Meredith Burroughs named All-American by MaxPreps.com

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 30, 2012 11:04 PM

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Before each game, Meredith Burroughs silently prays and asks that she "do all things through Christ" to help Charles B. Aycock succeed on the softball diamond.

So far, Burroughs' prayers have been answered.

The most-popular player at the Golden Falcons' recent softball camp, Burroughs is starting to gain a national reputation. The rising junior received first-team All American recognition by MaxPreps.com less than a month after she earned ESPN Southeast Region player-of-the-week honors.

Burroughs honestly admitted she didn't understand the award until she was sitting the dinner table and talking about it with her parents. How could a small-town girl attract the attention of a national website?

"I didn't know what it meant at first," Burroughs laughed. "Now that I realize what it is, that is such an honor and I couldn't be more happy. My dad (Nick) has always told me and my sisters (Candace and Cynthia) to do the best we can, and if you do the best you can, nothing but good is going to come from it."

No doubt.

Earlier this June, Burroughs helped lead the Golden Falcons to the program's first-ever N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state championship. The first baseman garnered Most Valuable Player accolades after crushing a pair of multiple-RBI home runs in the decisive third game against Fred T. Foard.

Burroughs led Aycock in 10 offensive categories -- batting average (.545), plate appearances (132), runs scored (48), hits (48), RBI (48), home runs (19), extra-base hits (26), walks (40), hit-by-pitch (4) and slugging percentage (1.284).

The two-year varsity starter also matched the single-season state record for home runs set by Dallas Heaton of Eastern Randolph and Sarah Mooney of North Mecklenburg a year ago.

"Meredith is very deserving to be named a first-team All-American," fifth-year CBA head coach Brad Matthews said. "Meredith has been a positive influence to the community, especially for the younger girls. That's who the girls at softball camp wanted to meet."

While Burroughs' offensive prowess obviously led to the national award, she was pretty good on defense and inside the pitcher's circle, too. She recorded 154 putouts and had a .989 fielding percentage at first base. During the absence of long-time starter Brooke Bell, Burroughs logged a 5-0 record with one save and a 1.83 earned run average inside the pitcher's circle.

Burroughs also grabbed a spot on the N.C. Coaches Association All-State softball squad and was selected the District 2 Class 3-A player-of-the-year. She was selected to the 2012 News-Argus All-Area player-of-the-year and the Eastern Carolina Coaches tabbed her as the league's top player.

"This year I did a lot of praying before every game ... Philippians 4:13 that says 'I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me'," Burroughs said. "That really helped me keep my mindset right."