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Fairhope Among 6A
Favorites
By KEVIN ASKELAND -
MaxPreps.com
Originally Posted Online At:
http://www.maxpreps.com/news/wcdxAR2MEd-UswAcxJTdpg/alabama--auburn,-russell-county,-fairhope-among-6a-favorites.htm
Fairhope,
AL (February 19, 2010) -- The competition at the 6A
level of Alabama high school baseball should be fierce this
year, with as many as four teams viewed as viable candidates
for the state title.
Incumbent Auburn figures to be
the favorite thanks to the return of four all-state players,
but teams from Russell County, Fairhope and Wetumpka all
have the star power necessary to make a run at the crown.
Following is a look at the favorites to win the state
championships in each of the six classes for the state of
Alabama.
6A
There figure to be plenty of
teams in contention for the 6A state championship this year,
starting with defending champion Auburn (Auburn, Ala.).
State coach of the year Matt
Cimo returns son Tanner at second base after he won
all-state honors last season. He’s joined by all-state
honorable mention pick Drew Eiland at pitcher, junior Grant
Massey at third base and senior Todd Thompson in the
outfield.
Russell County (Seale, Ala.)
took an unexpected early exit from the 6A playoffs, falling
in the first round. However, all-state shortstop Tyler Dial
returns along with an impressive pitching staff that
includes John Mark Ramsey and Jay Shaw. First baseman Austin
Jamieson also returns to give the team some clout.
Fairhope (Fairhope, Ala.)
and Wetumpka (Wetumpka, Ala.) figure to challenge thanks to
the return of two of the nation’s best players. Darryl
Norris of Fairhope was the state MVP and was also the hitter
of the year in the state. He’s joined by all-state teammate
Evan East at catcher. Wetumpka, meanwhile, returns one of
the nation’s best outfielders in Reggie Golden.
5A
No team in the country won more
games than Hartselle’s 51 en route to the 5A state
championship. All-state standouts Luke Bolle and Chad Girodo
have graduated, but Ryan Joy remains in the outfield after
earning honorable mention all-state status.
Hartselle (Hartselle, Ala.)
defeated both Cullman (Cullman, Ala.) and Southside
(Gadsden, Ala.) en route to the state title and both of
those teams will be in the mix again this year. Cullman
returns all-state pick Matthew Britton at second base while
Southside Gadsden welcomes back all-state designated hitter
Muggsy Howard and honorable mention pick Bradley Raulsten at
utility.
4A
Haleyville (Haleyville, Ala.)
held off Thomasville (Thomasville, Ala.) in three games to
win its first 4A state title. Coach Todd McNutt was named
the state coach of the year last season and he has a
talented pair returning in all-state pitcher Ryan Forester
and all-state catcher Judson Sherrill.
Alabama Christian Academy
(Montgomery, Ala.) might have the best chance to make a run
at Hayleyville thanks to the return of three all-state
players. Dillon Patterson is back at second base while
Jordan Creel returns in the outfield and junior Chase Davis
is back as a utility player. Alabama Christian fell to
Thomasville in the semifinals.
3A
For the first time in five years
Alabama had a team other than Hokes Bluff (Hokes Bluff,
Ala.) win the 3A state championship. Madison Academy
(Madison, Ala.) turned the trick in 2009 with a sweep of
Trinity in the state finals.
Madison Academy looks loaded
again with four returning all-state winners in the lineup.
Stafford Booth was an all-state utility player while junior
pitcher Drew Mobley, junior second baseman Jared Brinson and
senior outfielder Jordan Kerr all earned honorable mention
status.
Sylvania (Sylvania, Ala.) could
supply the toughest competition for the defending champs.
Junior pitcher Jacob Croft, the 3A state MVP and pitcher of
the year, returns along with junior all-state outfielder
Colt Buttram.
2A
After two straight
championships, Leroy (Leroy, Ala.) fell to American
Christian Academy (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) in the 2A finals last
year. The 2A championship was the first for American
Christian, which had won a pair of titles at the 1A level in
2005 and 2006.
Leroy will be without MaxPreps
All-American Clint Moseley, who led Leroy teams to five
state titles combined in football and baseball during his
high school career. However, the 2A state hitter of the
year, junior Ajay Snow, is back in the lineup for the Bears
along with senior utility Phillip Ervin.
American Christian may be the
team to beat again this year, however. Dillon Williams, the
state MVP as a sophomore last year, is back after going 13-0
last season with a 0.42 ERA and 126 strikeouts. He’s joined
by junior all-state backstop Marc Sullivan.
1A
Brantley (Brantley, Ala.)
defeated Sweet Water (Sweet Water, Ala.) in two games last
year for the state championship and it has a pair of
all-state players returning to lead the charge to a second
state title.
Jared Hall earned all-state
honors at first base while Chase Hall made the honor squad
as a designated hitter. Brantley will have to replace state
MVP Anthony Gulley, who anchored the team at shortstop.
One team to challenge Brantley’s
hold on the top spot is 2008 champion Athens Bible (Athens,
Ala.). With all-state pitcher Jesse Gibson returning along
with honorable mention all-state pick A.J. Price, Athens
Bible has one of the best pitching staffs in the 1A
division.
Sweet Water made the state
finals last year despite fielding a relatively young team.
Outfielder Chris Landrum earned all-state honors as a
sophomore while designated hitter Michael Thompson made the
team as a freshman. |
