Baseball doles out postseason awards

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Pioneers who were recognized with team awards. Front row, from left, are Jacob Bratcher, Jared Qualls and Coty Grissom. Back row, Todd Gilley and Clint Newman. (Rob Nunley photos)

The Pioneer baseball team officially closed its 2005 season Monday night, with its traditional fathers-vs.-sons softball game, followed by a cookout and awards presentation.

The action began on the diamond, with WCHS coaches and players’ fathers holding their own for much of their softball matchup, only to fall in the end thanks to a big inning by the players, who avenged last year’s loss with a 13-8 victory.

Prater’s Barbecue provided Monday night’s meal, and once everyone had eaten their fill, head coach J.W. Holt and his staff presented awards to several members of this year’s squad.

Four members of the 2005 Pioneers earned All-district honors from District 7-AAA. Sophomore Derrin Rogers, as well as seniors Tyler Herriman and Dylan Stephens, were named to the All-district team, while junior Colby Killian was named the 7-AAA Pitcher of the Year.

Stephens was recognized for exhibiting excellence both on the field and in the classroom, as he received the Hilda Lowry Memorial Award. Fellow senior Todd Gilley was chosen by his teammates as the Pioneer who showed the most dedication to the program over his four-year career, winning the J.K. Stanley/Opie Morris Award.

Coty Grissom earned this year’s Pioneer Coaches’ Award, while Herriman was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year and catcher Jacob Bratcher took home Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season.

Gatorade sponsored three of the team’s awards, including Rookie of the Year, which went to freshman Clint Newman. The Will to Win award went to senior Jared Qualls, while the Player of the Year award went to Killian.

At the conclusion of the awards ceremony, seniors Gilley, Stephens, Tyler Daniel, Landon Boren, Qualls and Herriman were presented with their game jerseys in commemorative frames, and the Pioneer coaching staff — Holt, Jerry Martin, Darek Elrod and Dave Martin — received special recognition from WCHS booster club president Marty Powers.