjoyed five representatives on the all-conference teams this year, and four on the all-state teams.

The Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools recognized senior Macy Mears for the fifth time in a row on its first team. It was her third year in a row making the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II all-state first team.

In her first year playing varsity softball, eighth-grader Emily “EJ” Bankson made the all-conference first team and all-state second team. Freshman Delaney Taylor received the same two honors, sophomore Brooklyne Carr made the second team at both levels and eighth-grader Dani Goodman made second team all-conference.

Reacting to the All-TCIS first team honors she has garnered since the eighth grade, Macy Mears said, “It’s very rewarding to know that I could do it all five years. Hard work pays off.”

Praising Mears, who has played every position except for catcher this year, Lady Saints head coach Brittany Wilkins said, “Anyone that sees her play is going to know that she’s a competitor on the field. She’s definitely a gamer.”

Wilkins submitted Mears’ statistics through 17 games played for all-state consideration. She had a batting average of .492, six doubles, five triples, an in-the-park home run, 11 runs batted in and 15 stolen bases.

Mears made the all-state second team as a freshman.

EJ Bankson made her presence known as a varsity player in a big way and reaped the rewards.

“It’s a great honor,” she said.

“She was definitely one of the most dominant pitchers in our league,” Wilkins said, noting NSA would not have been as successful as it was without her.

For all-state consideration through 17 games, Bankson had pitched 89.1 innings with a 2.74 earned run average. Her record was 8-7 and she had thrown 74 strikeouts.

Offensively, she had a .392 batting average, five doubles, one triple, 13 RBIs and nine stolen bases.

Wilkins put Delaney Taylor in great company with a comparison.

“Her and Macy are very similar in their work ethic and it definitely shows come game time,” the coach said. “She’s rotated almost everywhere on the field, as well.”

Taylor, who made the All-TCIS second team last year, said, “It’s a huge honor, just to be recognized for first team as a freshman, and it makes me feel good that all my hard work pays off.”

For all-state consideration through 15 games played, Taylor had a .577 batting average, six doubles, two triples, 11 RBIs and eight stolen bases.

Brooklyne Carr has made the All-TCIS second team for the last two years.

For all-state consideration through 17 games played, Carr had a .500 batting average, eight doubles, four triples, 17 RBIs and six stolen bases.

Dani Goodman’s first All-TCIS softball honor came through stellar in-conference stats. At the time of their submission, she had a .733 batting average, one double, one triple, eight RBIs and eight stolen bases against TCIS opponents.