Player of the Year
Michael Dominguez, Sr., Abernathy
Whether he was pitching, playing shortstop or batting leadoff, Dominguez was the driving force behind Abernathy’s District 3-2A title and run to the regional quarterfinals. He went 7-3 on the mound with one save, a 1.87 ERA and 95 strikeouts, and also batted .400 with eight doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
Pitcher of the Year
Casey Berryman, Jr., Shallowater
Berryman was among the Mustangs’ leading hitters with a .459 average, 10 extra-base hits, 43 runs scored and 42 RBIs. He also was the ace of their pitching staff. The hard-throwing right-hander finished the year 10-3 with a 2.51 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 67 innings, pitching two shutouts and eight complete games.
Coach of the Year
Kenny Border, Shallowater
Border was promoted from assistant to head coach less than two weeks before the season, when Shallowater ISD suspended Mike Eckles from his coaching duties. The middle school principal made the most of a less-than-ideal situation, guiding the Mustangs to a 23-9 record and an appearance in the regional quarterfinals.
Pitchers
Josh Merrifield, Jr., Littlefield
Along with being the Wildcats’ leading run-producer with 19 RBIs, Merrifield was their go-to guy on the mound. The right-hander went 5-2 with one save, a 3.07 ERA and 57 strikeouts against 23 walks, leading Littlefield back to the playoffs. Opponents batted only .204 against Merrifield.
Jared Skipworth, Sr., Muleshoe
Skipworth, who was Muleshoe’s quarterback in the fall, also put his right arm to good use in the spring. He carried the Mules to a second-place tie in District 2-2A, finishing the year 6-4 with one save, a 2.58 ERA and seven complete games. The 2-2A pitcher of the year struck out 84 batters in 621/3 innings and threw a no-hitter.
Caden Whitley, Jr., Roosevelt
The right-handed Whitley was a true ace, accounting for all seven of Roosevelt’s wins in District 3-2A. He finished 8-2 with two saves, a 3.60 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 581/3 innings, pitching seven complete games in eight starts. Whitley also hit .345 with nine doubles, three home runs, 22 RBIs and 27 runs scored.
Catcher
Steven Barbee, Sr., Abernathy
A top-notch defensive catcher, Barbee boasted a .975 fielding percentage and threw out 11 of the 21 runners who tried to steal against him. He also provided most of the pop in the Antelopes’ offense, batting .395 with team highs of seven home runs, 24 RBIs, 31 runs scored and 16 walks. He tied for the team lead with 12 steals.
Utility players
Kason Garner, Sr., Denver City
Garner filled several defensive roles for Denver City, playing multiple infield positions, catcher and pitcher. And he hit no matter where he was. Garner batted .364 with a .500 on-base percentage and .788 slugging percentage, racking up 10 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBIs. He also scored 19 runs.
Clint Windham, Sr., Post
One of Post’s leading pitchers also spent time behind the plate and in the outfield. Windham was the most dangerous hitter in the Antelopes’ lineup, too. He batted .394 with team highs of four home runs, five triples and 30 RBIs in only 22 games, leading Post to six wins in District 3-2A play.
Outfielders
Garrett Gunn, Sr., Idalou
The left-handed Gunn manned right field for the Wildcats and was their offensive leader, leading the team to a fourth-place finish in District 3-2A. He hit .384 with four doubles, two triples and a home run, scoring 20 runs in 18 games and driving in 10 more. Gunn also drew 12 walks while striking out only eight times.
Blade Onofre, Sr., Littlefield
Onofre was a star in center field, snagging 30 fly balls, throwing out a runner and committing just two errors. He also was an offensive force, batting .350 with nine extra-base hits, 19 runs scored and 11 RBIs. The fleet-footed Onofre led Littlefield with six stolen bases in as many attempts.
Michael Ratheal, Jr., Shallowater
The speedy Ratheal committed only two errors and recorded an assist in center field, and he stole 11 bases offensively. He also provided plenty of production toward the bottom of Shallowater’s lineup, hitting .483 with 12 extra-base hits, including four home runs. Ratheal scored 29 runs and drove in 26 more.
First baseman
Tanner Foley, Jr., Littlefield
Foley posted a .970 fielding percentage at first base, and he was one of the heaviest hitters in Littlefield’s lineup. He led the Wildcats with a .400 batting average and 10 doubles in the middle of the order, and he also cranked a home run, scored 10 times and drove in 15 runs. Foley struck out only eight times all season.
Second baseman
Justin Jones, Jr., Shallowater
Jones committed only three errors in the field and anchored an offense that averaged more than 10 runs per game. He led Shallowater with a .512 batting average, .976 slugging percentage, 13 doubles, four triples and 44 RBIs. Jones also tied for the team lead with six home runs, scored 39 runs and struck out only four times.
Third baseman
Jake Reid, Sr., Abernathy
Reid was a critical cog in Abernathy’s lineup, helping the team win the District 3-2A championship and advance to the third round of the playoffs. He batted .342 with five doubles, three home runs and 15 runs scored, and Reid was second on the team with 17 RBIs. The senior struck out only eight times in 80 plate appearances.
Shortstop
Joseph Segura, Sr., Floydada
Segura was a solid defensive player and one of the leading pitchers for Floydada, which went undefeated in District 2-2A. He was also an absolute terror offensively. He batted .671 during the regular season with 10 doubles, seven triples and nine home runs. In 73 at-bats, Segura scored 38 runs and drove in 41.
Second Team
Pitchers: Brandon Basaldua, Jr., Floydada; Dilon Chancellor, Jr., Slaton; Gilbert Macias, Sr., Abernathy; Tyler Sturdivant, Fr., Shallowater
Catcher: Ryan Eckles, Jr., Shallowater
First baseman: Brent Turner, Jr., Idalou
Second baseman: Jeremy Garcia, Jr., Roosevelt
Third baseman: Deveron McKelvey, Jr., Littlefield
Shortstops: Caleb Conner, Sr., Muleshoe; Jordan Terry, Jr., Shallowater
Outfielders: Austin Lewis, So., Abernathy; Jaron Robertson, Jr., Shallowater; Jarrod Warnock, Jr., Roosevelt
Utility players: Jace Jones, So., Slaton; Odie Gray, Jr., Littlefield; Aaron James, Sr., Post
