Hicks selected MVP of All-Orange Leader Baseball Team

[KFDM COOP]

Hicks selected MVP of All-Orange Leader Baseball Team

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

The Orange Leader covered some talented teams and players to say the least in 2009.

Four teams made the playoffs with the Bridge City Cardinals making it all the way to the regional semifinials and the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears and Orangefield Bobcats getting to the regional quarterfinals.

The Bears finished second in the always tough District 20-4A behind the Nederland Bulldogs who were still competing this weekend.

Once again the Cardinals were the last team standing for The Orange Leader after Bridge City captured the District 21-3A title and fell to the Spring Hill Panthers in the semifinals.

Orangefield made its first playoff trip under Jeff Bennett in 2009 and made quick work of Liberty in the bi-district round. The Bobcats had a bye through the area around before taking on Bridge City.

Deweyville finished third in its district and due to alignment in the UIL, the Pirates jumped all the way to the area round where it lost to New Waverly.

So without further ado here are the guys who were selected to the 2009 All Orange Leader Baseball Team:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Matt Hicks, Bridge City

Hicks was the leader of the Bridge City Cardinals this season as a junior on the hill. He posted a 1.25 ERA in 78 1/3 innings and struck out 126 batters with only 18 walks. He gave up a total of 14 earned runs and was 13-2 on the season with three saves and 22 appearances. Hicks had a .372 batting average to lead the team and also had 35 runs with 20 RBI and was on base 54-percent of the time.

OFFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Tim Barry, LC-M

Barry set a school record this season with 57 hits at a high school known for its baseball offense. Barry struck for 10 home runs and 38 RBI in the leadoff spot for the Bears who placed second in District 20-4A and advanced to the regional quarterfinals. Barry hit at .467 in his senior campaign and was on base 58-percent of the time. Barry’s slugging percent was .811 on the season.

DEFENSIVE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Jacob Felts, Orangefield

This senior-to-be can do it all. Felts is simply a beast behind the plate and when called upon can be a shutdown pitcher as well. Felts had a 1.25 ERA and a 7-2 record with one save while striking out 47 batters. Felts is also praised for his work at the plate where he batted .471 with 38 RBI, six home runs and 14 doubles.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Grant Encalade,

Bridge City

It is sometimes hard to put a senior as a newcomer but in his first full season on varsity, Encalade batted .360 with 17 RBI and five doubles. Encalade only struck out three times all season and was on base with an average of .414. The highlight of his season came when Encalade had back-to-back game winning hits in back-to-back at bats.

UTILITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jace Statum, Orangefield

Statum can do it all. He hit .462 on the season with 49 runs, 26 RBI and 13 doubles and four homers. Statum carried a .588 on-base percentage and .779 slugging percentage in his leadoff spot. The junior was 22-of-25 when trying to swipe bases. Statum was 6-3 on the hill with a 2.57 ERA with 66 strike outs and one save.

COACH OF

THE YEAR

Chad Landry, Bridge City

It is hard enough to win a district championship and Landry did it in his first season with the Cardinals. The Cardinals only lost one game in 21-3A play and reached the regional semifinals. Landry changed a lot of philosophies with the Cardinals and it worked throughout the season. Props are also given to Jesse Riojas who turned the WO-S Mustangs into a contender after winning two games last season. The Mustangs once again have a bright future ahead of them with Riojas calling the shots.

FIRST TEAM

P: Shane Waddell, LC-M; Seth Williams, Deweyville

1B: Chase Angelle, Orangefield

2B: Eric Matthews, Bridge City

SS: Stefan Cloeren, LC-M

3B: Blake Hubbard, Bridge City

OF: Zach Peevey, Orangefield

OF: Luke Rhodes, Bridge City

OF: Matt Johnson, LC-M

C: Stefan Leger, LC-M

DH: Dylan Mulhollan, Bridge City

UTL: Taylor Thompson, LC-M

SECOND TEAM

P: Dallas Brown, LC-M, Cody Hodge, WO-S

1B: Clayton Gearhart, WO-S

2B: Joe Robertson, Bridge City

SS: Josh Watson, Orangefield

3B: Wade Estes, LC-M

OF: Derrick Evans, Orangefield

OF: Anthony Cessac, Bridge City

OF: Caleb Kellogg, Bridge City

C: Jordan Darnall, WO-S

DH: Quinton Evans, Orangefield

UTL: Keeton Addison, Deweyville

[Rockin A]

First, congrats to those kids who made this list.  Seeing your name on any list is kind of cool, however, and please don't take this the wrong way, but here is what I see when I look at this list:  4 schools considered...10-11 every-day positions from each school = 40 to 44 players to choose from.  This list shows 29 players chosen!  Just my opinion, but I think it may be a little overkill.

I know some will think my opinion takes away from the kids, but I believe the additional 15 or so excess selections diminish those top 14 who deserve to be recognized.

[sportsallday]

First, congrats to those kids who made this list.  Seeing your name on any list is kind of cool, however, and please don't take this the wrong way, but here is what I see when I look at this list:  4 schools considered...10-11 every-day positions from each school = 40 to 44 players to choose from.  This list shows 29 players chosen!  Just my opinion, but I think it may be a little overkill.

I know some will think my opinion takes away from the kids, but I believe the additional 15 or so excess selections diminish those top 14 who deserve to be recognized.

Actually there are five but I guess Vidor didn't have any of the top 30 players.. 

[AggiesAreWe]

There are only 5 schools that the Orange Leader covers. They are:

LCM

WOS

Orangefield

Bridge City

Deweyville

[sportsallday]

There are only 5 schools that the Orange Leader covers. They are:

LCM

WOS

Orangefield

Bridge City

Deweyville

From last year...........

 

 

MVP : Casey Jackson, Bridge City

OFFENSIVE MVP: Chad Richard, LC-M

DEFENSIVE MVP: Matt Hicks, Bridge City

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Stefan Leger, LC-M

COACH OF THE YEAR: Billy Bryant, Bridge City

FIRST TEAM

P: Dallas Brown, LC-M

1B: Blake Snyder, Bridge City

2B: Jon Gunn, LC-M

SS: VJ Bunner, Vidor

3B: Tim Barry, LC-M

C: Jacob Felts, Orangefield

OF: Jason Clark, Bridge City

OF: Jace Statum, Orangefield

OF: Jaden Dillon, Bridge City

UTL: Joe Robertson, Bridge City

SECOND TEAM

P: Trae Hester, Vidor

1B: Chad Sims, VIdor

2B: Possum LaFleur, Orangefield

SS: Stefan Cloeren, LC-M

3B: Blake Hubbard, Bridge City

C: Larrry Williams, Vidor

OF: Ben Jones, LC-M

OF: Chase Adams, WO-S

OF: Will Fontnow, Vidor

UTL: Matt Johnson, LC-M

[AggiesAreWe]

I stand corrected.

[Gabe]

This season the only time I saw Vidor was against LCM and I never received stats about the Pirates in 2009. I went with the teams The Orange Leader covered this season.