Additionally, two Wildcats and three Colonels received honorable mention.
Woodland’s Robert Harris was named as a first team pitcher with teammates Camden McGill and Tyler Stringer receiving honorable mention.
Tyler Gates, Brandon Etheridge and Connor Law were named as second team all-star members while teammates Dalton Parham, Sam Ayers and Dylan Williams received honorable mention.
Both Corey Gochee, Woodland head coach, and Todd Eubanks, Cass head coach, said having so many players receive the honors provides recognition for all the work they have put in improving their games through the years.
“It says a lot for all our kids to get this honor,” Gochee said. “All I do is send in the stats. This is what the other coaches thought of our players in the two or three times they played against them.
“It’s an honor for them to be named, especially in this region. We had four teams who made it to the state’s Sweet 16 and one team is still in the playoffs. That says a lot about the caliber of teams we play all season.”
Gochee said Harris played a hard-nosed brand of ball for the Wildcats.
“He’s a ball player, the type of kid you wish you had a bunch of,” Gochee said. “He is a Division I-type player and he signed to play with a Division I school [College of Charleston]. His numbers speak for themselves. He’s a hard-nosed kid and he gets after it.”
The coach said just having Harris on the mound made the Wildcats more focused throughout the season. “They knew he wouldn’t give up, and they would try to scratch us up some runs. You could see their focus and the approach they had [when he pitched].”
Harris, whose fast ball was in the 90s, also helped his own cause on the mound. “With just his velocity, he could get a lot of kids out.”
The hurler also helped his own cause at the plate. “He was our career leader in almost every offensive category,” Gochee said. “Last year he hit almost .500 with a lot more protection around him. This season he hit .405., led us in home runs, doubles and RBIs. He’s the type of kid who produces.”
Harris compiled a 5-2 record with one save for the Wildcats, pitching in 11 games. His ERA was 2.06 with 67 strikeouts and 17 walks. At the plate, he was credited with 32 hits, 5 home runs, 28 RBIs and 22 runs.
He said McGill also was effective offensively as well as defensively.
“Camden, our shortstop, his job was to get on base,” he said. “He led us in stolen bases and hits. He set the table for us and made the plays defensively. He’s a hard-nosed kid. He plays with a different gear than most kids do.”
McGill tallied 35 hits, 13 RBIs, 9 doubles and scored 34 runs and stole 7 bases for the Wildcats.
He said Stringer played several roles, including his usual position at first base, and also as a pitcher.
“Tyler’s a kid who does what he’s asked to do for the team. He hit in the 4-hole and his job was to knock in runs for us. He was right behind Robert in RBIs. He gets in there and battles for it. He battles at the plate and sees a lot of pitches and then he waits for their pitcher to make a mistake and pounces on it.”
Stringer accounted for 26 hits, 21 RBIs, and 12 runs.
He said the two, who return next season, will likely get a lot of looks from scouts interested in them taking their game to the next level.
“The best thing about the other two is they’re coming back. We’ll miss Robert, but it’s an opportunity for someone else to step up.”
Eubanks said Law, who made second team infielder, helped the team at the plate.
“Connor led our team in about every offensive category we had,” the coach said. “He got the silver slugger award at our banquet.
Law scored 20 runs for Cass during the season, with 33 hits and 5 home runs. He also hit 15 doubles, knocked in 24 RBIs and coaxed 13 bases on balls from opposing pitchers.
He said Gates, named to the second team as an outfielder, contributed at numerous positions to the Colonels. “Tyler was Mister Everything for us. He played anywhere we needed, in the outfield, infield and pitcher. He was our Golden Spike winner.”
At the plate, Gates was credited with 27 hits, 7 doubles, 4 home runs and 18 RBIs.
His mound work included appearances in a team high 13 games, compiling a 5-5 record with a 3.39 ERA.
Eubanks said Etheridge, also named to the second team as an outfielder, was a solid player all season but kept working to improve. “He came on strong at the end of the year for us.”
Etheridge tallied 26 hits, including 8 doubles, and had 12 RBIs. He drew 11 bases on balls and stole five bases. He appeared on the mound in nine games, with 2 saves, and an ERA of 3.45.
Parham scored 17 runs for Cass while garnering 29 hits and 15 RBIs. He drew 12 walks.
Ayers accounted for 29 hits, 21 runs, 12 walks and 15 RBIs.
Williams accumulated 25 hits, 11 runs, 9 walks and 20 RBIs.