Local players earn post-season honors

Several Albany Lion baseball players received All-District honors for their regular season performances, including senior Joshua Dyer being named the District 8-2A MVP.

Three other Albany players were given superlative honors among the four 2A schools in the district. 

District 8 also included four 1A schools, which were represented in a separate set of selections.

Freshman Cooper Fairchild was named the 2A Newcomer of the Year, while junior Ben West shared Pitcher of the Year honors along with Hawley’s Dylan Frazier.

Sophomore Jackson Chapman shared the Catcher of the Year selection with Bryson Holt from Stamford.

The Offensive MVP went to Garrett Hewitt of Hawley, while the Defensive MVP was awarded to Tate Thompson of Hawley.

Four other Lions were also named to first or second teams during the selections.

Albany finished second in the 2A bracket of district with a 4-2 record, while Hawley was first, Haskell ended up in third, and Stamford took fourth.

All four teams advanced in the playoffs to the third round, with Albany defeating Haskell, and Hawley eliminating Stamford in the regional quarterfinal round.

Hawley’s season ended the next week against New Deal, while the Lions advanced to the sixth round at the state semifinal before falling to eventual repeating state champions Big Sandy, 4-1.

“We were very well represented in the All-District selections,” coach David Fairchild said. “It speaks volumes when someone on the second place team gets MVP.”

Named to the first team were pitcher Cade Neve, a sophomore, junior Blaine Kayga at corner infielder, and junior B.J. Morris in the outfield.

Freshman Luke Ivy was picked for the second team as an outfielder.

“Eight of our nine starters were honored in some way,” said the coach. “I am very proud of this team and how far they came this season.”

The Lions finished the season with a 23-8 record. Albany advanced to the state tournament for the second time in three seasons, and will only lose three seniors off of this year’s squad.

The four 1A schools in the district included Baird, Eula, Hamlin, and Knox City.

The superlative award winners in the 1A portion of the all-district selections were Jax Bellar, Baird – MVP; Nate Deel, Baird – Offensive MVP; Travis Cauthen, Eula – Defensive MVP, Hunter Rogers, Baird – Newcomer of the Year; and Albany alumni Teagan Brown, Baird – Coach of the Year.