Cousins Harvey, Atteberry named softball All Northern Section co-Player of the Year

The 2026 softball season featured some very successful teams from the Northern Section, including Chico and Las Plumas which faced off for not just the Northern Section Division II championship, but also the NorCal D-III championship.

Ultimately it was the Las Plumas Thunderbirds who came on top in both games, and Thunderbirds' head coach Toby Thompson was rewarded with the newly-named J. Howell Northern Section Softball Coach of the Year Award, named after longtime Red Bluff coach J. Howell. Howell was the head coach of the Spartans from 1990 to 2013, Howell won a section record 473 games and nine Northern Section championships. He was named All-Northern Section coach of the year in 1992, 1999 and 2009.

"First and foremost this award goes to the head coach but it's also the two coaches by my side Johnny Huffstetler and Buddy Hobbs award just as much as mine," Thompson said. "Also to the young ladies on our team for always believing we could accomplish our goals we set at the start of the year, and just how they played all year long no matter the circumstance of the game."

Thompson went on to thank several others, including a coach of his when he played at LP Mike Hering. He also thanked his wife, "for being supportive of me doing this year after year as it takes up a lot of my time you truly are the best."

Thompson also gave a special shoutout to a fellow coach in the Northern Section, Durham's Dan Martin, who Thompson said is also very deserving of the award.

"He has completely turned that program around in just the couple years he has been there," Thompson said. "From not winning a game a few years ago to a section title and a state victory before being knocked out. I have a ton of respect for him and his staff."

After LP's win in its final game of the season the Thunderbirds were rewarded with several First Team selections, including pitcher Kyler Storey, first baseman/outfielder Riley McInturf, and catcher Brooklyn Atteberry was named co-MVP alongside her cousin McKena Harvey from Chico. Harvey spent her first two seasons at LP before transferring to Chico. LP infielder Marli Benedict was named to the second team.

From the NorCal D-III runner up team Chico, Harvey joins teammate Leah Cawthon, a centerfielder and leadoff hitter named to the Second Team.

"The players chosen are so deserving of the awards they have received," Thompson said. "I couldn't be more proud of each one of them, and just as proud of Mak Harvey as she's one of us as well! Congratulations to these young ladies."

Pleasant Valley shortstop Lily Thurman, who set a new single season home run record for the Vikings, earned her second straight First Team selection, joining sophomore Holly Baxter.

Below is the full list of All-Section players, as selected on by area media members. Members of this year's panel of sports writers include Aaron Williams of MaxPreps (formerly the Record Searchlight), Brett Abrams of the Redding Record-Searchlight, Justin Couchot of the Chico Enterprise-Record, Jeff Larson of the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, Jennifer Corriea of the Colusa Sun-Herald, Rick Silva of the Red Bluff Daily News and Kevin Askeland of MaxPreps (Formerly Willows Journal/Orland Press-Register).

First Team

P – McKena Harvey, Chico, Co-MVP

P – Kyler Storey, Las Plumas

P – Kylah Glenn, East Nicolaus

C – Brooklyn Atteberry, Las Plumas, Co-MVP

1B – Madison Pemberton, West Valley

2B – Cadynce Gippner, West Valley

UT – Carly Graham, Enterprise

SS – Lily Thurman, Pleasant Valley

OF – Aubree Wertz, West Valley

OF – Rylie McInturf, Las Plumas

OF – Sky Kim, East Nicolaus

AA – Delanie Cloyd, Gridley

Second Team

P – Cadence Morris, Lassen

P – Ellie Ferris, Portola

P – Jemma Trueblood, Quincy

C – Taylor Bates, Foothill

1B – Hailey Glenn, East Nicolaus

2B – Holly Baxter, Pleasant Valley

UT – Marli Benedict, Las Plumas

SS – Sadie Sjolund, Durham

OF – Leah Cawthon, Chico

OF – Addy Taylor, West Valley

OF – Kayley Lenear, Mt. Shasta

AA – Addison Jones, Los Molinos

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