Milazzo, Waltman, Blessin, Ford, Crandall named 2018-19 MaxPreps / NFCA National High School Players of Week

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Ichabod Crane’s (Valatie, N.Y.) Isabella Milazzo, Warrior Run’s (Turbotville, Pa.) Madi Waltman, Plant City’s (Fla.) Ashley Blessin, Scott’s (Scott City, Kan.) Tori Ford and Artesia’s (N.M.) Rylee Crandall were selected MaxPreps / NFCA National High School Players of the Week for their outstanding play during the week of April 15-21.

East Region
Milazo twirled a perfect game and finished the week 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 30 strikeouts. She struck out a season-best 17 in the perfecto, a 4-0 win over Maple Hill. Earlier in the week, Milazo went the distance in a 9-1 versus Schalmont. She allowed an unearned run on two hits with a 13 punchouts and two walks. For the week, Milazo her opponents to a .087 batting average.

North Region
Waltman twirled a pair of shutouts, including a no-hitter for the Defenders last week. The junior hurler no hit South Williamsport, striking out 13. She followed that outing with 18 punchouts in a nine-inning complete-game three-hit shutout of Milton. For the week, she struck out 31 and held her opponents to an .059 batting average.

South Region
Blessin keyed Plant City to a pair of close victories over Bloomingdale and East Bay with back-to-back one-hit shutouts. The senior righty fanned 16 and walked one in the 3-0 win against the Bulls. Blessin followed with 19 strikeouts, her third highest total of the season, in a 1-0 victory over the Indians. 

South Central Region
In a doubleheader sweep of Southwestern Heights, Ford was 6-for-8 (.750) with 11 RBI and four runs scored. She slugged 1.750 with three doubles, a triple and home run. Ford, who recorded three hits in each contest, drove in seven runs with two doubles, three runs scored and a homer in game two. She added a double, triple and four RBI in the opener.

West
Crandall went 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 39 strikeouts to just one walk in 19 innings of work. She surrendered an unearned run on seven hits, holding her opposition to a .108 batting average. Crandall tossed a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and one walk in an 11-0 win over Portales. The freshman hurler also fanned a season-high 16 in a complete-game win over Goddard. She retired all nine batters in a three-inning win in game one versus Goddard. At the plate, she homered three times and drove in eight runs, including a five-RBI effort in a game-two triumph over Portales.

2018-19 Players of the Week

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete’s game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week are announced on NFCA.orgevery Monday during the spring campaign with a player from each of five separate high school regions being selected. In the fall season, one representative is chosen from the participating regions.

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.

To obtain a coach’s login, please contact: [email protected] call (800) 329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.