Joshua’s season ended one game short of qualifying for the postseason, but the Owls had solid representation on the District 8-4A baseball team.
Junior outfielder Jordan Allen was named the district’s offensive player of the year and senior catcher Cayden Cunniff claimed the award for the top defensive player.
One of Cunniff’s primary battery mates, senior pitcher Colton Turner, was selected as the pitcher of the year.
“Absolutely we were well represented on the team,” Joshua head coach Jason Bourgeois said. “We went down to that last game with Seguin with a possibility of four teams being tied for first place. We lost that game to Seguin, and lost the tiebreaker with Crowley or we would have been in the playoffs.”
The other superlative honors went to Stephenville senior Garrett Autrey, who was named the district’s most valuable player, and Mansfield Legacy sophomore Tanner Houston, who earned sophomore of the year accolades.
Joshua senior third baseman Austyn Ross earned the Owls’ other first team selection at the hot corner.
“The players love getting these awards, but I’m the first one there to let them know that they can’t get a big head about it because I’ll be there to shrink it back down,” Bourgeois said. “We hope it builds their confidence level because they are recognized for their accomplishments. Not for the awards they got, but for becoming better ballplayers.”
The district’s coaches selected five hurlers for the first team, led by Arlington Seguin senior Andrew Goodman and Stephenville senior Brad Picha. A pair of Granbury juniors, Jordan Blake and Jared Hickey, were selected for the first team, along with Mansfield Timberview freshman Taylor Perez.
Granbury had three other first teamers on the infield in junior catcher Tres Galvan, senior second basemn Sam Riley and senior shortstop Jack Mabe.
Legacy sophomore Zack Frakes was chosen at first base for the first team.
Everman junior Iban Guzman was named the first team designated hitter and Crowley senior Tino Elexa was the first team utility player.
Four of the five first team outfielders were seniors, as Timberview’s duo of Rustin Thomas and Chase Walker joined Stephenville’s Daniel Nolan and Legacy’s Zack Muscanere in the outfield.
Seguin junior Shawn Smith was the lone underclassmen chosen in the outfield.
Crowley led the selections for the second team pitching staff, as seniors Ryan Lynch and Rafeal Pineda earned spots on the team.
Granbury senior Cody Daffan, Seguin senior Jovan Vargas and Legacy senior Carlton Brown rounded out the second team pitching staff.
Crowley senior Tyler Wierzbicki was the second team catcher, with Everman senior Randy Jacobs at first base, Stephenville senior Nick Young at second base, Joshua sophomore Taylor Howard at shortstop and Granbury senior Blake Balderaz at third base.
Crowley senior Jordan Johnson and Legacy junior Noah Syndergaard were the second team designated hitters, while Everman senior Lee Rhodes was the utility player.
Joshua sophomore Blake Ballard joined a trio of seniors — Granbury’s Matt Hannagan, Legacy’s Jason Thompson and Everman’s Noel Davila — on the second team, along with Timberview freshman Charles Taylor.
“Blake and Taylor are hard-nosed baseball players,” Bourgeois said. “They came in and earned their starting position and they earned what they got on the team. I’m proud of those guys. To make the all-district team as a sophomore is amazing. Taylor was a good hitter for us and Blake went 4-1 on the mound.”
Granbury head coach Brad Hart and Stephenville’s Steve Carrol shared coach of the year honors.
Sports
Joshua earns 3 superlative honors on District 8-4A team
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