All Area Team (in no particular order):
Keegan Schultz, Altamont – The senior leader was a steady hand on the mound, at the plate and at first base for the Indians this Fall and Spring. Schultz hit .319 with a .465 on base percentage and .556 slugging percentage with six home runs and driving in 33 runs. On the mound, Schultz would go 52.2 innings with a 3-1 record giving up 42 runs, only 32 earned, and putting together a 4.29 ERA. In the field, Schultz was ultra reliable, with just 4 errors in 230 chances for a .983 fielding percentage. He will continue his baseball career collegiately, playing for Kaskaskia College.
Colton Smith, South Central – Smith led the Cougars both at the plate and in the field in his senior year this Fall and Spring. Holding down things at first base, he had a .980 fielding percentage with just six errors in 220 total chances. At the plate, Smith hit .387 in the Fall and .353 in the Spring for a combined average of .367 for the year to go along with a .483 on base percentage and .490 slugging percentage with three home runs. He piled up 35 RBI and 32 runs scored with five stolen bases this year. He was named Second Team All-Conference for the National Trail Conference.
Kohnor Depew, Vandalia – Despite doing double duty between baseball and track this Spring, the junior played in all but one game this Spring and finished second on the team with a .344 batting average along with a .380 on base percentage and a team leading .527 slugging percentage and four home runs. He used his quickness on the base paths to swipe 11 stolen bases, tying for the team lead. In the field, Depew finished with a .944 fielding percentage with just three errors in 54 total chances. Depew was named First Team All-Conference as an outfielder for the South Central Conference.
Wyatt Rueff, CHBC – The senior catcher has constant behind the plate for the Bobcats over the last few seasons and has got the job done on the mound as well when called upon. Rueff hit .298 this Fall with a .421 on base percentage, ,553 slugging percentage, 11 RBI, 8 runs scored and a pair of home runs. During the Spring, Rueff hit .389 with a .485 OBP and .759 slugging percentage, 14 RBI, 11 runs scored and three home runs. Rueff was tough on the mound in the Spring with 16.2 innings of work recording 30 strikeouts and giving up just 11 runs and only two of those earned for a 0.84 ERA and holding opponents to a .143 batting average. Combined with the Fall, Rueff worked 23 innings on the mound and finished the year with 42 strikeouts, and ERA of 1.83 and holding opponents to an overall average of .163. Rueff was named MVP of the Egyptian Illini Conference and named Second Team All-Conference for the NTC.
Corey Hoopingarner, BSE – The senior pitcher was counted on to be a leader for BSE in general and to also lead the Bombers on the mound this year. Hoopingarner worked 32.2 innings in the Fall and another 47.1 innings this Spring on the bump pitching in 23 games and starting 13 of those games. He ended with 80 innings of work total, recording 86 strikeouts for the year and finished with a 4.46 ERA. His efforts earned him All-Conference honors for the Egyptian Illini Conference and Honorable Mention All-Conference for the National Trail Conference.
Dyson Wagner, Altamont – The senior pitcher racked up 73 innings pitched in 18 games during the Fall and Spring seasons for the Indians and earned a 10-5 record. He gave up 37 runs, 31 of them earned, while recording 87 strikeouts for a 2.97 ERA. At the plate, Wagner recorded 22 RBI. Wagner was named Second Team All-Conference for the National Trail Conference and will play collegiately at Greenville University.
Callaway Smith, South Central – The senior pitcher and shortstop was once again a steady hand and leader for the Cougars in his senior season. Smith handled 99.2 innings of work on the mound starting 10 games and pitching in 27 altogether. He earned a record of 9-7, striking out 127 and finishing with a 2.89 ERA. At the plate. Smith hit .305 for the year, with a .313 Fall average and a .298 Spring average while recording a .439 on base percentage and .497 slugging percentage. He tallied a total of 36 RBI with seven home runs and 42 runs scored. Smith was named First Team All-Conference for the NTC.
Brayden Elam, Altamont – The junior infielder put together a solid year for the Indians being a steady presence at the plate and on the field during both the Fall and Spring season. Elam hit a combined .286 for the year after going .317 in the Spring and .262 in the Fall. He had three home runs while recording 24 RBI and scoring 32 runs and stealing 13 bases. In the Fall he was named Honorable Mention All-Conference for the National Trail Conference.
Trevan Sidwell, South Central – Sidwell was one of two pitchers taking on the lions share of work on the mound for Cougars and the junior was big presence at the plate as well during the 24-25 year. At the plate, Sidwell hit .300 in the Fall and .324 in the Spring for a .351 average on the year as he was a mainstay in the upper third of the lineup. He finished the year with 22 RBI, 28 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. On the mound, Sidwell worked 90.2 innings for a 57 record after pitching in 27 games an starting 10. He racked up 97 strikeouts and finished the season with a 3.34 ERA and holding opponents to a .231 batting average.
Conner Nowitzke, CHBC – The senior led the outfield, holding down the centerfield spot and serving as a lefty leadoff hitter for the Bobcats. Nowitzke hit .268 in the Fall with a .415 on base percentage and .293 slugging percentage and hit .326 in the Spring with a .420 on base percentage and .442 slugging percentage to hit .298 for the year with a .417 OBP with 11 RBI, 24 runs scored and he swiped 14 bases on the year. Nowitzke also got time on the mound, working 15.2 innings between Fall and Spring, pitching in seven games and giving up 21 runs, with 15 earned. He was named All-Conference for the EIC.
Chase Cearlock, Vandalia – The junior catcher and pitcher was one of just two Vandals to play in all 30 games this Spring. He hit .287 with a .387 on base percentage and .375 slugging percentage. He picked up 13 RBI and stole a pair of bases. On the mound, he saw 28.1 innings of work getting six starts where he recorded 25 strikeouts while allowing just 11 earned runs for a 2.72 ERA and holding opposing batters to a .238 batting average.
Dodge Willms, BSE – Willms, a sophomore, quietly put together a solid year for the Bombers. After hitting .256 in the Fall with 5 RBI and 8 runs scored and a single stolen base, Willms would hit .321 in the Spring with a .449 on base percentage, 7 RBI 12 runs scored and he racked up 8 stolen bases, ending the year with a .295 batting average. Called upon as the number two starting pitcher, Willms worked 21.1 innings in the Fall and another 22.1 innings in the Spring as he pitched in 19 games and started 11 of them. Willms recorded 42 strikeouts.
Kale Hardimon, CHBC – Despite only playing in half of the Bobcats Spring games after a full Fall season, Hardimon put up a strong showing for the year. Hardimon turned it on late in the Fall and hit .256 with 9 RBI and six runs scored. He put in 13.1 innings of work on the mound with a 1-0 record, 14 strikeouts, 2.63 ERA and a .204 opponents batting average. In the Spring, Hardimon made the most of his time hitting .360 with a .484 OBP and .440 slugging percentage. With another 7 innings of work on the mound, 13 strikeouts and four runs allowed, none earned, he had an ERA of 0.00. Combined for the year, Hardimon hit .297 with 12 RBI, 10 runs scored and three stolen bases. On the mound he worked a total of 20.1 innings with a 1-1 record, 27 strikeouts and just five earned runs for a 1.74 ERA.
Jack Lewis, Vandalia – The junior infielder and pitcher was a steady presence for the Vandals in the middle infield and on the mound this Spring. Lewis would hit .270 with a .393 on base percentage and .365 slugging percentage as he tallied 9 RBI, 12 runs scored and seven stolen bases. On the mound he worked 30.1 innings this Spring, pitching in 13 games and starting three of them. He earned a 2-0 record and picked up three saves while recording 27 strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA after allowing 13 earned runs.
Our “Best Of” Presented by FNB Community Bank
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