High School Sports

Hannahs, Salvatori, Nemeth Captain 53rd Annual All-Valley Baseball Team

Ayden Hannahs, Captain

Barnesville, Utility

Hannahs and the Shamrocks made the entire valley proud this year as they made the trip to the state tournament to play in the Final Four as regional champions. Hannahs led that charge with a .427 batting average atop coach D.J. Butler's lineup, while scoring 38 runs and providing 21 RBI. He tallied five doubles, two triples, a team-high 17 stolen bases and only struck out six times in 110 at-bats.

The senior also served as the team's ace with a 5-2 mark, a 1.79 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 57.67 innings on his way to earning second team all-state and OVAC 3A Player of the Year honors.

Treston Nemeth, Captain

Harrison Central, Catcher

Coach Mike Valesko has another standout athlete who will be making noise on diamonds around the valley for the next couple of years. Nemeth burst on the scene this year with a .523 average and school records of eight home runs and 41 RBI. The sophomore catcher was named first team all-state in Division III, OVAC 4A Player of the Year and tallied 13 doubles and a remarkable slugging percentage of .989.

James Salvatori, Captain

Wheeling Park, Outfield

Literally nothing was stopping Salvatori from not only enjoying his senior year but producing at a high level along the way. An injury midway through the season forced the center fielder to bat left-handed and he never missed a beat. Salvatori finished the season with a .370 average, a home run, 21 RBI, a .451 on-base percentage, a .773 slugging percentage, an OPS of 1.223 and eight stolen bases. He led the team with 11 doubles, two triples and 26 runs scored. On defense, he tracked everything down with 55 putouts and no errors on his way to earning second team all-state and OVAC 5A Player of the Year.

Aiden Fernandez, Indian Creek, Pitcher

It had to be a good feeling for coach Michael Cottis anytime he saw Fernandez on the mound. The senior ace broke the school records for strikeouts in a season with 87 and strikeouts in a single game with 18 (a 4-1 win over Philo in the district semifinal). Fernandez finished 7-2 with a 1.38 ERA in just over 55 innings pitched. He also added three triples at the plate.

Colby Shriver

Martins Ferry, Pitcher

When Martins Ferry was faced with a big game, coach Anthony Reasbeck knew who he was calling on. Shriver won a pair of wins in the Riders' postseason run and was victorious in the OVAC semifinal, as well. He completed the year with a 7-3 record and a 1.69 ERA.

Caesen Sutton

Steubenville, Pitcher

Sutton was an opposing hitter's nightmare this season. The senior posted a 0.91 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 53.6 innings. His dominance allowed the offense to swing freely and helped lead Big Red with a 7-1 record. At the dish, Sutton turned in 27 hits, a .380 average, 24 runs, 15 RBI and five doubles.

Tyler Tonkovich

St. Clairsville, Pitcher

When his team needed him, Tonkovich performed at the highest level. The senior led the Red Devils to a Eastern District Division II title with a 6-2 record, a 2.24 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 50 frames. He excelled with the bat, too. Tonkovich smacked 22 hits for an average of .338 and 14 walks. He scored 22 runs and swiped eight bases in the process.

Mason Vannest, Shadyside, Pitcher

Every time you turned around, a Shadyside pitcher was throwing a no-hitter this year. Vannest tossed a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over Bridgeport where he struck out 15 batters. He also threw a combined no-no with teammate Bryce Amos against Bellaire. He finished the year with a 5-2 mark and 73 strikeouts in 57 innings. At the plate, he hit at a .384 clip with a 1.013 OPS, 33 hits, eight doubles, a trio of triples and 21 RBI.

Ty Walton, Tyler Consolidated, Pitcher

Tyler Consolidated broke in its new turf baseball field in style this year. Walton was a big reason for the team's success as he went 8-1 with a 1.15 ERA, 100 strikeouts and only seven earned runs allowed in 55 innings to earn first team all-state accolades. At the plate, Walton delivered 25 hits, a .325 average, three doubles, a triple, 22 runs, 19 RBI and 16 walks for coach Rob Jones.

Zac Taylor, Linsly, Catcher

What if I told you one of the best defensive catchers in the valley could hit, too? Well, Taylor did just that. The senior backstop produced at a .417 clip and blasted four doubles for coach Jay Cartwright and the Cadets. On defense, Taylor helped the Linsly pitching staff maintain a 2.30 ERA and earned a trip to the OVAC All-Star Game.

Hunter Kelley

Linsly, Infield

Getting Kelley out this year didn't come easy for anyone. The senior slugger turned in a .543 average with nine RBI, four doubles, two home runs and 19 hits in 12 games for Cartwright and the Cadets and also was invited to the OVAC All-Star Game.

Jake Rose

River, Infield

The OVAC 2A Player of the Year Award is a well-deserved honor for Rose, who impressed all over the diamond this year. The senior raked at a .507 clip with 34 hits, 37 RBI, 27 runs, an on-base percentage of .576 and he charted seven stolen bases in the process. Rose was a reliable pitcher, as well, turning in a 2.25 ERA and a 3-3 record. He was an East District All-Star and an OVAC All-Star.

Michael Toepfer

Wheeling Central Infield

Talk about an athlete, Toepfer was first team all-state in baseball and an all-state honorable mention in hoops and football this year. The junior hit .470 with a .656 on-base percentage, 28 RBI, 10 doubles, three home runs and two triples. On the mound, he delivered, as well, with a 4-2 record and a 2.75 ERA.

Joel Wise, John Marshall, Infield

Coach Mark Cisar's teams are known for pitching but the Monarchs' offense hit over 15 home runs this season. Wise paced that offense with seven homers, 32 RBI, 38 runs, 33 hits, six doubles, two triples, a .351 average, a .479 on-base percentage, 18 walks and 14 stolen bases on his way to second team all-state accolades.

Jayden Helmick, Tyler Consolidated, Outfield

Leadoff guys need to get on base and Coach Jones couldn't have picked a better one. Helmick smacked 38 hits, batted .487 and drew 23 walks. He was lightning on the bases as he swiped 63 bags and scored 58 runs. He also tallied 28 RBI, five triples, two home runs and three doubles en route to earning first team all-state honors.

Silas McKeever

Magnolia, Outfield

McKeever mashed everything in sight this year at the plate, leading the team with a .458 batting average. The senior center fielder recorded 15 singles, 12 doubles, three home runs, two triples, 28 RBI, stole 15 bases and was named second team all-state, as well.

Hunter Patterson

Oak Glen, Outfield

First team all-state honors are nothing new to Patterson, who was first team in football and is now first team in baseball. He hit at a .485 clip with 40 hits, 18 RBI, six triples, one home run, 27 runs and 23 stolen bases.

Will Balgo

St. Clairsville, Utility

A power bat in the lineup for the Division II Eastern District champion Red Devils, Balgo drove in 38 runs with 19 singles, seven doubles, a pair of home runs, a .307 batting average and 16 walks. He scored 17 runs in the process. The senior was an asset on the mound, as well, with a 2.18 ERA, a 3-1 record with one save.

Michael Bittinger Wheeling Park, Utility

In only his sophomore season, Bittinger hit at a .507 clip with a .561 on-base percentage, a .623 slugging percentage and a 1.184 OPS.

Bittinger turned in 35 hits, eight doubles, 26 RBI, 25 runs and only struck out twice in 83 plate appearances on his way to first team all-state honors.

Jake Edwards

Barnesville, Utility

The state-bound Shamrocks were loaded with talent this year and Edwards showcased his every game. On the hill, he turned in a mark of 6-1 with an ERA of 1.56 and only nine earned runs allowed in 40.33 innings, where he struck out 44. Edwards owned an average of .395 with 45 hits, 29 RBI, six doubles and 12 runs scored.

2021

53rd Annual

All-Valley

Baseball Team

First Team

P -- Aiden Fernandez, Indian Creek

P -- Colby Shriver, Martins Ferry

P -- Caesen Sutton, Steubenville

P -- Tyler Tonkovich, St. Clairsville

P -- Mason Vannest, Shadyside

P -- Ty Walton, Tyler Consolidated

C -- Treston Nemeth, Harrison Central (Captain)

C -- Zac Taylor, Linsly

Inf -- Hunter Kelley, Linsly

Inf -- Jake Rose, River

Inf -- Michael Toepfer, Wheeling Central

Inf -- Joel Wise, John Marshall

OF -- Jayden Helmick, Tyler Consolidated

OF -- Silas McKeever, Magnolia

OF -- Hunter Patterson, Oak Glen

OF -- James Salvatori, Wheeling Park (Captain)

Utility -- Will Balgo, St. Clairsville

Utility -- Michael Bittinger, Wheeling Park

Utility -- Jake Edwards, Barnesville

Utility -- Ayden Hannahs, Barnesville (Captain)

Second Team

P -- Korey Beckett, Shadyside

P -- Dylan Gregoric, Bridgeport

P -- Jake Heatherington, Bellaire

P -- Kobe Hill, Linsly

P -- Tyler Kelley, Weir

C -- Zade Billings, Tyler Consolidated

C -- Ryan Florence, Shadyside

Inf -- Braylen Blomquist, St. Clairsville

Inf -- Nathan Haeberle, Cameron

Inf -- Ethan Neely, John Marshall

Inf -- Aiden Orr, Indian Creek

Inf -- Bryce Rayl, John Marshall

OF -- Rhys Francis, Shadyside

OF -- Jordan Waterhouse, Wheeling Central

OF -- Dillon Wright, John Marshall

Utility -- Gavin Carpenter, Barnesville

Utility -- Carter Dennis, River

Utility -- Christian Fluharty, Hundred

Utility -- Auston Hogue, Monroe Central

Utility -- Colin Snedeker, Martins Ferry