Prep Baseball- The Southeast Conference (SEC) has released their All-Conference list for the baseball season with Mt. Pleasant and Fort Madison each advancing to their respective Class 3A Substate semifinals, while Burlington locked up the SEC title and fifth since joining.
Player of the Year
To go along with the conference crown, Noah Krieger was also awarded with SEC Player of the Year honors. The senior was great at the plate and even better on the mound. His slash line of 0.354/0.474/0.392 all ranked within the top 20 of the conference, while his 25 RBIs ranked 6th most.
Yet, his pitching numbers were out of this world. His 1.47 ERA led the conference and even finished as the 29th best in Class 3A. Add in a 5-1 record on the mound in 47.2 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts and a WHIP of just 0.90 and you have the makings of this year’s SEC Player of the Year.
Burlington
The Grayhounds put three players on the First Team with DeAndre Taylor (Infield) and Austin Donahoe (Outfield) joining Krieger as a First Team pitcher, as Burlington turned in a 22-10 (12-3) record. Two of the best sluggers on the team, Taylor whacked four doubles, three triples, and a home run for 21 RBIs for the second-best slugging percentage in the SEC, while Donahoe led the SEC with four triples as he tabbed 26 RBIs.
Cohen Schroeder earned Second Team pitcher with his battery mate Kohl Lair. Michael Kantzavelos nabbed Second Team infield with CJ Chandler taking a spot in the outfield, while Adrian Perez-Hall found a spot as a utility. Perez-Hall went 3-5 on the mound with a 2.92 ERA, while slugging eight doubles. CJ Chandler’s 22 hit by pitches led the conference.
Honorable Mention: Brody Guernsey
Fairfield
The Trojans were all about offense in a team full of seniors, resulting in six finding a spot on the First Team, as the Trojans went 18-14 (11-4). Despite being known for their offensive fire power, Dain Burkhart claimed a spot as First Team Pitcher. The reigning SEC Player of the Year touted the 4th best ERA in the conference with a 2.25 as he posted eight wins in 10 starts in 46.2 innings thrown with 35 strikeouts.
Aiden Westercamp, the main catcher for Fairfield, made the First Team as he posted a 0.981 fielding percentage to go along with 32 RBIs and a conference leading 10 doubles. Voss Richardson found a spot in the infield with a 0.404 batting average, which was aided by three home runs. The outfield was patrolled by two First Teamers in Ethan Bisgard and Archer Kreuter.
Bisgard led the conference with 28 stolen bases, while posting a slash line of 0.435/0.509/0.576 for 25 RBIs. Kreuter led the conference in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, home runs (tied with Richardson), triples, and finished second in walks. Utter dominance at the plate displayed by the senior.
Lastly, Jaxon Coleman found a spot on the First Team as a utility. Coleman led the conference in putouts and posted the third-most RBIs in the SEC with 29, as the sophomore displayed tremendous pop with the bat, blasting four doubles, two triples, and two home runs.
Dayson Workman (Infield) and Jacob Crew (Outfield) located spots on the Second Team. Crew knocked in 20 RBIs, while Workman posted a 0.457 on-base percentage.
Honorable Mentions: Owen Adam and Chase Countryman
Washington
An 0-7 start to the season should have spelled disaster for the Demons, but Washington logged a 9-6 record against the SEC to finish the season 9-16. A big reason for that turnaround was Blayze Richardson, who earned First Team infield. Richardson—who was missing from those seven games—batted 0.311 and reached base over 50% of the time for 18 RBIs, which finished second on the team. He also posted a 1.52 ERA with 22 strikeouts, which was second best in the SEC.
Joining Richardson was Ethan Peebler as utility. The junior posted the 7th highest batting average in the SEC and walked more than he struck out. Isaac Medrano made the Second Team in the infield, as he led the team with 19 RBIs.
Honorable Mentions: Tyrese Wright and Kyler Williams
Mt. Pleasant
Panther head coach Brent Broeker said at the end of the year if his team could get to 0.500 for the season, then it was a success. Mt. Pleasant concluded the season with a postseason victory over Burlington, while going 16-14 (9-6) for the year with a young core. Additionally, a 4-0 win over Mediapolis secured coach his 400th career victory.
Both members of the First Team are slotted to be back next season in Grayson Lowery (pitcher) and Ethan Peck (infield). Lowery had another fantastic season on the mound with a 2.55 ERA (5th in the SEC) with 73 strikeouts (1st in the SEC), as the ace went 7-3 in 10 starts.
Peck was just one of nine Panthers to go from non-starter to batting over 0.300 for the season, as he led the team with a 0.319 average. He was tied for the team lead in RBIs with 20, as he also walked 18 times.
Kaden Schadt (infield) and Jaymisen Rich (utility) earned spots on the Second Team. Schadt had the first home run of the season, as he joined Peck on the list of Panthers to bat over 0.300 in the first year starting. Rich tied for the team lead in RBIs, as he slapped five doubles for a 0.312 batting average.
Honorable Mentions: Alek Barton—winning pitcher in Broeker’s 400th career win—and Tayten George
Fort Madison
Honorable Mentions: Stefan Berlett and Reece Huey
Keokuk
Honorable Mentions: Memphis Anderson and Micah Haage
First Team All-SEC
Pitcher
Noah Krieger (SR) Burlington
Dain Burkhart (SR) Fairfield
Grayson Lowery (JR) Mt. Pleasant
Catcher
Aiden Westercamp (SR) Fairfield
Infield
Voss Richardson (JR) Fairfield
Blayze Richardson (JR) Washington
DeAndre Taylor (JR) Burlington
Ethan Peck (JR) Mt. Pleasant
Outfield
Ethan Bisgard (JR) Fairfield
Archer Kreuter (SR) Fairfield
Austin Donahoe (SR) Burlington
Utility
Ethan Peebler (JR) Washington
Jaxon Coleman (SO) Fairfield
Second Team All-SEC
Pitcher
Cohen Schroeder (SO) Burlington
Caden Rehm (8th) Fort Madison
Grayson Walker (JR) Mt. Pleasant
Catcher
Kohl Lair (SR) Burlington
Infield
Kaden Schadt (SO) Mt. Pleasant
Dayson Workman (SR) Fairfield
Isaac Medrano (Sophomore) Washington
Michael Kantzavelos (SR) Burlington
Outfield
CJ Chandler (SR) Burlington
Caden Zaugg (JR) Burlington
Jacob Crew (SR) Fairfield
Utility
Owen Huffman (SO) Fort Madison
Jaymisen Rich (SR) Mt. Pleasant
Adrian Perez-Hall (SR) Burlington