BB: Carthage players dominate All-ET squads
All-East Texas Baseball team as selected by the Longview News-Journal.
Williamson has posted a 21-4 record over the past two seasons. (Photo by
John Krueger)
A number of Panola County baseball players, led by Carthage senior pitcher Gavin Williamson, were honored recently by being named to the All-East Texas Baseball Team, as selected by the sports staff of the Longview News-Journal. Here are the complete teams:
TOP PITCHER
GAVIN WILLIAMSON
Class — Senior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — Williamson led Carthage’s pitching staff for the second consecutive season, going 11-1 with a 1.77 earned run average, one save, 87 strikeouts, 21 walks, eight complete games and two shutouts in 75 1/3 innings pitched as Carthage went 25-9-1 and reached the Class 3A Region II quarterfinal round before falling to four-time defending Region II champion Pleasant Grove in a three-game series.
In the past two seasons, Williamson went 21-4 with a 1.39 ERA, 167 strikeouts, 34 walks, 19 complete games and five shutouts.
Carthage coach Jim Goldman — “He was 10-3 as a junior and 11-1 this year throwing against everyone’s best. He showed up every single time. Every time you handed him the ball you knew you were going to get a good performance. He’s a bulldog on the mound. He doesn’t give an inch. His strength is that he knows how to pitch. He throws strikes, but they are quality strikes, not in the heart of the plate. He works the corners well. He’s going to be missed.”
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NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
BEN HOLLAS
Class — Sophomore
Position — Center field
School — Spring Hill
By the numbers — Hollas occupied one of the top two spots in Spring Hill’s lineup the majority of the season, hitting .453 with one home run, 28 RBIs, two triples, three doubles, 43 runs scored and 18 stolen bases as the Panthers reached the Class 3A Region II semifinal round before falling to Argyle. He also finished the year with four outfield assists.
Spring Hill coach Joey Hector — “Ben comes to practice and works hard every day. He has that drive to be the best, and that’s why he is the player he is. When I saw him in the fall in football, I had a good idea how good he could be in center field. He had never played that position before, but just watching the way he conducted himself on the football field I felt like he was someone we needed out there. I think he is going to become a dominant offensive player down the road. He’ll be the kind of kid people pitch around and don’t want to see.”
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COACH OF THE YEAR
TRAVIS JACKSON
School — Overton
By the numbers — For the second time in three seasons, Jackson guided the Mustangs to the Class A state tournament. Jackson helped Overton navigate a tough Class A Region III en route to a state semifinal appearance before losing to No. 1 Blue Ridge. The Mustangs finished the season 28-9. Jackson is 134-54 in his career, including a 126-42 record at Overton. The Mustangs have gone 15-9, 20-4, 28-6, 27-6 and 28-9 during the past five seasons.
He said it — “We definitely exceeded expectaions. We lost nine seniors, including seven starters. I think it was a matter of some kids finally getting their time to shine a little and wanting to prove the doubters wrong. I pushed them. They wanted me to push them, and they responded. I knew the talent was there. It was a matter of getting them on the field and letting them work together. I pushed them, but I didn’t have to push too much. The kids stepped it up a notch in the playofs and won some games people didn’t think we could win, especially when we got down in the series against Cayuga and Garrison.”
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FIRST TEAM
PITCHERS
GUNNER BAKER
Class — Sophomore
School — Carlisle
By the numbers — Pitching: 13-3, 0.96 ERA, 160 strikeouts, 49 walks, 87 1/3 IP ... Hitting: .559, 3 HRs, 53 RBIs, 3 triples, 12 doubles, 44 runs, 40-for-42 steals ... 9 HRs, 100 RBIs, 10 triples, 32 doubles, 94 runs in 2010-11
KEITH BRENNER
Class — Senior
School — Pine Tree
By the numbers — Pitching: 9-2, 2.43 ERA, 71 strikeouts ... Hitting: .365, 3 HRs, 26 RBIs, 9 doubles
DYLAN BROWN
Class — Senior
School — Spring Hill
By the numbers — Pitching: 11-5, 2.41 ERA, 3 saves, 112 strikeouts, 39 walks, 93 IP ... Hitting: .394, 5 HRs, 43 RBIs, 1 triple, 11 doubles, 13 steals ... 9 HRs, 64 RBIs, 17 doubles, 30 steals in 2010-11
CATCHER
ZACH FLEET
Class — Junior
School — Spring Hill
By the numbers — .400, 3 HRs, 46 RBIs, 2 triples, 16 doubles ... 21 doubles in 2010-11
FIRST BASE
BLAISE WARRICK
Class — Senior
School — Hallsville
By the numbers — .350, 5 HRs, 27 RBIs, 2 triples, 10 doubles, 9-for-9 steals ... 7 HRs, 49 RBIs, 3 triples, 14 doubles, 18 steals in 2010-11
SECOND BASE
JUSTIN WINGFIELD
Class — Senior
School — Hallsville
By the numbers — .409, 4 HRs, 38 RBIs, 3 triples, 13 doubles, 54 runs, .691 slugging percentage, 9-for-9 steals ... .987 fielding percentage ... 7 HRs, 59 RBIs, 6 triples, 19 doubles, 14 steals in 2010-11
THIRD BASE
PRESTON INMAN
Class — Senior
School — Longview
By the numbers — .458, 2 HRs
SHORTSTOP
DERICK SMITH
Class — Senior
School — White Oak
By the numbers — .510, 8 HRs, 44 RBIs, 4 triples, 17 doubles ... 78 RBIs, 6 triples, 30 doubles in 2010-11
UTILITY
GARRETT McMULLEN
Class — Senior
School — Pine Tree
By the numbers — .437, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs, 8 doubles, .620 on-base percentage, 11 steals; played third base, shortstop, first base, catcher and outfield
OUTFIELDERS
J.C. DAILY
Class — Junior
School — Hallsville
By the numbers — .360, 24 RBIs, 5 triples, 6 doubles, 35 runs, 20-for-23 steals ... 55 RBIs, 15 doubles, 27 steals in 2010-11
MATTHEW DICKEY
Class — Junior
School — Kilgore
By the numbers — .460, 2 HRs, 35 RBIs, 5 triples, 7 doubles, 37 runs, 13 steals
TREY ROGERS
Class — Junior
School — Marshall
By the numbers — .426, 7 HRs, 30 RBIs, 1 triple, 8 doubles, .882 slugging percentage ... .975 fielding percentage
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SECOND TEAM
PITCHERS
ZACH BASSHAM
Class — Sophomore
School — Hughes Springs
By the numbers — Pitching: 9-4, 2.31, 1 save, 75 strikeouts, 11 walks, 6 complete games, 1 shutout, 72 2/3 IP ... Hitting: .410, 4 HRs, 30 RBIs, 2 triples, 13 doubles, 42 runs, 18-for-20 steals
ZACK DAMERON
Class — Senior
School — White Oak
By the numbers — 10-3, 2.09 ERA, 91 strikeouts, 33 walks, 76 2/3 IP
TYLER LYONS
Class — Senior
School — Harleton
By the numbers — Pitching: 9-2, 1.36 ERA, 3 saves, 91 strikeouts, 14 walks ... Hitting: .500, 6 HRs, 27 RBIs, 1 triple, 4 doubles ... 10 HRs, 57 RBIs in 2010-11
CATCHER
NICK HOSEY
Class — Senior
School — Hallsville
By the numbers — .333, 3 HRs, 20 RBIs, 4 doubles
FIRST BASE
BRANT BELLATTI
Class — Senior
School — Longview
By the numbers — .371, 3 HRs
SECOND BASE
JOEY HARRISON
Class — Junior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — .375, 26 RBIs, 2 triples, 15 doubles, 23 runs
THIRD BASE
RILEY TOLER
Class — Junior
School — Kilgore
By the numbers — .438, 2 HRs, 35 RBIs, 1 triple, 7 doubles, 21 runs
SHORTSTOP
JACOB BLISSETT
Class — Junior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — .299, 5 HRs, 33 RBIs, 3 triples, 13 doubles, 29 steals, 10-for-12 steals ... 29 steals in 2010-11
UTILITY
BRANDON ROBBINS
Class — Junior
School — Spring Hill
By the numbers — Hitting: .376, 20 RBIs, 6 doubles ... Pitching: 5-0, 5.97, 22 strikeouts, 9 walks, 34 IP ... played third base, second base and pitched
OUTFIELDERS
CLINT CAGE
Class — Junior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — .359, 5 HRs, 35 RBIs, 1 triple, 11 doubles, 32 runs ... 7 HRs, 55 RBIs in 2010-11
EVAN KOKENZIE
Class — Senior
School — Pine Tree
By the numbers — .400, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs, 17 steals
CHRIS JOHNSON
Class — Senior
School — West Rusk
By the numbers — .651, 5 HRs, 32 RBIs, 21 steals
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THIRD TEAM
PITCHERS
TYLER GREEN
Class — Senior
School — Hallsville
By the numbers — 8-1, 3.68 ERA, 55 strikeouts, 14 walks, 53 1/3 IP
BRIAN LANDRENEAUX
Class — Senior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — 7-2, 2.90 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 29 walks, 62 2/3 IP ... 16-2, 2.26 ERA, 134 strikeouts, 43 walks, 132 2/3 IP in 2010-11
AUSTIN McCASLAND
Class — Junior
School — Overton
By the numbers — 10-4
CATCHER
TYLER BOYD
Class — Senior
School — Daingerfield
By the numbers — .500, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs, 4 triples, 11 doubles, 25 runs, 14 steals ... 5 HRs, 28 steals in 2010-11
FIRST BASE
TRENT CARPENTER
Class — Senior
School — Overton
By the numbers — .393
SECOND BASE
DREW TIDWELL
Class — Senior
School — Jefferson
By the numbers — .466, 2 HRs, 22 RBIs, 9 doubles ... .977 fielding percentage ... 44 RBIs in 2010-11
THIRD BASE
AUSTIN WILLIFORD
Class — Junior
School — Carthage
By the numbers — .311, 3 HRs, 25 RBIs, 5 triples, 10 doubles, 23 runs, 8-for-10 steals ... 4 HRs, 47 RBIs, 7 triples, 18 doubles in 2010-11
SHORTSTOP
LUKE TURNER
Class — Junior
School — Gilmer
By the numbers — .481, 2 HRs, 18 RBIs, 12 doubles, 24 runs, 12 steals
UTILITY
TYLER RHODES
Class — Junior
School — Overton
By the numbers — Hitting: .434 ... Pitching: 7-1
OUTFIELDERS
ZACH BRIGHTWELL
Class — Freshman
School — Carlisle
By the numbers — .462, 2 HRs, 38 RBIs, 1 triple, 10 doubles, 47 runs, 14-for-16 steals
CODY HAWKINS
Class — Sophomore
School — Hughes Springs
By the numbers — .429, 1 HR, 19 RBIs, 1 triple, 11 doubles, 48 runs, 17-for-19 steals
DAVID MIMS
Class — Senior
School — Daingerfield
By the numbers — .524, 3 HRs, 21 RBIs, 14 doubles, 21 runs, 16 steals ... 29 steals in 2010-11
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HONORABLE MENTION
PITCHER - Talyn Cellucci, Jr., Spring Hill; Jose Garcia, Big Sandy; Dylan Longhofer, Sr., Gladewater; Skyler Mathis, Elysian Fields; Connor Reich, Fr., Hallsville; Brady Riley, West Rusk; Phillip Stuart, Longview.
CATCHER - Timmy Chhor, Sr., Carthage; Jantzen Foster, Sr., Hughes Springs; Jacob Marshall, Linden-Kildare; Lane Newton, Soph., White Oak; Andrew Ott, Sr., New Diana; Jeffery Price, Kilgore; Koe Wetzel, Sr., Pittsburg.
FIRST BASE - Drew Grider, Linden-Kildare; Colton Kincy, Spring Hill; Joe Leeves, Jr., Paul Pewitt.
SECOND BASE - Spencer Barton, Longview; Brett Foret, Soph., White Oak; Seth Jarman, Gladewater.
THIRD BASE - Bubba Jones, Sr., Hughes Springs; Hunter Voyles, Jr., Marshall; Spencer Wright, Jr., Overton.
SHORTSTOP - Johnny Arellano, Jr., Spring Hill; Ben Bode, Jr., Jefferson; Kyle Broussard, Tatum; Caleb Colley, Carlisle; Tyler Hutchings, Jr., Paul Pewitt; Donovan McGuire, Jr., New Diana; Justin Robertson, Big Sandy; Wesley Schoon, Harmony; Brandon Smith, Jr., Elysian Fields; Justin Stephens, Gladewater; Blaine Tomlinson, Longview.
UTILITY - Daniel Brown, Soph., New Diana; Matthew Byrd, Linden-Kildare; James Ellis, Big Sandy; Luke Laminack, Harmony; Luke Mack, Longview; Logan Vise, Linden-Kildare; Tanner Wright, Jr., Paul Pewitt.
OUTFIELD - Colten Allen, Soph., Beckville; Cory Caton, Gladewater; Andrew Doerrfeld, Longview; Austin Ferguson, Jr., White Oak; Skylar Hollis, Soph., Gilmer; Greg Martens, Spring Hill; Jabe Martin, Jr., Harleton; Hunter Owens, Soph., White Oak; Shadow Sanders, Soph., Carlisle; Billy Smith, Sr., Harleton; Adam Stacy, Sr., Hallsville; Brian Tomlinson, Longview; Jordan Traylor, Jr., Gilmer; Jared Twomey, Soph., Carthage.
This story will appear in the Panola Watchman.