A local high school softball star has finished up her career with another honor.

After completing her senior season this year, Dallas County’s Whitney Denson was named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State Softball Team for Class 4A as a utility player.

Denson, who played pitcher, third base and shortstop for Dallas County this past season, said it’s a wonderful honor to be named to the all-state team.

“This one feels a lot different, actually, making the team [this year],” Denson said. “I’m really excited and really surprised at it all. It’s just crazy being in the same category as some of those people from the big schools and everything. It’s just really exciting.”

Denson began her career at Dallas County as a seventh grader, and she made appearances in the regionals three times and the state championship two times, including the 2011 Class 4A state championship team.

“Being on the state championship team was definitely like a life-changing experience for me,” Denson said. “Some of the girls I got to play with — my teammates — made me better. I had some great coaches, and my dad was always good on helping me in playing softball. I got to play with some great people and had some great coaches. That was the best part of it.”

Over the course of her career at Dallas County, Denson played second base, shortstop, third base and pitcher.

In 2009, she was honorable mention all-state at third base, and in 2011 she was honorable mention all-state at shortstop.

This past season, she was 9-7 as a pitcher, including 74 strikeouts.

As a hitter this season, Denson ended up batting .512, with 42 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and her first career home run.

For her career as a pitcher, Denson was 28-8.

She ended her career at Dallas County with a batting average of .450, including 202 hits.

Overall, Denson became the school’s most winningest player, as she was a part of 141 wins, and only lost ten games at home.

Versatility, Denson said, is key to being a good softball player.

“Basically, to be a good softball player you have to learn to play multiple positions because you never know when someone is going to get hurt or anything like that,” Denson said. “I’ve played travel ball, and high school ball, and wherever they need you, you’ve got to go. Our coaches just made sure we knew how to play more than one position.”

Denson was the only senior for the Lady Hornets this past season, and over the course of her career she said she learned the importance of stepping up and doing what your team needs.

“It’s very important to be who you need to be on the team,” Denson said. “If the team needs you to be a leader, you’ve got to step up and be a leader. Especially as the only senior, everybody’s kind of expecting that out of you, so you have to make sure you do that every game.”

Denson received an academic scholarship to the University of Montevallo and plans to attend there this fall.