Senior Ayianna “Anna” Morton steps into the pitching circle and begins to move the dirt around with her cleat. She looks at the bright ball in her hand. She brings her eyes up to look at the signal from her catcher. She then takes a step and swings her arm up and back and releases the ball from her hand. It flies through the air and lands in the catcher’s glove. 

Morton has been a part of the high school softball team for all four years but has been playing softball for 12 years. She feels that her teammates are her biggest motivators. 

“Playing with my teammates and sister is different,” Morton said. “I always want to play my best for them and they want me to do my best.”

Morton plays pitcher, first base and right field. Junior Sidney Sullivan thinks that Anna is a leader. 

“She always has a good attitude no matter what,” Sullivan said. “She’s always on her A game. Even if she makes a mistake she still brings us up. I just want to be like that.” 

Morton is undecided on a college as of right now, but she would like to attend a 4 year university and would like to have a minor in Spanish. She enjoys spending time with her teammates. Her sister Junior Aryia Morton feels that playing with Anna is a different experience. 

“It’s an experience like nothing else playing with your sister,” Ayriah said. “Especially her last year is very exciting and is made up of different emotions.” 

Anna is a part of the National Honors Society and is a manager for the boys basketball team. She believes that younger players should just have fun.  

“Make sure having fun is a priority, when you have fun you bond with teammates more and it’s overall a better experience,” Anna said. “Make sure you work hard everyday.” 

“Strike,” the umpire says and calls the batter out. The crowd is now cheering while the batter walks off and another one approaches the plate. Morton looks at her pitcher again for a sign. She then swings her arm up and back, delivering the ball to the catcher and the umpire says once again, “Strike.”