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Standing out

Gowanda’s Herman named All-WNY Small School POY

Gowanda junior Blake Herman was named the All-Western New York Small School Player of the Year. OBSERVER File Photo

Fifteen Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association baseball players were recently recognized on the All-Western New York Small School Team, while two other county players were honored on the Large School Team.

Gowanda junior Blake Herman was named the Small School Player of the Year after a season during which he started nine games on the mound for the Panthers and pitched to a 0.57 earned run average while striking out 101 batters in 49 innings. Herman allowed just 11 runs (four earned), 15 hits and 17 walks, holding opposing batters to a .091 average against.

Fredonia junior Ashton Putney joined Herman as a First-Team pitcher after throwing six complete games, including three shutouts, and picking up two saves for the Hillbillies. Putney struck out 97 and walked 15, pitching to a 1.62 ERA, including a string of 26 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings to start the year.

Frewsburg’s Chase Haglund was named a First-Team infielder. The junior hit .443 with three doubles, a triple and a home run while driving in 13 runs and scoring 39.

Fredonia’s Owen Rush was also named a First-Team infielder. The senior hit .432 with nine doubles, a triple and five home runs while driving in 31 runs and scoring 28.

Fredonia’s Colin Luce earned an All-Western New York Small School first-team selection. OBSERVER File Photo

Fredonia’s Colin Luce was named a First-Team outfielder. The sophomore hit .417 with three doubles and drove in 20 runs while scoring 19. He was also 5 for 5 in stolen-base attempts.

Southwestern’s Jameson Walsh was the First-Team designated hitter. The senior hit .365 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs while driving in 13 runs and scoring 31.

Portville senior Luke Petryszak and Salamanca senior Jaxson Ross were the Second-Team pitchers.

Fredonia junior Andrew Cowan was the Second-Team catcher after being behind the plate for all 2,407 Hillbillies pitches this season, allowing just two passed balls. He caught seven shutouts and threw out nine runners attempting to steal. Cowan also had a .525 on-base percentage.

Gowanda sophomore Carter Capozzi and North Collins senior Matthew Warsaw were Second-Team infielders. Capozzi hit .394 with six doubles, a triple and a home run while driving in 26 runs and scoring 21. Warsaw hit .321 for the Eagles.

Fredonia’s Owen Rush earned an All-Western New York Small School first-team selection. OBSERVER File Photo

Portville senior Ethan Obergfell and Silver Creek/Forestville senior Aiden Piccolo were Second-Team outfielders. Piccolo went 3-1 with a 1.53 on the mound in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 3 games for the Black Knights.

North Collins senior Derek Ebersole was named the Second-Team designated hitter, but did most of his damage from the mound where he went 5-1 with a 0.67 ERA in league games for the Eagles.

Maple Grove senior Kolden McCall was a Small School honorable-mention selection.

Jamestown junior Dom Weber and Dunkirk senior Zach Zentz were Large School honorable-mention selections.

Amherst senior CJ Hurley was the Player of the Year and the Pitcher of the Year for Large Schools, while Clarence’s Dave Smith was the Coach of the Year.

For the Small Schools, Wilson junior Tyler Johnston was the Pitcher of the Year, while Medina’s Chris Goyette was the Coach of the Year.

LARGE SCHOOL

FIRST TEAM

Trevor Meidenbauer Jr. Niagara Falls Pitcher

Bryce Cureo Soph. St. Joe’s Pitcher

Matt Kasprowicz Sr. Williamsville North Pitcher

Reed Lesmeister Sr. Kenmore West Catcher

Rhys Arnold Sr. Orchard Park Infielder

Tyler Pagano Sr. Depew Infielder

Anthony Littere Soph. Niagara Falls Infielder

Slade McTigue Jr. Iroquois Infielder

James Rindfleisch Sr. Maryvale Outfielder

Aaron Jones Sr. Canisius Outfielder

Matthew Ganschow Sr. Clarence Outfielder

Sam Munzert Soph. Williamsville South Designated hitter

SECOND TEAM

Carmen Panaro Sr. Williamsville East Pitcher

Noah Albano Jr. St. Francis Pitcher

Jake Mattoon Sr. Clarence Catcher

Jack Reimann Sr. Williamsville East Infielder

Sean Connor Sr. St. Joe’s Infielder

Ryan Vanderlip Jr. West Seneca West Infielder

Tom Rook Sr. Clarence Infielder

John Callahan Sr. Orchard Park Outfielder

Brayden Willetts Sr. Grand Island Outfielder

Gavin Puchalski Sr. Hamburg Outfielder

Anthony Savino Jr. Niagara Falls Outfielder

HONORABLE MENTION

CJ Kranick (Depew, Sr.), Zach Nalawadi (Orchard Park, Jr.), Andre Borges (Niagara Falls, Jr.), Brody Ludwig (Pioneer, Jr.), Patrick Beyer (St. Joe’s, Jr.), Ben Quagliana (Williamsville North, Sr.), Sammie Abbas (Sweet Home, Sr.), Zach Zentz (Dunkirk, Sr.), Cristian Rosario (International Prep, Fresh.), Zach Genkinger (Starpoint, Sr.), Andrew Macre (St. Joe’s, Jr.), Michael Schaefer (Lancaster, Sr.), Julius Petti (City Honors, Soph.), Jonah Moscato (Hamburg, Jr.), Jason Brostko (Iroquois, Sr.), Cam Kolt (Williamsville South, Jr.), Grady Brown (Amherst, Jr.), Rocco Pinepinto (Sweet Home, Jr.), Dom Weber (Jamestown, Jr.), Dean Tripp (City Honors, Sr.), Brayden Delaney (West Seneca East, Sr.), Finnegan Graham (Clarence, Sr.)

SMALL SCHOOL

FIRST TEAM

Blake Herman Jr. Gowanda Pitcher

Ashton Putney Jr. Fredonia Pitcher

Ryleigh Culver Jr. Medina Catcher

Chase Haglund Jr. Frewsburg Infielder

Owen Rush Sr. Fredonia Infielder

Chayce Kolbert Soph. St. Mary’s Infielder

Brody Fry Jr. Medina Infielder

Jakson Ross Sr. Nichols Outfielder

Patrick Bodecker Sr. East Aurora Outfielder

Colin Luce Soph. Fredonia Outfielder

Jameson Walsh Sr. Southwestern Designated hitter

SECOND TEAM

Luke Petryszak Sr. Portville Pitcher

Jaxson Ross Sr. Salamanca Pitcher

Andrew Cowan Jr. Fredonia Catcher

Aidan Papaj Fresh. Medina Infielder

Carter Capozzi Soph. Gowanda Infielder

Tyler Schunk Jr. Eden Infielder

Matthew Warsaw Sr. North Collins Infielder

Jack Brown Sr. Holland Outfielder

Ethan Obergfell Sr. Portville Outfielder

Aiden Piccolo Sr. Silver Creek/Forestville Outfielder

Derek Ebersole Sr. North Collins Outfielder

HONORABLE MENTION

Ross Yosida (Nichols, Jr.), Kolden McCall (Maple Grove, Sr.), Griffin Potwora (Olmsted, Jr.)

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