Buford, Helmick, and Hellige get IGCA nods

LEE COUNTY – Three area girls were named to the All-District and All-State softball teams this week by the Iowa High School Softball Coaches’ Association led by Central Lee’s Shanna Buford.
The junior Hawk earned 3^rd Team All-State in Class 3A and was named to the 1^st team all-district in the Southeast district. Buford had some of the loftiest stats in the area, finishing second in the state in Class 3A in hitting with a .567 average. She was seventh in the state in on-base percentage at .611, and fifth in slugging at .979.
Fort Madison junior Lauryn Helmick was also named to the third team, but in Class 4A. She was also named 1^st team All-District in Class 4A Southeast. The Bloodhound hit .427 as a junior with 21 RBIs.
Holy Trinity Catholic’s Mary Hellige was honorable mention all-state in Class 1A and 1^st Team All-District Southeast in Class 1A. Hellige hit .481 for the year (22^nd in Class 1A). The senior went 11-12 on the year from the circle and pitched 134.2 innings striking out 97 against just 30 walks with a 3.22 ERA.