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Jakayla Moore closed the door on a historic junior year at Keith High School. 

Moore is named The Selma Times-Journal softball player of the year. In the spring, Moore was named the Selma Times-Journal girls basketball player of the year. Under this format, Moore became the first player to be named Times-Journal’s softball and basketball player of the year in the same season.

“I did not realize I am the first to get softball and basketball player of the year in the same season,” Moore said. “All of my hard work has paid off. I had a really good junior year.”

Moore led the Lady Bears to the area softball championship as a pitcher. Moore went 10-2 with 92 strikeouts and five saves. At the plate, she hit .308 and used her speed to steal bases. 

“I feel she is the best pitcher in the area,” Lady Bears coach Towanna Johnson-Flennory said. “She is hard-working and determined. She is a dual athlete who has a great attitude, works hard and leaves it all on the field. She is a pitcher who started from the bottom and has worked her way to the top.”

Moore entered the softball season with momentum from her stellar basketball performance. ​​She averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals a game as Keith made the Class 1A state tournament. She made the Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State team and Central Regional MVP.

“JaKayla is a very talented young lady.” Keith girls basketball coach Cecil Williams said. “She is an athlete not just in basketball but all sports at Keith and the captain on most of them. That lets you know her leadership skills and also her relationship with her teammates in multiple sports.”

Moore also excels academically. She has a 3.7 grade point average and is in the dual enrollment program at Wallace Community College-Selma working towards an associate’s degree.

Moore’s next step will be playing for the Lady Bears’ volleyball squad in the fall.