LSWA names Jones Outstanding Player in Class B
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Choudrant lefty Braden Jones was named the Class B Outstanding Player by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
A pair of familiar faces returned to the top of Class B.
The Holden Rockets in softball and Choudrant Aggies in baseball each won LHSAA Class B titles in Sulphur.
As a result, their ace pitchers lead the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class B all-state teams. Holden’s Taylor Douglas and Choudrant’s Braden Jones were named the Most Outstanding Players by an LSWA panel.
Douglas had a phenomenal season. She was 26-8 record in the circle and batted .547 with an amazing 27 home runs and 61 RBIs. Jones was just as dominant on the hill with a 13-1 record to go along with 136 strikeouts in just 73 innings pitched. Offensively, he batted .350 with 33 RBIs.
Anacoco’s Richard Partridge (softball) and Monterey’s Eric Richard (baseball) claimed Coach of the Year honors.
Partridge guided the No. 9 Lady Indians to the Class B title game in his first year as a softball coach. Anacoco defeated No. 1 Forest along the way.
Richard took No. 20 Monterey to the Class B semifinals. The Aggies surrendered an unearned run on falling to eventual champion Choudrant, 1-0.
Jones spearheaded a Choudrant team that finished the season on a 29-game winning streak. He started all four of the Aggies’ playoff games — notching a win in each of them. He was as dominant as ever in the state championship game against Elizabeth — pitching seven innings, allowing four hits with no earned runs and nine strikeouts.
The remaining members of the all-state softball team were the Holden duo of Gracie Duffy (.466, 11 HRs, 49 RBIs) and Olivia Barnes (.514), Anacoco freshman Bailey Davis (.510, 42 RBIs), Fairview’s Rylee Cloud (.611, 11 HRs), Quitman’s Cali Deal (.500), the Florien duo of Lauren Dees (.454, 15 HRs) and Sarah McDaniel (.387, 21 wins pitching), University Academy’s Brooklyn Gremillion (.395), the Forest duo of Brooke Ross (.529) and Katie Rios (.495, 9 HRs), Converse standout Abby Rivera (.581, 49 RBIs), Zwolle’s Summer Faust (.419, 16 wins pitching), Madison Holmes of Stanley (.466), Pitkin’s Lauryn Longino (.423) and Choudrant’s Zoey Smith (.461).
Jones was joined on the boys’ squad by Choudrant teammate Brandon Carter (5-0, 5 saves, 97 Ks), the Elizabeth duo of Alex Chamberlain (11-4, 106 Ks) and Jason Gormanous (.495, 11 HRs, 44 RBIs), Anacoco senior Landry Alligood (.618, 8 HRs, 36 RBIs), Monterey’s Ethan Clark (1.50 ERA, 108 Ks), Grace Christian’s Luke Johnson (.483, 9 HRs, 51 RBIs), Quitman’s Luke Morgan (.481), Weston’s Davis Tolar (.351), Pitkin’s Ethan West (1.94 ERA, 5 saves), Florien’s Gage Remedies (.462, 41 RBIs), Oak Hill’s Sam Martin (.385), Singer’s Tate Hess (1.60 ERA, 109 Ks), Glenmora senior Cory Nolen (.382), Converse senior Matt Sessum (.479) and Fairview’s Landon Strother (6-3, 1.12 ERA).
