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Wildcats stand atop All-RRV Baseball Team
By Van Hilburn
Published June 30, 2009
It was a dream baseball season for the Paris Wildcats, who fielded the best team in the Red River Valley in 2009.
It’s not surprising that they also carted home the top honors on the All-Red River Valley Baseball Team.
Wildcat senior pitcher Jon Mark Abbey and sophomore shortstop Chase Harvey were named Co-Most Valuable Players after helping their team to a 23-7 record, including a perfect 10-0 run through District 10-3A, and a trip to the state quarterfinal round.
Abbey was 5-5 on the mound, 2-0 in district, with a 2.97 ERA and 74 strikeouts. At the plate, he batted .402 on the season, including .433 in district.
“The first thing about Jon Mark is he really worked hard for four years. He made himself a good pitcher and had two good seasons for us on the mound,” said Paris High’s Bill Sikes, who was named RRV Coach of the Year. “But the best thing about both Jon Mark and Chase is their leadership ability.
In addition to his fielding prowess, Harvey was clutch at the plate all season, especially in the playoffs. He went 6-for-7 in the two-game quarterfinal series loss against Kennedale, hitting a triple, a double, walking once, scoring one run and getting an RBI. Harvey batted .480 during the season with 43 runs scored, 25 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .574.
“There’s not much this kid can’t do on a baseball field,” Sikes said of Harvey. “I mean he has great feet, great hands, good hand-eye coordination, and he’s a great hitter. He’s got all the skills that a baseball player needs.”
Wildcat sophomore Lance Fields garnered Newcomer of the Year. He was a perfect 9-0 on the mound before losing a game in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs. Fields struck out 69 and had an ERA of 1.83 in 49 innings pitched.
“Being just a sophomore, he was really thrown into the fire this year, but he kept coming through time and time again. He really stepped up for us on the mound. He never let the pressures of the big games get to him,” Sikes said of Fields.
Paris won 17 consecutive games during the regular season to break the school’s single-season record.
“That streak was something special and it’s something the kids will never forget,” Sikes said. “But we not only had good kids, we also had a great coaching staff. I know I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Paris was tested only twice during a perfect district run in which it outscored opponents 142-18, had a team batting average of 459 and an on-base percentage of .558. The Wildcats beat North Lamar 14-7 and 4-3 in what ended up being the closest games in district.
Cooper infielder, outfielder and pitcher Jonathan McGraw, who batted .349 with a homer and 30 runs scored, was named RRV Utility Player of the Year.
First Team pitchers in the RRV were North Lamar’s Canyon Conley, Josh White of Prairiland and Cooper’s Ty Huie. Huie tossed two no-hitters and had an ERA of 1.42, while also batting .366.
First Team infielders were Paris’ Dylan McEwin and Kyle Coston, North Lamar’s Cody Sellers, Cooper’s Lucas Lehman and Jacob Beeler, and Prairiland’s Tanner Connot.
First Team outfielders were Paris’ Kenny Wall, North Lamar’s Ryan White and Chevis Springer, Cooper’s Chris Ballard, and Rivercrest’s Chris Nichols.
2009 All-RRV Baseball Team
Co-MVPs: Jon Mark Abbey, Paris, sr.; Chase Harvey, Paris, soph.
Newcomer of the Year: Lance Fields, Paris, soph.
Coach of the Year: Bill Sikes
Utility Player of the Year: Jonathan McGraw, Cooper, jr.
FIRST TEAM
Infield: Dylan McEwin, Paris, jr.; Cody Sellers, North Lamar, sr.; Lucas Lehman, Cooper, soph.; Kyle Coston, Paris, soph.; Tanner Connot, Prairiland, jr.; Jacob Beeler, Cooper, soph.
Outfield: Kenny Wall, Paris, sr.; Ryan White, North Lamar, jr.; Chris Ballard, Cooper, jr.; Chris Nichols, Rivercrest, sr.; Chevis Springer, North Lamar, jr.
Pitchers: Canyon Conley, North Lamar, jr.; Josh White, Prairiland, sr.; Ty Huie, Cooper, soph.
SECOND TEAM
Infield: Tanner Baker, Paris, jr.; Zach McLamore, Prairiland, jr.; David Bozarth, North Lamar, jr.; Derek Jones, Chisum, sr.; Jordan Jent, Paris, sr.; Laytner Kennedy, North Lamar, soph.; Casey Moore, North Lamar, sr.
Outfield: Grant Chappell, Paris, sr.; Jacob McPherson, Cooper, sr.; Tyler Walston, North Lamar, jr.
Pitchers: Kaleb Jackson, Chisum, jr.; Logan Parsons, North Lamar, sr.; Payne Schuelke, Prairiland, jr.; Brady Kennedy, Rivercrest, soph.; Zach Johnson, North Lamar, sr.; Reed Bass, Paris, sr.
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