Indians Land Three on Class AAA All-State First Team; Two on Second Team, Four Get Honorable Mention
By Chris Johnson on June 16, 2022 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
More than half of the first team for the Class AAA All-State Baseball quad come from teams that ended the season in the state tournament at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.
State champion Hurricane had three selections, as did Bridgeport, which saw its streak of consecutive championships (six in AA and one in AAA) end against the Hurricanes with a 3-2 semifinal loss in nine innings.
Jefferson was represented by a pair of players, including the first-team captain in Griffin Horowicz. George Washington, which defeated Jefferson in the semis and then lost to Hurricane in the title game, has one first-team player on the team, which was announced today by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Horowicz, a senior, was selected as a pitcher after posting a 7-0 record with four saves, an ERA of 0.42 and 38 strikeouts in 33 2-3 innings. He was also a force at the plate, hitting .330 with three home runs and 33 RBIs.
Senior Ben McDougal and junior Reece Sutphin were the starting pitchers for Bridgeport and Hurricane, respectively, in that state semifinal game (neither factored in the decision) and they join Horowicz as first-team all-state pitchers.
McDougal was 6-1 on the mound with a 1.14 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 55 1-3 innings while hitting .395 with two homers, 11 doubles, four triples, scoring 34 runs and driving in 26.
“He was just fantastic,” BHS coach Robert Shields said of McDougal. “Other than one ball game, when he was on the mound he was lights out. A gradual improvement on his mental toughness came this year and he did a great job, including the state semifinal game. Add to that, he had a great bat this year.”
Suthpin finished with a perfect 9-0 record and an ERA of 1.24.
Bridgeport and Hurricane each had a first-team infielder as well as first-team outfielder. For the Indians, senior Cam Cole was chosen as an infielder after hitting .369 with 10 doubles, 39 runs, 25 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. Bridgeport’s first-team outfielder is senior Aidan Paulsen, who hit .394, with three home runs, 22 RBIs, seven doubles, three triples, 49 runs and 14 stolen bases.
“Cam’s approach to the game is correct,” Shields said. “He plays hard because he’s hard-nosed. He goes at it all the time because he loves the game and it shows.
“What a year Aidan had. He was strong defensively playing centerfield for us. Aidan just did a great job and made several outstanding plays.”
For the Redskins, senior Ethan Spolarich was selected as an infielder after hitting .438 with seven homers, 31 RBIs and scoring 51 runs. In the outfield for Hurricane, junior Damian Witty was honored after hitting .438 with 10 doubles, 27 RBIs and scoring 34 runs.
Horowicz was joined on the first team by senior teammate Sammy Roberts, who takes one of the utility spots. Roberts had a .382 batting average with 27 RBIs and was 5-1 on the mound with a 2.82 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 44 2-3 innings.
George Washington senior Isaac McCallister is also a first-team utility selection. He hit .472 with 13 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 46 RBIs, 48 runs and 24 stolen bases to go along with a 2-0 record with two saves and a 2.90 ERA.
Ripley senior Brett Haskins (.412, 53 runs, 20 RBIs, 11 SBs) and Huntington senior Eli Shouldis are the first-team catchers.
The first-team infield is rounded out by University junior Aaron Forbes (.471, 10 HR, 40 RBIs) and Martinsburg senior Hudson Clement (.422, 49 runs, 51 stolen bases).
Joining Paulsen and Witty in the outfield is Morgantown junior Aaron Jamison (.396, 14 HR, 44 RBIs), while the final utility spot went to Spring Valley junior Branson McCloud (.391, 5 HR, 29 RBIs, 6-2 record, 1.00 ERA).
Bridgeport had two second-team selections in senior Chris Harbert as a utility player and senior Anthony Dixon as an infielder.
Harbert was 3-1 on the mound and played first or third or designated hitter when not pitching. He tied for the team lead in home runs with four to go along with 28 RBIs, a .372 average, 22 runs and eight doubles.
Dixon led BHS in RBIs with 41, while hitting .394 with six doubles. He primarily played first but was also one of the Tribe’s top pitchers with a 2-0 record and 17 strikeouts in 16 1-3 innings.
“Chris is a bulldog and a competitor,” Shields said. “He fought through injuries with the back and the arm. There was a lot of grit he showed and then proved his worth on an all-state level. Anthony was very steady all year long for us. He was solid at first base and did a great job being our number four hitter. He drove in a lot of runs and even did some pitching for us this year.”
Huntington junior pitcher Braden Shepherd was named the second-team captain.
Four more BHS players earned honorable mention status in seniors Austin Mann, Zach Nicholson, Drew Bailey and junior Phil Reed.
Mann was 5-2 with three saves and 43 strikeouts in 52 1-3 innings. Reed, the everyday catcher, hit .327 with four home runs and 32 RBIs. He also hit six doubles and two triples. Nicholson sported a 6-0 record on the mound. Bailey hit .327 with 21 RBIs, primarily playing third base.
The complete AAA all-state list can be seen below:
Here is the Class AAA all-state baseball team, released Thursday by the West Virginia Sports Writer’s Association.
First team
P – Griffin Horowicz, Jefferson, Sr. (captain)
P – Ben McDougal, Bridgeport, Sr.
P – Reece Sutphin, Hurricane, Jr.
C – Brett Haskins, Ripley, Sr.
C – Eli Shouldis, Huntington, Sr.
Inf – Cam Cole, Bridgeport, Sr.
Inf – Aaron Forbes, University, Jr.
Inf – Ethan Spolarich, Hurricane, Sr.
Inf – Hudson Clement, Martinsburg, Sr.
OF – Aidan Paulsen, Bridgeport, Sr.
OF – Aaron Jamison, Morgantown, Jr.
OF – Damian Witty, Hurricane, Jr.
Util – Isaac McCallister, George Washington, Sr.
Util – Branson McCloud, Spring Valley, Jr.
Util – Sammy Roberts, Jefferson, Sr.
Second team
P – Braden Shepherd, Huntington, Sr. (captain)
P – Reed Bailey, Morgantown, Sr.
P – Grant Stratton, Spring Valley, Soph.
C – Bayden Hartman, Musselman, Jr.
C – Caden Johnson, Hurricane, Jr.
Inf – Michael Bittinger, Wheeling Park, Sr.
Inf – Carson McCoy, St. Albans, Jr.
Inf – Anthony Dixon, Bridgeport, Sr.
Inf – Danny Dickenson, Woodrow Wilson, Sr.
OF – Jaeden Anderson, George Washington, Sr.
OF – Sammy Booth, Spring Valley, Soph.
OF – Zach Calef-Boring, Buckhannon-Upshur, Jr.
Util – Quarrier Phillips, Hurricane, Sr.
Util – Logan Lingenfelter, Cabell Midland, Sr.
Util – Chris Harbert, Bridgeport, Sr.
Honorable mention
Connor Bailey, Jefferson; Drew Bailey, Bridgeport; Jordan Bailey, Princeton; Gabe Bates, Lincoln County; Gavin Bennett. Greenbrier East; Darris Boswell, Greenbrier East; Noah Braham, University; Brogan Brown, Hurricane; Reilly Bubb, Hedgesville; Micah Clay, Woodrow Wilson; Jackson Curry, Ripley; Kaleb Edwards, Martinsburg; Jackson Fetty, Cabell Midland; Ryan Fluharty, Morgantown; Braxton Hall, Oak Hill; Chase Herndon, Spring Mills; Carter King, Parkersburg; Austin Mann, Bridgeport; Luke Marsh, Wheeling Park; Jayden McLain, Oak Hill; Hunter McSweeney, Cabell Midland; Nic Menarchek, Parkersburg South; Isaiah Morris, Martinsburg; Jason Myers, Musselman; Ethan Neely, John Marshall; Zach Nicholson, Bridgeport; Cam Reed, George Washington; Collin Reed, Washington; Phil Reed, Bridgeport; Jake Roshau, Greenbrier East; Grant Shumaker, Spring Valley; Brayden Stottlemyer, Washington; Dylan Stevens, Musselman; Garrett Stuck, Capital; Cameron Tenney, Buckhannon-Upshur; Sam Wabnitz, Jefferson; Logan Williams, Woodrow Wilson; Evan Wilson, Capital; Zane Wolfe, Oak Hill.
Editor’s Note: Top photo of Cole (left), Paulsen (center) and McDougal (right) and bottom photo of Harbert (left) and Dixon (right) courtesy of Joe LaRocca.
