Following Trenton’s second straight softball state title, sophomore pitcher Addison Allaire and head coach Kevin Benson were named the 2025 Florida Dairy Farmers Rural Class Player and Coach of the Year, respectively.

In his first season as head coach, Benson led the Tigers to a 19-6 record and the school’s fourth state title in the past six years (2019, 2021, 2024 and 2025).

Benson finished first in the voting with 85 points, ahead of state runner-up Northview coach Amy Holland (67 points) and Brian Watson of region finalist Jay (23 points).

The defending Class 1A state champions were able to return to the final four in the new Rural division after a 2-1 win at home against Williston in the FHSAA Rural Region 4 Final.

However, it was unfamiliar territory that led to a familiar outcome for Trenton softball.

In Longwood, the No. 4 seed Tigers dominated, outscoring their two final four opponents, 20-3, to repeat.

“Playing somebody new that you haven’t faced many times before, I think, gives them a little bit less pressure at the plate,” Benson said. “They just go up there and do their job and do what they do best.”

Trenton, which finished third overall in the regional all-classification power poll rankings, defeated top seed Liberty County (Bristol), 9-2, in the state semifinals, followed by an 11-1 mercy run win in five innings against Northview in the title game.

Last year, Allaire was named the Class 1A Player of the Year after finishing with a 13-2 record in the circle and a 0.99 earned run average. She recorded 213 strikeouts and only 24 walks in 99 innings pitched.

In 2025, she was 12-2 with a 1.42 ERA. She finished the season with only 21 walks and 184 strikeouts in 98.1 innings pitched.

The sophomore dominated in the final four, tossing 12 innings and allowing just one earned run with no walks and 19 strikeouts.

“She’s so phenomenal,” Benson said following the win against Northview in the title game. “She makes a coach’s life and a team’s life a whole lot easier to have a kid like her in the circle. She really can control the game…she’s feisty and laser-focused. She takes pride in her craft. She puts in a lot of time and effort to condition her body.”

Allaire also hit .361 with a team-leading seven home runs this season, with 15 runs scored and 16 runs batted in. She was also second on the team with a .478 on-base percentage and a .708 slugging percentage.

She finished first in the voting with 97 points, followed by Northwest Florida State College commit Cha’miya Williams of Liberty County (61 points) and Jamison Gilman of Northview (43 points).

Here are the eight individual class finalists for the 2025 Florida Dairy Farmers Ms. Softball and Softball Coach of the Year following balloting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and prep media representatives.

Every finalist was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in her or his class.

Final ballots are due on Thursday, and the two overall winners will be announced soon following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.

The following are the Miss Softball Award finalists:

Tori Payne, Senior, Pitcher, Wellington, Class 7A Player of the Year

Led her team to the state title with a 16-2 record, a 1.05 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. She also hit for a .426 average with 4 home runs, 21 runs scored and 19 RBI. Signed with the University of Central Florida.

Megan Villazon, Senior, Pitcher, Doral Academy, Class 6A Player of the Year

Led her team to the state title with a 26-1 record, a 0.63 ERA and 261 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched. She also hit for a .475 average with 45 RBI. Signed with Florida International University.

Leah Stevens, Senior, Pitcher, Matanzas, Class 5A Player of the Year

Helped her team to a 23-2 record with a 17-1 record, a 0.32 ERA and 249 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 109 innings pitched. Signed with the University of Florida.

Alyx Hall, Senior, First Baseman, Ft. Walton Beach, Class 4A Player of the Year

Led her team to the Class 4A state championship with a .422 batting average, 8 doubles, 10 home runs, 14 runs scored and 23 runs batted in. Signed with Hinds Community College in Mississippi.

Charley Butler, Senior, Pitcher, Wakulla, Class 3A Player of the Year

Led her team to the state Final Four with a 16-4 record, a 0.45 ERA and 253 strikeouts in 141 innings pitched. Signed with Auburn University.

Morgen Talley, Senior, Pitcher, Calvary Christian, Class 2A Player of the Year

Led her team to the state title with a 19-0 record and a 0.90 ERA with 217 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched. She also hit .376 with 9 doubles, 8 home runs and 38 runs batted in. Signed with North Carolina State University.

Keaunna Green, Junior, Outfielder, Evangelical Christian, Class 1A Player of the Year

Led her team to the state championship with a .518 batting average, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 58 runs scored, 20 runs batted in and 42 stolen bases.

Addison Allaire, Sophomore, Pitcher, Trenton, Rural Class Player of the Year

Led her team to the state championship with a 12-2 record and a 1.42 ERA with 184 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched. She also hit .361 with 7 home runs, 15 runs scored and 16 runs batted in.

The following are the Softball Coach of the Year finalists:

Mark Boretti Wellington, Class 7A Coach of the Year

Led his squad to a 23-4 record and the school’s first state championship. Boretti’s 2017 team was the state runner-up.

Willie Viruet, Doral Academy, Class 6A Coach of the Year

Led his team to a 31-1 record and the state championship. It was Doral’s sixth straight Final Four appearance, including another state title in 2021.

Farrah Gordon, Winter Springs, Class 5A Coach of the Year

Led her team to a 24-8 record and the state championship. Gordon’s squad was state runner-up in 2021.

Taryn Gray, Fort Walton Beach, Class 4A Coach of the Year

Led her squad to a 23-8 record and the first state title in program history.

Gator Rehban, Somerset Academy, Class 3A Coach of the Year

Led his squad to a 24-6 record and the school’s first state championship after finishing as the state runner-up in 2023 and making it to the state Final Four last season.

Amy Smith, Calvary Christian, Class 2A Coach of the Year

Led her squad to a 30-1 record and the program’s third state title in the past four years (2022-23-25).

Johnny Manetta, Evangelical Christian, Class 1A Coach of the Year

In his fifth year at ECS, Manetta led his team to a 28-3 record and a second straight state championship.

Kevin Benson, Trenton, Rural Class Coach of the Year

In his first season as head coach, Benson led his squad to a 19-6 record and the school’s fourth state title in the past six years (2019, 2021, 2024).