The 2026 Apopka High School softball team capped their season together with a bittersweet awards banquet Tuesday night.  

The Lady Blue Darters gathered one final time as a team together. The annual awards banquet, held at Apopka Calvary Church of the Nazarene, gave the tight-knit team a chance to look back on a memorable  20-6 season and say goodbye to the seniors who defined it. 

The group was given letters of recognition and certificates that highlighted the season.  

Catcher Taylor Smith won the ROSE Award, in recognition of overall excellence. The University of North Carolina signee blasted six home runs and was a brick wall behind the plate. She earned first-team All-Metro recognition and was named the FACA District 11 Player of the Year. 

Alicia Lopez won the Team MVP award after leading Apopka in hits (46) and RBIs (33). The Seminole State College of Florida signee also made first-team All-Metro and was an FACA District 11 All Star. 

Center fielder Sydney Bartkin earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award after being named to the All-Metro first team and FACA District 11 All Stars. She plans to attend Florida State University but will not play softball for the Seminoles. 

Shylah Pino earned Offensive Player of the Year as the leadoff hitter, batting .500. A constant threat on the base paths, Pino stole 18 bags and earned second-team All-Metro and FACA District 11 All Star recognition. She signed with West Alabama. 

Ava Millspaugh was honored as the team’s Pitcher of the Year for her persistent work in the circle. The Eastern Florida signee had 57 strikeouts and was an X-factor in close games. She made second-team All-Metro. 

Alezia Hatcher, Victoria Shaw (Florida Southern), and junior Ava Gonzalez joined the list of Blue Darters on the All-Metro first team.