LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Biddeford’s (Maine) Charlotte Donovan, Cowan’s (Ind.) McKenna Minton, Western Alamance’s (N.C.) Taylor Apple, Wamego’s (Kan.) Peyton Hardenberger and Coastal Academy’s (Calif.) Cayla Contreras were named 2023 MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Players of the Week. The quintet garnered recognition for games played May 22-28.

East Region

Donovan hit .909 (10-for-11) with four doubles, a triple, home run, six RBI and 12 runs scored. She slugged 1.727 and reached base at a .917 clip. In the circle, Donovan was 3-0 with 1.24 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 17 innings. The senior limited her opposition to six hits, while posting one shutout. Donovan was 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four run scored versus Deering, while also shutting out the Rams on one hit (9 K) in a six-inning win. She was a double short of the cycle against Cheverus with three hits and three RBI and three runs scored. She closed out with four innings of scoreless ball, while recording two doubles and three runs scored against Bonny Eagle.

North Region

Minton was 7-for-9 (.778) at the plate with a double, triple, home run, seven RBI and seven runs scored in three wins. She slugged 1.444, posted a .846 on-base percentage and swiped six bases. She tripled and drove in four runs versus Tri-Central. Against Daleville, Minton was 3-for-3 with a long ball and two RBI. She closed out the week doubling and scoring three times versus Wes-Del.

South Region

Apple was stellar as she twirled a pair of shutouts, including a perfect game, in a doubleheader sweep of South Johnston. In game one, the senior righty retired all 21 batters she faced with 14 strikeouts. Apple fanned another 14 Trojans in game two, surrendering one hit and walking two, while also homering and driving in a run during the 2-0 victory.

South Central Region

Hardenberger twirled 16 innings of hitless and shutout ball with 36 strikeouts lifting her squad to three wins last week. She tossed a pair of complete-game shutout against Eudora and McPherson, fanning 18 and 11 in consecutive 1-0 triumphs. Hardenberger added two innings of scoreless relief with six punchouts to earn the save in a 4-0 win over Rock Creek.

West Region

Contreras was a perfect 9-for-9 with six doubles and nine RBI in a pair of victories last week. She went 5-for-5 with four two-baggers, four RBI and two runs scored in a 15-13 win over Castle Park. Contreras, a sophomore, followed that performance with two more doubles, five RBI and three runs scored against Liberty Charter.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.

Winners are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring campaign with a player from each of five separate MaxPreps’ high school regions being selected. 

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on MaxPreps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.

To obtain a coach’s login, please contact: coachsupport@maxpreps.com or call (800) 329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention. 

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 6,700 coaches today! 

MaxPreps/NFCA High School Softball Players of the Week