Sports Features

The only consolation Diane Klapatch had while coping with an injury during the 2011 softball season was that she had one year left in her high school career.

She battled through the back injury during her junior year by helping the team as a designated hitter. Despite being one of Pleasant Valley's top hitters, she spent the entire season yearning to get back on the pitchers mound.

For Marykate Sherkness, her supporting cast couldn't have been any different.

Yet, the end result proved to be exactly the same.

For the second straight season, Sherkness continued her reign as "Queen of the Court," as the Marian junior has once again been recognized as the 2011 TIMES NEWS Volleyball Player of the Year.

As a sophomore, Sherkness captured Player of the Year honors as a role player among an experienced roster consisting of six senior starters.

Two years ago, Northern Lehigh's Channing Shiffert set a school record for goals in a season, which led to him being named the TIMES NEWS Boys' Soccer Player of the Year.

An injury (dislocated patella), kept him from repeating those accolades last year.

Through long, hard rehabilitation, Shiffert returned to top form and broke his own record with 28 goals, added nine assists and helped lead the Bulldogs to their first ever District 11 playoff berth. He finished an outstanding career with 61 goals and 35 assists.

When Lauren Heckelman first picked up a tennis racquet three years ago, Pleasant Valley head coach Mark Allison wasn't quite sure how her career was going to turn out.

"As a freshman, I didn't know if we could make a tennis player out of her," admitted Allison. "She would either hit the ball into the net or into the fence surrounding the court. She needed a lot of work."

Heckelman isn't afraid to admit it either.