Pleasant Valley head softball coach Steve Caffrey knew for a long time that when he would get the chance to coach Jordan Meckes on the high school level, she had the potential to be a great player.

Caffrey watched as Meckes grew up and played through the youth system with his daughter Mackie, and he couldn't wait to get their class in the program.It was no secret that Caffrey knew exactly where he would have Meckes in his batting order (leadoff) and after having her play two years in the outfield, that she would take over the shortstop spot, making the Bears solid on defense.The Bears not only won four Mountain Valley Conference championships during her career, but Meckes left a mark on the program, walking away with six records. The records were a big part in her being named 2014 Times News Softball Player of the Year, the third straight Pleasant Valley player to win the award. Rikki Correll won it in 2013 and Diane Klapatch in 2012.It was also Pleasant Valley's 10th MVC title in 11 years. The Bears also made the District 11 AAAA championship before falling to Parkland."She had a .558 batting average, 48 hits this year 28 singles, 13 doubles, five triples and two home runs scored 42 runs and 29 RBIs," Caffrey said off the top of his head, without even having to look at a cheat sheet.Meckes, a senior, set the school's single-season scoring record last year and added seven more to it this season.She now holds the school record for career hits with 130 and also set single-season records this year for highest batting average, singles, doubles and runs scored."I've known Jordan since she was about 7 or 8 years old," Caffrey said. "She played on the same teams that my daughter played on. Just watching her grow was something to see. It was enjoyable seeing her transform into a nice young lady who was very athletic. Whether it was on the softball field or basketball court, I was fortunate to watch her play both sports."She's just a very athletic person who plays the game hard, doesn't say a whole lot. She just goes out on the field and gets the job done, packs up and goes home."Meckes started in the outfield as a freshman and also got some time in as a pinch-runner and a courtesy runner. She started in center field as a sophomore before moving to the infield as a junior and senior."At either position, Jordan played them well," Caffrey added. "She was someone we could depend on out in the field. Over the last two years in batting, it was just nice to see her continually get better. As a freshman, I think she had 10 hits. And then it was 31 as a sophomore, 41 as a junior and 48 as a senior."Being the MVC Most Valuable Player helped lift a big weight off her shoulders also.She was a first team MVC player as a sophomore, then last year when she moved to shortstop, she was second team. There was no way with her work ethic that she wanted to be second team again."Last year, being second team was in the back of her mind," said Caffrey. "This year she wanted to be first team shortstop and be the league MVP, and she reached that goal."Caffrey said he's probably going to miss her hits."Those will be big shoes to fill at the plate," he said. "Jordan was able to get us hits, was great defensively and was aggressive on the base paths, so we lose an all-around player. Jordan wasn't only a great hitter, she was one heck of a bunter. She had the green light to lay one down any time she wanted to."Jordan made a huge, smart play in the district semis against Freedom, where she dove and caught the ball, reached over and tug third to end the game. That's one play that Caffrey will always remember."Coming from the outfield to the infield last year was a big difference, " Meckes said. "We needed me to make that move for the team, so I was willing to do it. It was a different perspective on everything, but overall, with the MVC titles, it worked out well."In the leadoff role, Meckes really felt comfortable and liked it a lot."It definitely gives the team a lot of confidence if I get on base," she said. "When I get on base, they know that they can do it as well. I knew when I got on base, I could rely on my teammates to score me."Meckes said she was definitely disappointed with the second team honor last year, so she was going to make sure it wouldn't happen again.Showing that she wasn't just out there for herself, Meckes looked at a team accomplishment, and not an individual feat, that she'll remember most from this season."The MVC championship game against Stroudsburg is something I'll always remember because it was the last MVC championship ever and the last one for me as a senior," she said. "I wanted to win it a lot more and was just an awesome feeling."Meckes will further her education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and hopes to walk on to continue her softball career.