The spring sunshine brought plenty of fireworks on the softball diamond, as Lake Leelanau St. Mary, Suttons Bay, and Glen Lake each made their presence felt in 2026.
There’s something about a warm May evening, and the crack of an aluminum bat that signals summer is coming. This spring, Leelanau County’s softball diamonds delivered plenty of both, with St. Mary, Suttons Bay, and Glen Lake turning in seasons worth remembering.
Prep coaches Gary Galla (Suttons Bay), Melanie Dashner (St. Mary), and Lauryn Pleva (Glen Lake) — along with Leelanau Enterprise sports editor Brian Freiberger — collaborated to assemble the 2026 Leelanau Enterprise Softball Dream Team.
MVP: Grace Noonan (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake senior Grace Noonan earned the top softball honor for her stellar 2026 season leading the Lakers all spring.
Noonan was the Lakers third batter and only struck out three times all season. Noonan knocked in 45 RBIs on the year, which puts her in the top-20 of Glen Lake’s career RBI leaderboard in a season. “The opportunity to get to play with this team the past four years has truly impacted my life … Not just statistics and winning games, but the friendships I’ve been able to make throughout my years playing softball,” Noonan said. “What I will take with me from the game is the opportunities it’s given me. It taught me to just keep working hard. No matter what life throws at you, you have to keep going.”
Noonan made all-conference, all-district and all-region while receiving an invite to the girls softball all-star game in mid-July.
Noonan will be heading to Ferris State University in the fall to study dental hygiene.
Despite falling in the pre-district, Glen Lake had a 16-12 -0 record and captured a district championship last season.
Noonan appreciated every second donning the Laker softball uniform, and she will always love softball throughout her life.
“Every game, every practice just meant the world to me. Getting to spend time with my coaches and my team was my favorite thing,” Noonan said. “I would say to the younger players to enjoy every moment. It goes by fast, and sometimes things aren’t going to go your way. You have to do your best, be ready to keep trying every day, and give it your all.”
“Glen Lake is such a unique program that’s given me so many friendships and helped me grow as a person, building my confidence and trust in others. I couldn’t be more grateful for getting to have the opportunity to play.”
Glen Lake led the team from her catcher position and caught over 20 runners stealing, with Emily Bailey being on the receiving end of those throws. Noonan was known for her impact and getting the team out of trouble with her lethal arm.
“She means so much to this program over the last four years. Noonan is one of the best leaders that I have ever coached. On the field she was somebody that we could always rely on to go up and have a great at-bat, or somebody that could get us out of a tough inning … In the districts last year, she put a ball over the fence that gave us the lead to go on to then win districts,” said Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva.
Delanie Dembowske (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake sophomore Delanie Dembowske was the leading pitcher for the Lakers all season long, striking out batter after batter.
“(Dembowske) is stepping into a leadership role on the mound, which is what we need out of a pitcher, somebody that everybody on the field can look to to just kind of get reassurance … (Dembowske) wants the ball in her hands all the time and that’s one of the best qualities you can have in a pitcher, somebody that wants the attention, that wants the pressure,” Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva said. “She has a great bat, great swing. She’s aggressive on the base paths. She’s a smart base runner. Dembowske really sets the tone for us offensively, and then she’s always willing to just reach out and help out with any of the girls.”
Dembowske notched her 100th strikeout at the beginning of May and had plenty more to come throughout the rest of the season in a 14-6, 6-3 win over Onekama.
Glen Lake finished second at the Kris Popp Strikeout Cancer Invitational in May thanks to Dembowske’s arm and helped lead the team to a 16-12 overall record.
Ella Ingwersen (Suttons Bay) Suttons Bay senior Ella Ingwersen earned all-conference, all-district, and all-region honors as a shortstop during the 2026 campaign.
SB earned its first win against Bear Lake in early May and never gave up, even amid the uphill battles. Ingwersen had a batting average of .400 and was on base over half the time with 22 hits, 33 runs, six doubles, two triples, 18 stolen bases and 16 walks during her senior campaign.
“(Ingwerson) was a demon on the bases. She ran the bases really well and was one of our pitchers. She did everything … (Ingwerson) has worked in the off-season extremely hard, and she improved every year, and she’s a great player,” Suttons Bay coach Gary Galla said.
Hannah Gordon (Suttons Bay)
Suttons Bay senior Hannah Gordon earned her spot on the dream team with an all-conference and all-district season for the Norse.
Gordon also earned academic all-state honors.
Gordon had an average of .441 with 26 hits, 26 runs, 24 RBI’s, two doubles, two triples, 11 walks and seven stolen bases. Gordon also shined on the mound with 108 strikeouts over 53 innings, averaging two strikeouts an inning.
SB earned its first win against Bear Lake in early May.
“(Gordon) came up with the big hits. We batted her number two … Those were the ones that started us … Sometimes we didn’t play very well, but she averaged over two strikeouts an inning,” Suttons Bay coach Gary Galla said.
Olivia Reed (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake junior Olivia Reed leads the team at second base and earned her spot on the dream team.
“She wants to be a leader, and it’s gonna be so gratifying to watch her be a senior next year and really own that position,” said Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva. “You say it once, and she does it. She probably runs, two, three miles every single game just making sure she’s in the correct backup position that she needs to be in after every single pitch,” Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva said. “I saw her step into this second level of confidence this year. She’s constantly on the ground getting dirty, going after ground balls, making diving plays. Offensively, (Reed) started to come around and buy into the fact that she is a good hitter.”
Reed made All-Region at second base along with conference and district honors.
Emily Bailey (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake sophomore Emily Bailey earned her spot on the dream team for her all-around effort at second and third base.
“(Bailey) never shies away from a challenge. She is always looking to improve her swing. She has this uncanny ability to just break down mechanics and then self-coach herself through changes and improvements. (Bailey) made some huge improvements last year going into this year, just in terms of her defensive ability,” said Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva.
Bailey earned all-conference and all-district honors.
Laila Shimek (Glen Lake)
Glen Lake junior Laila Shimek was dominant in left field and from the batter’s box.
The lefty power hitter also has a ton of speed, leading the team with 17 stolen bases.
“(Shimek) is hitting balls to the outfield that are turning into home runs just because she’s so fast that nobody can get to them and relay them in time to get her out. Somebody else that we look to for just great offensive spark. “On defense, she covers so much ground in the outfield that it creates a domino effect because if the pitcher puts a ball over the plate that ends up in the outfield, if it’s anywhere near Laila, there’s a good chance Laila’s gonna catch it just because she’s so fast, and she’s got a great arm,” said Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva.
Shimek made all-region, allconference, and all-district to end her junior season.
Daisy Serrano (St. Mary)
Lake Leelana St. Mary senior Daisy Serrano is one of two Eagles to make the Dream Team.
Serrano had 11 hits, seven singles and a double on the season. She notched 10 RBIs and 11 runs with six walks.
“Daisy Serrano was a good leader for us this year. She had a very strong showing down the third base line. I will miss her next year,” Lake Leelanau St. Mary coach Melanie Dashner said.
Emery Wichern (St. Mary)
Lake Leelanau St. Mary junior Emery Wichern led the Eagles with 12 hits on the season and a .279 batting average and crossed the plate 14 times over the season.
“Emery Wichern moved from second base to shortstop this year and did a fantastic job. She also was our lead-off and had the highest batting average this season. I look forward to watching her continue to grow,” Lake Leelanau St. Mary coach Melanie Dashner said.
At the Kris Popp Strikeout Cancer tournament in May, Wichern went 3-3, 2 R, RBI to lead the Eagles.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Suttons Bay senior Eli Marshall earned an honorable mention from catcher and third base with a batting average of .286, 14 H, 10 R, three doubles and 15 RBIs.
“Eli got hurt a little bit. She missed four or five games … but she never stopped hustling. (Marshall) had a great personality behind the plate. The umpires loved having her because she’s so personable, and was talking to them all the time. Marshall came to practice every day and worked hard.”
Glen Lake freshman Quinn O’Hearn also earned an honorable mention after a remarkable freshman campaign.
O’Hearn earns her spot at shortstop, second and first base at times. For her impressive season.
“Quinn definitely rose to the occasion. She made All-Conference. There’s only one All-Conference award for a first baseman, and she beat out some seniors,” Glen Lake coach Lauryn Pleva said. “It just speaks to her athletic ability. She hit over .400 for us in the leadoff position.”
