SJ-O, VG/Heritage and Oakwood spring athletes receive honors
By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
Six athletes from St. Joseph-Ogden received All-Area first-team accolades on spring-sport honor teams chosen by The News-Gazette in recent weeks.
Oakwood had one All-Area first-team representative.
Villa Grove/Heritage had spring-sport athletes earn recognition, but none on an All-Area first team.
For the third year in a row, shortstop Bailey Dowling headlined the All-Area team as the Player of the Year. The junior slugged 22 home runs, raising her IHSA career state record to 65. She had a .674 batting average.
One other SJ-O junior, catcher Hannah Dukeman, was also named to the All-Area first team for the third consecutive year. She batted .543 with 13 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
Senior outfielder Katie Poulter and junior pitcher/second baseman Zoey Witruk were special mention choices.
The honorable mention unit included SJ-O senior infielder Savannah Smith.
Senior pitcher/shortstop Kylie Neuman was accorded All-Area second-team honors.
Two other Comet seniors were chosen for the honorable mention team: first baseman/center fielder Paiton Frerichs and pitcher/third baseman Kerrigan Shafer.
Heritage softball
Senior utility player Gracyn Allen was picked for the All-Area special mention squad.
Junior pitcher/shortstop Aliya Holloman was an honorable mention pick.
St. Joseph Ogden baseball
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Crayton Burnett and senior pitcher/outfielder Adam Rose were each awarded All-Area first-team honors.
Burnett struck out 96 batters in 69 1/3 innings pitched while compiling an earned run average of 0.40. He batted .351. Rose batted .375 and stole 45 bases for a 27-9-2 team. He struck out 72 batters in 52 2/3 innings and registered an ERA of 1.99.
SJ-O had one All-Area second-teamer: junior pitcher/first baseman Keegan McCarty.
Junior pitcher/infielder Drew Coursey was chosen for the special mention unit while senior catcher Adam Frerichs was an honorable mention pick.
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Isaiah Ruch was selected to the 12-player All-Area second team.
The Comets had two representatives on the honorable mention list: junior pitcher/first baseman Elijah Harden and senior utility player Noah Ruch.
Senior pitcher/infielder Evan Wilson earned All-Area second-team mention.
Sophomore catcher Ryan Cheatham was named to the special mention list.
Teammates named in the honorable mention category were sophomore utility player Nick Coffin and senior outfielder Kane Davison.
St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ track and field
Two seniors and one sophomore were named to the All-Area honorable mention list.
Senior sprinters Lane Gaskin and Aiden Meyer were honored as was sophomore thrower Hayden Knott.
Two squad members were assigned to the All-Area honorable mention group.
Senior distance runner Cameron Helka and junior sprinter Cameryn Taylor were the Comets who were recognized.
Villa Grove/Heritage boys’ track and field
Junior thrower Chase Burwell was the program’s lone postseason choice. He earned a spot on the all-Area honorable mention list.
St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ track and field
The Spartans had two first-team and two second-team All-Area honorees.
The first-teamers were sophomore jumper and sprinter Atleigh Hamilton and senior sprinter Maclayne Taylor.
Hamilton is a two-time Class 1A state champion in the long jump and this spring also ran a leg on the state-winning 800-meter relay.
Taylor was a four-event state placer, including running the anchor leg on the triumphant 800-meter relay. She ran legs on two other state-placing relays and was a medalist individually in the 100 meters.
Junior sprinters Hailey Birt and Danie Kelso were the SJ-O second-team picks.
Two Spartan distance runners, freshman Ashlyn Lannert and senior Rylee Sjuts, were part of the All-Area honorable mention list.
Oakwood girls’ track and field
All-stater Katelyn Young was one of 14 athletes chosen for the All-Area first team.
The junior was a state-medalist in the shot put. She placed third in Class 1A and broke the school record (43 feet, 5 inches) in her specialty.
Junior distance runner Grace Davis was chosen for the All-Area honorable mention team.
Villa Grove/Heritage girls’ track and field
The lone squad member to receive recognition was sophomore sprinter/jumper Meike Herbrandt. She was an honorable mention All-Area choice.
