Houston County baseball dominates region awards

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — It’s an impressive feat to be named to an All-Region team, it’s even more impressive for an entire team to be.

What may be a slight exaggeration is not far off in this year’s All-Region baseball awards for region 1-6A.

13 players (and one coach) were selected for awards, a fitting end to a championship season for the Houston County Bears.

Three players were selected for the major awards.

Andrew Dunford — named three times in these awards — earned Player of the Year and first team selections for both first base and pitcher.

Offensive Player of the Year was star reliever Drew Burress, who helped send the Pope Greyhounds home in game two of the championship series. He was also named to a first team selection for outfield.

Pitcher of the Year was none other than soon-to-be University of Georgia pitcher Ryker Chavis. Chavis played the entirety of game one in the championship series, and held Pope scoreless for all but one inning. He was also named to first team at pitcher.

The infield selections, aside from Dunford, were recent Gordon State commit Hunter Chiappetta at second base and Mercer commit Kai Decker for third base.

Eli Stephens, pictured on the front of the HHJ’s championship special edition and a Mercer commit, was selected at catcher.

The other outfield selection on first team went to Vick Gann.

Carson Small rounded out the first team selections at pitcher.

Outfielder, speedster and Western Carolina commit Elijah Smith garnered a second team selection for outfield. Short stop Ethan Buffone and designated hitter Ty Waters also earned second team selections.

Rounding out the awards is pitcher Landon Tankersley, who was an honorable mention, as well as the coach of the year Matt Hopkins.

HHJ News