Chelsea Brown wasn’t trying to make a statement.

But her arm did all the talking last week.

Despite wrapping up a WPIAL Class AA playoff spot weeks ago, the Mohawk High softball team witnessed a brilliant performance from the junior against Laurel on May 6.

Brown, a right-hander, was near-perfect in a complete-game no-hit shutout of the Lady Spartans.

“That was a great performance leading us into the playoffs,” Mohawk coach Pam Beatty said. “I knew they’d come ready to play and I knew she’d come ready. Laurel has become a rival.

Brown had a personal best 17 strikeouts during her first varsity no-hitter and she didn’t issue a walk. Two Laurel batters reached base on errors.

“We mixed in the pitches really well,” said Brown, who throws a fastball, changeup, curveball, screwball, riseball and a drop-curve. “Kaitlyn Hartman has been calling good pitches for me all season. We’ve been working well together.

“I guess my riseball and high-fastball were working; I got a lot of strikeouts off changeups.”

For her performance, Brown is Lawrence County’s Athlete of the Week, as selected by The New Castle News sports staff. The award is sponsored by Washington Centre Physical Therapy.

“She keeps herself in the game and doesn’t let anything rattle her,” Beatty said.

“She’s so confident and so strong. I can’t compliment her enough about her dedication and her desire.”

One of the top pitchers in the WPIAL, Brown finished the regular season with a 12-2 mark and a 0.69 ERA. She gave up only eight walks while striking out 177 in 91 innings.

At the plate, Brown has a .292 average (14 for 48) with five doubles, one home run, 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored.

Brown credits her success to a special connection with her catcher.

“I know a lot of the players from the area, so we get together (before the game) to talk about what to throw to these girls or those girls,” said Brown, who plays summer travel softball for the Pittsburgh Pride. “If I shake her off, she tends to know what pitch I want ... We’ve been on the same page.”