River Valley sophomore Chase Barber (16) takes a throw at second base during an April 1 baseball game against Meigs in Bidwell, Ohio.
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
A total of five players from the Ohio Valley Publishing area were selected to the 2019 Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Southeast District Division III East team, as voted on by the coaches within the district.
Division III was broken down into east and west divisions, with Meigs and River Valley representing the tri-county area in the eastern half of the breakdown.
The Raiders (5-16) led the area with four selections, all of whom were chosen to the honorable mention squad. The honorees included seniors Chase Kemper and Andrew Mershon, sophomore Chase Barber and freshman Dalton Mershon.
The lone Marauder on the list was senior Wesley Smith, who also happened to be the area’s only first team selection. Meigs finished the year with a 10-11 overall mark.
Logan Hankins of Rock Hill was named the Division III East Player of the Year, while Michael Hill of Fairland was honored as the D-3 East Coach of the Year.
Macky McDonald of Paint Valley was chosen as the Division III West Player of the Year, while Anthony Knittel of Minford was picked as the D-3 West Coach of the Year.
East Division III
FIRST TEAM
Logan Hankins, Rock Hill; Reece Robson, Nelsonville York; Trey Carter, Wheelersburg; Nick Headley, Crooksville; Bayley Clutters, Oak Hill; Hunter Cardwell, Wellston; Ethan Duncan, Ironton; Drew Smith, South Point; Reilly Sowards, Fairland; Connor Mullins, Wheelersburg; Luke Chapman, Alexander; Wesley Smith, Meigs; Jalen Miller, Wheelersburg.
Coach of the Year:
Michael Hill, Fairland.
SECOND TEAM
Gavin Hunt, Fairland; Trent Dearth, Chesapeake; Chase Inglalls, Wellston; Brody Blackwell, South Point; Logan Adams, Belpre.
HONORABLE MENTION
Logan Hines, Oak Hill; Brycen Thomas, Ironton; Hunter Lahrmer, Oak Hill; Jesse Collins, Belpre Thomas Sentz, Chesapeake; Chase Kemper, River Valley; Cole Ratcliff, Wheelersburg; Dalton Mershon, River Valley; Isaac York, Alexander; Chase Barber, River Valley; Landon Smith, Rock Hill; Brennan West, Fairland; Kaleb Kidd, Rock Hill; Alex Rogers, Fairland; Ike Diehl, Southeastern; Tucker Adkins, Fairland; Bryce McWhorter, Southeastern; Jake Blagg, Rock Hill; Athan Temponeras, Wheelersburg; Bryce Richards, Nelsonville York; Mike Baughman, Crooksville; Nate Frisby, Wellston; Mason Hanning, Alexander; Andrew Mershon, River Valley; Drake McClure, South Point.
West Division III
FIRST TEAM
Macky McDonald, Paint Valley; Ethan Kunkel, Adena; Drew Pitzer, Lynchburg Clay; Tanner Cunningham, Valley; Elijah Vogelsong, Minford; Ethan Lauder, Minford; Matt Baemel, Westfall; Brandon Cornell, West Union; Kannon Pack, Piketon; Titan Williams, Westfall; Elijah Young, North Adams.
Coach of the Year:
Anthony Knittel, Minford.
SECOND TEAM
Lane Mettler, Paint Valley; Parker Clemmons, Pike Eastern; Roman Long, Adena; Conner Spohn, Westfall; Ethan McConnaughey, Lynchburg Clay; Luke Lindamood, Minford; Darius Jordan, Minford; Ian Wiles, Eastern Brown; Zach Osborne, North Adams; Dylan Bradford, Portsmouth West; Zach Fout, Adena; Jesse Jones, Valley; Bryce Wallace, Portsmouth.
HONORABLE MENTION
Brock Blanton, Paint Valley; Reid Shultz, Minford; Bryce Newland, Paint Valley; Alex Hirsch, West Union; Scott Lightle, Piketon; Ryan Rothwell, West Union; Shane Vulgamore, Piketon; Colton Vaughn, Eastern Brown; Caleb Fogelsong, Adena; Luke Blackburn, Westfall; Jarrett Garrison, Adena; Sam Frazier, Westfall; Jared Morrow, Valley; Garrett Hurd, Portsmouth West; Logan Clemmons, Pike Eastern; Cave Powell, Portsmouth West; Cody Weaver, Pike Eastern; Josh Wolfe, Lynchburg Clay; Bruce South, Northwest; Caden Hess, Lynchburg Clay.
Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101.
