Hopkins County players dominate 17A baseball list
From Staff Reports
June 1, 2007 - Junior Bradley Ball helped pitch North Hopkins to a 9-1 district record and a berth in the regional semifinals, and for his efforts, Ball was crowned the District 17-A Most Valuable Player this week.
Ball, who caught or played infield when not pitching, was chosen by the district's coaches for the top award.
Hopkins County players, in fact, swept the district's superlative honors. Along with Ball, NH senior center fielder Jeremy Dixon shared the Offensive Player of the Year award with Saltillo sophomore Nolan Garmon. Cumby had two superlative winners: senior Jeffrey Smith as the Defensive Player of the Year and freshman Brixx Hawthorne as the Newcomer of the Year.
For Hawthorne, it was his second Newcomer of the Year award. He also won the honor in football.
NH head coach Brian Bymaster was voted as Coach of the Year.
North Hopkins, the district champion with a 9-1 record, had two other players on the First Team All-District, infielders Dustin Clements and Joe Smiddy.
Saltillo, which was the 17-A runner-up with an 8-2 record and area-round playoff appearance, also had two First Team players with sophomore pitcher Chase Carr and senior infielder Travis Thompson.
Cumby, the district's third-place team, had five First Team players and they will all be back next year. They are junior pitcher Chris Stanford, freshman catcher Tanner Gomez, freshman infielder Tim Cook, junior outfielder Jake Vann and sophomore designated hitter Jason Wallace.
Sulphur Bluff had three First Team players in junior pitcher James Reichle, sophomore outfielder Mason Littrell and junior utility player Michael Hale.
Hopkins County players on the Second Team included, from North Hopkins, senior pitcher A.D. Ramirez, freshman catcher Lorenzo Rivera, senior infielder Rickey Willis and senior outfielder Steven Crocker; for Cumby, senior infielder Putter Potts and sophomore outfielder Ryan Vaughn; for Saltillo, senior infielder Miles Payne and junior outfielder Derek McClure.
Below is the complete list of 17-A All-District baseball players:
Most Valuable Player - Bradley Ball, Jr., North Hopkins
Co-Offensive Players of the Year - Jeremy Dixon, Sr., North Hopkins; Nolan Garmon, So., Saltillo
Defensive Player of the Year - Jeffrey Smith, Sr., Cumby
Newcomer of the Year - Brixx Hawthorne, Fr., Cumby
Coach of the Year - Brian Bymaster, North Hopkins
First Team
Pitchers - James Reichle, Jr., Sulphur Bluff; Chris Stanford, Jr., Cumby; Chase Carr, So., Saltillo
Catcher - Tanner Gomez, Fr., Cumby
Infielders - Travis Thompson, Sr., Saltillo; Dustin Clements, Sr. North Hopkins; Joe Smiddy, Jr., North Hopkins; Dylan Combs, Sr., Campbell; Wesley Duke, So., Roxton; Tim Cook, Fr., Cumby
Outfielders - Jake Vann, Jr., Cumby; Stetson Bowerman, Jr., Campbell; Mason Littrell, So., Sulphur Bluff
Utility Player - Michael Hale, Jr., Sulphur Bluff
Designated Hitter - Jason Wallace, So., Cumby
Second Team
Pitcher - A.D. Ramirez, Sr., North Hopkins
Catcher - Lorenzo Rivera, Fr., North Hopkins
Infielders - Rickey Willis, Sr., North Hopkins; Putter Potts, Sr., Cumby; Miles Payne, Sr., Saltillo; Ryan Seale, Jr., Campbell; Alex Stevenson, Fr., Roxton
Outfielders - Steven Crocker, Sr., North Hopkins; Derek McClure, Jr., Saltillo; Ryan Vaughn, So., Cumby; Rickey George, So., Roxton
Honorable Mention
North Hopkins - Jy'darius Hawkins, Fr.; Dillon Mitchell, Fr.
Saltillo - Steven Mobley, Jr.; Cody Parris, So.; Maikel Groenewold, So.
Cumby - Devin Owen, So.
Sulphur Bluff - Colt Nichols, So.; Cody Austin, So.
