West Bladen’s Hunter Smith during an at-bat.
BLADENBORO — The players of the week for April 17-21st are West Bladen’s senior first-basemen Hunter Smith and senior forward Lainey Autry for their outstanding performances against Red Springs. Both athletes were huge factors in their teams’ victories and their hard work on the field hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Smith batted in 8 RBIs over the last two games and his batting average has been consistently good this entire season as he’s been an integral part of the Knights line-up. He brings a calm demeanor to the plate every time he steps up and is capable of going yard in a split second. The Knights have a big-time player they can rely on with Smith and he leads by example with his play for the rest of his teammates to follow.
Autry is the x-factor for her team and she proved that against Red Springs in the last two games with goals and assists. Autry scored four goals and assisted her teammate in both of West Bladen’s victories last week. Her game is tailored around her pace and 1v1 abilities, which has given opposing defenders headaches all season. She scored a last-second goal at the half against Red Springs on a brilliant individual effort and she helped swing the tides of the game in her team’s favor. Autry has 10 goals this season to lead her team in the scoring category.