LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kirtland’s (Ohio) Lindsay Ward, Deatsville’s (Ala.) Haley Walker, Bauxite’s (Ark.) Bailey Buffington and Coalinga’s (Calif.) Linnay Wilson were selected MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week for their outstanding play during the week of March 6-12.

North Region
Ward keyed Kirtland to a season-opening win over Mayfield. She struck out 13 in a complete-game victory, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with just one walk. Additionally, Ward was 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored.

South Region
Knocked in all seven runs, including the walk-off hit, in a 7-6 victory over Central and went seven-for-eight at the plate with two doubles, two homers, nine RBI and three runs scored. Both long balls came in the one-run victory over the Red Devils in which she finished 4-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. The sophomore opened the week by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in a 19-1 victory against Bullock County.

South Central Region
Highlighted by a no-hitter, Buffington went 5-0 with a 0.25 ERA and 31 strikeouts in the circle for Bauxite last week. The junior hurler recorded three shutouts and allowed nine hits in 27 innings of work. Buffington’s no-hitter came in the Miner’s final game of the week, a 1-0 victory over De Queen. She struck out 10 and walked just one as the Miners walked off with the victory. She also tossed shutouts against Central Arkansas Christian (4 IP, 1 H, 9 K) and Benton (6 IP, 2 H, 2 K).

West Region
Wilson hit. 824, recording 14 hits in 17 at bats with three home runs, 14 RBI and eight runs scored, while tossing 15 innings of shutout ball with 33 strikeouts and four hits allowed in four appearances. She opened the week with a season-high five RBI on four hits, a double and long ball versus Sierra Pacific. Wilson added a pair of 3-for-3, three RBI showings against Orosi and Immanuel. Against Orosi, she doubled twice and also homered. Highlighting the senior’s performance in the circle was a two-hit five-inning shutout against Porterville. She fanned 12 batters and also helped herself out the plate with three hits and two runs scored.

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.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring season, with one representative chosen from each of five separate high school regions. During the fall campaign, a single player will be selected representing all participating regions.

Please note, in order for a school to have multiple player(s) recognized during the course of a season, a coach from that institution must be an NFCA member. To become an NFCA member, please click HERE or call 502-409-4600.

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 Max Preps 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.

2016-17 Max Preps/NFCA Players of the Week

3/13

Lindsay Ward | Kirtland (Ohio) HS (North)

Haley Walker | Holtville (Ala.) HS (South)

Bailey Buffington | Bauxite (Ark.) HS (South Central)

Linnay Wilson | Coalinga (Calif.) HS (West)

3/6

Olivia Lackie | Holden (La.) HS (South)

Faith Jimenez | West Texas HS (South Central)

Kennedy Wyllie | Boulder Creek (Ariz.) HS (West)

2/27
Abbey Latham | Demopolis (Ala.) HS (South)

Taylar Mullen | Grapeland (Texas) HS (South Central)

Casey Overfield | San Ramon Valley (Calif.) HS (West)

Fall
10/24 – Madison Preston | Centralia (Mo.) HS

10/17 – Rylyan Nelson | Sterling (Colo.) HS

10/10 – Ainsley Tolson | Trenton (Mo.) HS

10/3 – Rylie Unzicker | Millard South (Neb.) HS

9/26 – Kayla Poynter | Walnut Grove (Ga.) HS

9/19 – Jordyn Hays | Grand Junction (Colo.) Central HS

9/12 – Olivia Douglas | Hastings (Neb.) HS

9/6 – Kerrigan Gamm | Osage (Mo.) HS

8/29 – Lindsey Malkin | Broomfield (Colo.) HS

8/22 – Madison McPherson | Marion County (Ga.) HS