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Leesville, La. —
Although Oak Hill swept the Class B baseball and softball titles, Vernon Parish had its fair share of success this season on the diamond.
On the baseball side of things, Pitkin reached the second round, Hornbeck fell in the quarterfinals and Anacoco reached the state championship game before dropping a 6-2 decision to Oak Hill.
Two Class B softball teams — Pitkin and Simpson — reached the second round of the playoffs before losing to Oak Hill and Houma Christian, the state champions and runners-up, respectively.
As a result, Vernon Parish had a total of six players — three in softball and three in baseball — named first-team all-state in Class B as selected by a panel of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
The Indians, who were seeded at No. 21 entering the playoffs, upset three of the top five teams in the state en route to reaching the Class B finals, where they took a 2-0 lead before succumbing to Oak Hill.
Two Anacoco players — senior Ryan Bush and junior Kyle Hearn — earned first-team all-state distinction, while first-year head coach Robbie Bainer was in the running for Coach of the Year, where Oak Hill's Dobie Perkins was the recipient.
Bush, a shortstop for the Indians, batted .565 in the cleanup spot, while Hearn, a left fielder who batted third in the order, was responsible for a .543 average.
The third Vernon Parish baseball player named first-team all-state was Hornbeck catcher Christopher Soileau.
A senior, Soileau batted .534 on the season with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases in leading the Hornets to the state quarterfinals.
Hornbeck knocked off Grace Christian and district rival Pitkin en route to the quarterfinals, where the Hornets fell to Oak Hill.
The Pitkin Lady Tigers and Simpson Lady Broncos shared the District 5-B crown this season and were expected to be contenders for the Fast Pitch 56 State Tournament in Sulphur.
That was until the brackets were released, where coaches seeded Simpson at No. 12 and Pitkin at No. 19, meaning the Lady Broncos and Lady Tigers would face contenders Houma Christian and Oak Hill in the second round of the playoffs.
And although they were eliminated in the second round, the Lady Tigers landed a pair of first-team all-staters, while Simpson had one.
Pitkin is represented on the all-state team by senior catcher Kaleigh Kennedy and seventh-grade shortstop Amber McCallon.
Kennedy batted .520 during district play and .400 on the season as she more than doubled her batting average of a season ago. McCallon batted .400 out of the leadoff spot for the Lady Tigers and didn't make an error during district play.
Simpson sophomore Stephanie Averitt, a centerfielder, made first-team all-state with her .472 batting average and 22 stolen bases. She was the District 5-B Player of the Year, according to the coaches in the league.
Oak Hill landed three baseball and three softball players on the first team.
Jami Rachal, a senior shortstop and pitcher for the Rams, was named the Outstanding Player in Class B as he batted over .500, with 10 homers and 35 RBIs, while also being the ace of the Oak Hill staff, pitching all 10 innings in the Rams' semifinal win over Bethany Christian.
Rachal was joined on the first team by fellow senior Jeff Cook (.402) and freshman Micah Perkins (.442).
Amber Jarrell, Courtney Ivey and Courtney Barton were all repeat members of the Class B all-state team. Jarrell, the 2008 Class B Player of the Year, batted .411 this season and was 15-10 in the circle, while Ivey and Barton batted .336 and .398, respectively.
Grace Christian's Mike Hein, a former head soccer coach at Leesville High School, was named the Coach of the Year for the Class B softball team as he led the Lady Warriors to the state semifinals.
The Class B Outstanding Player award went to Houma Christian's Lauren Crowdus. She had a pitching record of 18-7 on the season, leading HCA to the state finals, where it lost to Oak Hill.
Teammates Lindsay Crowdus (.500) and Courtney Collie (.390) were also named first-team all-state.
The remaining members of the Class B all-state softball team were Grand Lake's Becca Monceaux, Stanley's Morgan Booker, Grace Christian's Jessica Wilmore, Negreet's Mary Nichols and the Forest trio of Jessi Paris, AnnaBeth Reardon and Hailey Gray.
The all-state baseball team was rounded out by the Zwolle duo of Kendal Williams and Jacob LaRoux, Stanley's Shaquille Thomas, Florien's Trent Partridge, Forest's Connor Matthews, Grace Christian's James Slater, Choudrant's Tyler Cobb, Maurepas standout Kade Scivicque and the Bethany Christian duo of Franky Hebert and Ben Myers.
Several local athletes were named honorable mention all-state on both the baseball and softball teams.
The Pitkin quartet of Trevor West, Kendal Abel, Justin Dowden and Jake Deason were honorable mention choices along with the Hicks' duo of Josh Gordy and Ryan Hagan, Simpson's Kade Martin, Hornbeck's Heath Smith, the Florien trio of Shain Erwin, Jonathan Burnett and Jason Brooks and Fairview's Lyndal Williams.
In softball, the Simpson trio of Taylor Ellzey, Mackenzie Kelly and Marci West were given honorable mention status, along with Hornbeck's Andrea Garrett, Pitkin's Ali Merchant and Hicks junior Amber Sumler.
Although Oak Hill swept the Class B baseball and softball titles, Vernon Parish had its fair share of success this season on the diamond.
On the baseball side of things, Pitkin reached the second round, Hornbeck fell in the quarterfinals and Anacoco reached the state championship game before dropping a 6-2 decision to Oak Hill.
Two Class B softball teams — Pitkin and Simpson — reached the second round of the playoffs before losing to Oak Hill and Houma Christian, the state champions and runners-up, respectively.
As a result, Vernon Parish had a total of six players — three in softball and three in baseball — named first-team all-state in Class B as selected by a panel of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
The Indians, who were seeded at No. 21 entering the playoffs, upset three of the top five teams in the state en route to reaching the Class B finals, where they took a 2-0 lead before succumbing to Oak Hill.
Two Anacoco players — senior Ryan Bush and junior Kyle Hearn — earned first-team all-state distinction, while first-year head coach Robbie Bainer was in the running for Coach of the Year, where Oak Hill's Dobie Perkins was the recipient.
Bush, a shortstop for the Indians, batted .565 in the cleanup spot, while Hearn, a left fielder who batted third in the order, was responsible for a .543 average.
The third Vernon Parish baseball player named first-team all-state was Hornbeck catcher Christopher Soileau.
A senior, Soileau batted .534 on the season with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases in leading the Hornets to the state quarterfinals.
Hornbeck knocked off Grace Christian and district rival Pitkin en route to the quarterfinals, where the Hornets fell to Oak Hill.
The Pitkin Lady Tigers and Simpson Lady Broncos shared the District 5-B crown this season and were expected to be contenders for the Fast Pitch 56 State Tournament in Sulphur.
That was until the brackets were released, where coaches seeded Simpson at No. 12 and Pitkin at No. 19, meaning the Lady Broncos and Lady Tigers would face contenders Houma Christian and Oak Hill in the second round of the playoffs.
And although they were eliminated in the second round, the Lady Tigers landed a pair of first-team all-staters, while Simpson had one.
Pitkin is represented on the all-state team by senior catcher Kaleigh Kennedy and seventh-grade shortstop Amber McCallon.
Kennedy batted .520 during district play and .400 on the season as she more than doubled her batting average of a season ago. McCallon batted .400 out of the leadoff spot for the Lady Tigers and didn't make an error during district play.
Simpson sophomore Stephanie Averitt, a centerfielder, made first-team all-state with her .472 batting average and 22 stolen bases. She was the District 5-B Player of the Year, according to the coaches in the league.
Oak Hill landed three baseball and three softball players on the first team.
Jami Rachal, a senior shortstop and pitcher for the Rams, was named the Outstanding Player in Class B as he batted over .500, with 10 homers and 35 RBIs, while also being the ace of the Oak Hill staff, pitching all 10 innings in the Rams' semifinal win over Bethany Christian.
Rachal was joined on the first team by fellow senior Jeff Cook (.402) and freshman Micah Perkins (.442).
Amber Jarrell, Courtney Ivey and Courtney Barton were all repeat members of the Class B all-state team. Jarrell, the 2008 Class B Player of the Year, batted .411 this season and was 15-10 in the circle, while Ivey and Barton batted .336 and .398, respectively.
Grace Christian's Mike Hein, a former head soccer coach at Leesville High School, was named the Coach of the Year for the Class B softball team as he led the Lady Warriors to the state semifinals.
The Class B Outstanding Player award went to Houma Christian's Lauren Crowdus. She had a pitching record of 18-7 on the season, leading HCA to the state finals, where it lost to Oak Hill.
Teammates Lindsay Crowdus (.500) and Courtney Collie (.390) were also named first-team all-state.
The remaining members of the Class B all-state softball team were Grand Lake's Becca Monceaux, Stanley's Morgan Booker, Grace Christian's Jessica Wilmore, Negreet's Mary Nichols and the Forest trio of Jessi Paris, AnnaBeth Reardon and Hailey Gray.
The all-state baseball team was rounded out by the Zwolle duo of Kendal Williams and Jacob LaRoux, Stanley's Shaquille Thomas, Florien's Trent Partridge, Forest's Connor Matthews, Grace Christian's James Slater, Choudrant's Tyler Cobb, Maurepas standout Kade Scivicque and the Bethany Christian duo of Franky Hebert and Ben Myers.
Several local athletes were named honorable mention all-state on both the baseball and softball teams.
The Pitkin quartet of Trevor West, Kendal Abel, Justin Dowden and Jake Deason were honorable mention choices along with the Hicks' duo of Josh Gordy and Ryan Hagan, Simpson's Kade Martin, Hornbeck's Heath Smith, the Florien trio of Shain Erwin, Jonathan Burnett and Jason Brooks and Fairview's Lyndal Williams.
In softball, the Simpson trio of Taylor Ellzey, Mackenzie Kelly and Marci West were given honorable mention status, along with Hornbeck's Andrea Garrett, Pitkin's Ali Merchant and Hicks junior Amber Sumler.
