BOONE — The future is starting to look bright for the Watauga softball team.
That was evident in its record-setting performance this past spring, which featured 14 victories and a North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoff win for the first time since 2007.
The recent North Carolina Softball Coaches Association’s All-District team for the 2026 season was also reflective of that as six Lady Pioneers were selected to the 6A team for District 7.
Watauga right fielder Roxie Elrod tracks down a fly ball as center fielder Charlotte Moretz looks on during third inning of Tuesday night’s nonconference contest.
Photo by Zach Colburn
And each of them could be slated to return next spring as Watauga did not have a senior on its roster.
All six players — Savana Costner, Sierra Costner, Roxie Elrod, Addison Moody, Charlotte Moretz and Presli Wood — are first-time all-district selections.
With the selections, 18 Watauga softball players have been named all-district in the program’s history. The six selections also set a new program record, eclipsing the previous best of four, set in 2010 and 2 years ago.
Founded in 2004, the NCSCA began issuing all-state awards in 2005 while all-district awards began in 2007.
Since its inception, Watauga has had 21 all-district selections, counting this year’s.
Charlotte Moretz, Watauga’s centerfielder, homered in the fifth inning to give the Lady Pioneers a two-run advantage.
Photo by Zach Colburn
All-District 7 comprises schools from all classifications in the following counties — Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Davie, Iredell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin.
The NCSCA announced its All-State teams on Monday afternoon. No Lady Pioneers were selected to the All-State team for 6A.
Of Watauga’s six selections, three of them — Moody, Savana Costner and Sierra Costner — were freshmen.
Moody, who along with Moretz and Wood were All-Northwestern 6A/7A Conference selections, batted .308 with a run batted in and four hits in 13 at-bats.
But the ninth-grader’s best work came inside the pitcher’s circle, where she won 12 games and set the program record for strikeouts in a season with 125.
Watauga’s Sierra Costner reached base twice during Thursday’s semifinal.
Photo by Zach Colburn
Moody allowed 64 earned runs (and 26 walks) in 130 1/3 innings pitched to finish with a 3.44 earned run average.
Sierra Costner served as the table setter for the Lady Pioneers. Batting leadoff, Costner hit .295 with 26 hits and 11 RBIs. While primarily playing shortstop, she also stole 12 bases and scored 26 times.
Costner also saw time pitching this spring and went 1-0 in four appearances.
Starting the season on JV, Savana Costner worked her way into the varsity starting lineup and became a regular at third base.
In 18 games, Costner batted .364 with 16 hits in 44 at-bats and drove in seven runs. She also made a pair of appearances in the pitcher’s circle.
Wood, who missed a couple of games early in the season due to the deep playoff run from Watauga’s girls basketball team, made up for that with a .431 batting average.
Savana Costner, Watauga’s third baseman, drives in a run with a single in the fourth inning.
Photo by Zach Colburn
The junior second baseman finished with a team-best 28 hits (including eight doubles) and was second on the team in RBIs with 20.
Moretz, who held down center field for the Lady Pioneers, was one of eight players to bat .300 or better as the junior hit .329 with team-bests in both home runs (five) and RBIs (23).
She was also third on the team in hits with 24 and scored 25 times.
Elrod, Moretz’ outfield neighbor at right field, batted .310 and finished with 22 hits and 12 RBIs.
The junior was also tied with Sierra Costner in runs scored with 26.
In addition to the Lady Pioneers, five of the six NWC 6A/7A schools had at least one All-District player, with Freedom, Alexander Central and South Caldwell in All-District 7 for 6A. McDowell was a part of All-District 8 for 7A.
The conference had 14 all-state selections.
South Caldwell, which had five all-state 6A selections (Alexander Central had three selections and Freedom had two), also had the 4A-West Co-Player of the Years in Kensley Davis and McCartney Harrington for the Lady Cougars and Lady Spartans, respectively.
McDowell had four named to the All-State team for 7A.
Watauga’s Presli Wood connects on an RBI single during the Lady Pioneers’ five-run fifth inning.
Photo by Zach Colburn
Other All-District Northwestern 6A/7A Conference Selections for District 7
Alexander Central (6A)
Alyssa Chapman, Kensley Davis (All-District 7 6A Co-Player of the Year, All-State, 6A-West Co-Player of the Year), Ava Hamby, Kyla Hamby (All-State), Jenna Mason (All-State), Lyla Mayberry
Freedom (6A)
Rhiley Buchanan (All-State), Abigayle Gibson (All-State), Madelyn LeMaster, Kaylee Skinner
South Caldwell (6A)
McCartney Harrington (All-District 7 6A Co-Player of the Year, All-State, 6A-West Co-Player of the Year), Casey Justice, Maddy Moore (All-District 7 6A Pitcher of the Year, All-State), Bella Smith, Tempe Trviette, Holland Weisner (All-State), Alexis Whisnant, Mallory Winebarger (All-State), Carlie Yount, McKenna Yount
Northwestern 6A/7A Conference All-District Selections for District 8
McDowell (7A)
Hannah Aldridge (All-State), Kaelyn Caldwell (All-State), Samantha Davis, Derika Lytle, Layla Presnell (All-State), Addison Ray, Presley Young (All-State)
Previous All-District softball selections from Watauga
2025 — Chloe Wilson (All-State)
2025 — Jordin Greene
2025 — Julie Matheson
2024 — Chloe Wilson (All-State)
2024 — Jordin Greene
2024 — Katie Matheson
2024 — Kara Brooks
2010 — Carolina Yates
2010 — Kelsey Rominger
2010 — Shelby Drummonds (All-State)
2010 — Taylor Drummonds
2009 — Chandler Butler
2008 — Nicole Reilly
2008 — Chandler Butler
2008 — Beth Wilson