LUMBERTON — If you attended a Lumberton softball game this spring, it’s virtually impossible not to have noticed Alona Hanna, whether it’s seeing her animated personality as she interacts with her teammates or even hearing some of those interactions.

“My mom’s always taught me to be energetic and just be the loudest one on the field, and I’ve always stuck out, I’ve always been just energy,” Hanna said. “Everybody’s always described me as one of the wild, crazy ones, but I like when they call me that because that means I’m sticking out to everybody.”

But more and more throughout her Pirates career — and especially this year in her senior season — Hanna stood out with her play, too.

After a season in which she unquestionably excelled at the plate, on the bases and in the field, Hanna has been named as the Robeson County Player of the Year by The Robesonian.

“This is the most amazing season I’ve ever had,” Hanna said. “I feel like I’ve accomplished more than anything I ever have, and this is one of the most hardworking seasons I’ve ever experienced. I feel like I put in the most work and it really showed this year. I feel like I was at one of my highest peaks this year.”

Hanna is also an All-County selection for the third time. For more on the All-County Team and postseason awards, see the related story here.

Hanna is part of a stellar six-player senior class that helped lead Lumberton to a 24-5 season, setting a school wins record for the second straight year; the Pirates won the United-8 Conference and Robeson County Slugfest championships and reached the third round of the 4A state playoffs for the first time.

“This is a group of girls we’ve been with since we were 6 years old, we’ve been preparing for this our whole lives and I feel like we really made an impact this year, breaking records and setting standards for the new girls coming up,” Hanna said.

At the plate, Hanna hit .538 this season, setting new program records with 39 runs and 17 doubles. She also had 33 RBIs and hit five home runs and two triples, compiling an eye-popping 1.591 OPS.

“I feel like I really helped my team out and they really depended on me,” Hanna said. “They had a lot of faith in me when I was at the plate because they knew I would get the job done, and I knew I had to get the job done for them, no matter where I was or what part of the game it was, I know that every role I played was important.”

The leadoff-hitter-like numbers — particularly the high average and runs total — came from the cleanup spot in the Pirates order.

“Last year we didn’t steal as much, because (Tiara Stueck, hitting behind Hanna) was liable to hit it out of the park, so we didn’t take as many chances,” Register said. “Last year, Loni turned into not only the four hitter (behind Stueck), but she was also kind like another leadoff hitter to get her in scoring position before the next couple batters were coming up, which paid dividends for us. If she didn’t hit a double, we knew she was going to probably steal a base and it was going to end up a double.”

Indeed, Hanna showed off that speed to the tune of a 23-for-23 rate in stolen bases. This speed is often overshadowed by teammate Aniya Merritt — Lumberton’s single-season and career stolen bases leader who stole 38 this year and shared 2023 Robeson County Player of the Year honors with Stueck — but is still plenty potent for the Pirates.

“Everybody overlooks my speed because they see her running really fast, but I’ve always been right there with her,” Hanna said. “I get as much steals as she does, runs, and everybody forgets it because I’m sneaky. And like when they forget it, because then I get more.”

Defensively, Hanna played center field after playing the infield for the last couple of seasons at the high school level. But outfield is her natural position, and the move back there allowed her to shine, with six outfield assists and numerous web-gem catches.

“We moved her to third base the last couple years just because of her athletic ability, but she’s more of a natural outfielder; I think she’ll play outfield in college,” Register said. “She made some crazy catches out there in center field this year, and her arm is well above average for a high school player.”

As valuable as the on-field production is, Hanna also brings energy to the field through her spirited nature. That’s been the case since she began playing varsity as a freshman, but it’s now become part of her style as she’s become one of the team’s leaders.

“Loni brings a lot of energy to the team,” Register said. “She’s kind of grown as a player, as a person too, in the program, and it really showed this year in her leadership ability and what’s she’s capable of doing.”

Hanna, who was also a three-time All-County selection in volleyball, is signed to play softball at UNC Pembroke. She’ll join her high-school teammate Stueck, as well as fellow United-8 Conference player Alex Serbio from Gray’s Creek, in a Braves program that has recruited the local area heavily in recent years.

“She’s got a lot of potential,” Register said. “With her athletic ability, she’s a five-tool player, she can run, she can hit. They can play her at multiple positions if they need to. And she’s a winner, she likes to win, so I think UNCP’s getting a gem in Loni.”

A gem that they’ll undoubtedly notice.