Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Khloe Smith in action for the Warriors this past season.

By Ray Hamill — Khloe Smith returned with a bang in 2025.

After missing most of her junior season because of injury, the Del Norte standout was back on the field this spring at 100 percent.

And she did not disappoint on her return, helping to lead the Warriors to a third straight Big 5 championship with some outstanding play on defense and at the plate.

All of which sees her beat out a loaded field for 2025 Humboldt Sports Softball Player of the Year honors.

Smith is the second straight Del Norte player to be named our Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of teammate Carlee Harper, who took the award in 2024 and was one of six finalists this year.

From day one this year, Smith appeared to be relishing every moment on the field and she hit the ground running.

In addition to possessing one of the more dangerous bats in the entire H-DNL, Smith was phenomenal at shortstop while earning rave reviews from her head coach Aaron Healy.

The Del Norte coach believes she was the best shortstop he has seen in the H-DNL in some time.

“She was unlike any other shortstop I’ve ever seen,” Healy said. “Her arm strength, her range, her overall ability. She made a lot of plays other shortstops wouldn’t make.”

Healy described Smith’s play as “smooth.”

“There’s nothing better than Khloe at 100 percent,” he also said earlier this year. “She’s smooth and she does her job.”

The outstanding Smith edged teammates Harper and Shay Nolan for the award, the latter off whom was named the Big 5 MVP by the conference coaches.

The talented Fortuna duo of Mariah Bravo and Isabel Sanchez were also included in the finalists, as was outstanding South Fork sophomore Mackenzie Coleman.

But when it came to her play in the middle infield, no one could quite match the impact of Smith.

And she will continue her playing career at the next level, having recently committed to play for College of the Siskiyous next year.

She closes out her high school career as a two-time all-conference selection, making the grade in her sophomore and senior seasons.

Congratulations to Khloe Smith, a well-deserved Humboldt Sports Softball Player of the Year.