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PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Beau Hanna, Sr.
Winder-Barrow, catcher
Hanna hit .443 with seven home runs and
48 RBIs.
Comment: Hanna was a first-team all-re
gion selection for 8-BA and a first-team
all-state selection by Georgia Dugout Mag
azine. He helped lead the Bulldoggs to a
school-record 30 wins, their first region
championship since 2006 and a trip to the
Sweet 16. Hanna was elected by the Boston
Bed Sox in the 12th round of the MLB draft
and signed with the team.
Jacob Campbell, Sr.
Apalachee, catcher
Campbell hit .342 with 25 hits, 11 dou
bles, two homers and 15 RBIs.
Comment: Campbell, who signed with
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, was
a second-team all-region selection for 8-6A.
Chase Chancey, So.
Apalachee, third base
Chancey hit .358 with 24 hits and finished
with a .506 on-base percentage
Comment: Chancey was a second-team
all-region selection for 8-6A.
Judd Roberts, Sr.
Banks Co., first base
Roberts hit .322 with a .425 on-base per
centage, .444 slugging percentage, 19 runs
scored and 37 RBIs.
Comment: Boberts, who hit .800 during
the postseason, led the Leopards in hit and
BBIs in making the all-region team for 8-2A.
He has signed with Young Harris.
Dylan Nix, Sr.
Banks Co., pitcher
Nix went 8-5 with a 2.50 ERA with 81
strikeouts.
Comment: Nix, an all-region selection for
Beg ion 8-2A, led Banks County in strikeouts
and set the wins record and the second-best
ERA.
Walker Rogers, Sr.
Banks Co.
Rogers hit .327 with a .423 on-base per
centage, .429 slugging percentage, .935
fielding percentage, 12 RBIs and 29 runs
scored.
Comment: Bogers was an all-region selec
tion for Begion 8-2A.
C.J. Thomas, Jr.
Banks Co.,
pitcher, shortstop
Thomas won seven games with a 1.68
ERA with 62 strikeouts while also hitting
.250 with a 14 RBI and a .935 fielding per
centage.
Comment: Thomas led Banks County in
EBA this year and was second in victories.
Tanner Still, Sr.
Bethlehem Christian
Pitcher, centerfielder
Still finished with a 2.37 ERA, 55 strike
outs, 14 walks, 18 earned runs and a 1.28
WHIP in 53 innings pitched, while hitting
.280 at the plate with 26 hits, two doubles,
two triples, one homerun, 13 RBIs and 14
runs.
Comment: Still was selected as Bethle
hem Christian's team MVP and the team
wouldn't have made the playoffs if it weren't
for his contributions, according to his coach.
His coach also called him the best pitcher in
Bethlehem's region. Still will pitch at Berry
College.
Brad Toxen, Sr.
Bethlehem Christian, shortstop
Toxen hit .375 with 33 hits, 11 doubles,
five homeruns, 28 RBIs, 25 runs, a 1.136 OPS
and 15 walks.
Comment: Toxen was Bethlehem Chris
tian's most consistent hitter, leading the
Knights in all offensive categories. Described
as a player "who can do it all," Toxen was a
threat to drive the ball into the gap or over
the fence. He hit .455 in the playoffs and
ended the year on a 13-game hitting streak.
Toxen has signed with Gordon State.
Tristen Green, Sr.
Bethlethem Christian, pitcher
Green went 4-2 with a 2.68 ERA, 60 strike
outs, 17 walks and 21 earned runs in 54.2
innings pitched.
Comment: Green improved with each start
this year and has great movement on all of his
pitches, according to his coach, and fielded his
position well. Green allowed just five earned
runs in his five region starts.
Cade Overstreet, Sr.
Commerce, designated hitter
Overstreet hit .360 with two home runs and
21 RBIs.
Comment: Overstreet was a contributor in
the middle of the Tiger lineup all year.
THE MADISON COUNTY fGAf JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JUNE 29. 2017 — PAGE 3B
MainStreet Newspapers
All-Area Baseball Team
The future Auburn Tiger Dylan Gentry was Madison County’s ace in 2017. He recorded 112 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.40. His
hitting was of the same quality. Gentry hit .346 with 14 RBIs. He helped lead Madion County to their first Region Championship
since 2004 and their first playoff appearance since 2008. Gentry’s time in Madison County ended in the third round of the
State Playoffs.
Nate Ray, Fr.
Commerce, pitcher
Ray went 3-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 41.67
innings pitched.
Comment: Bay was one of the Tigers' main
starting pitchers as a freshman and threw in
some big games. Bay threw in Commerce's
state playoff game victory, though he received
a no-decision.
Josh Adair, Sr.
East Jackson
Catcher-infield
Adair hit .333 in Region 8-AAA play for the
Eagles.
Comment: NA
Luke Hadden, Jr.
East Jackson
Pitcher-third base
Hadden hit .385 in Region 8-AAA play for
the Eagles.
Comment: NA
Caleb Mathews, Sr.
Jackson Co., centerfield
Mathews hit. 341 with one homerun and 22
RBIs with 22 stolen bases.
Comment: NA
Zone Corley, Sr.
Jackson Co., pitcher
Corley went 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 27
strikeouts in 35.67 innings pitched.
Comment: NA
Chris Griggs, Sr.
Jackson Co.
Pitcher-shortstop
Griggs batted .326 with one home run and
25 RBI for the Panthers, while going 4-1 on the
mound with a 2.51 ERA and 37 strikeouts in
44.67 innings pitched.
Comment: NA
Logan Stockton, So.
Jackson Co., catcher
Stockton batted. 274 with 23 hits and eight
RBIs and a .966 fielding percentage as the Pan
thers' catcher, throwing out 12 baserunners.
Comment: NA
Zac Corbin, So.
Jefferson, second base
Corbin hit .300 with a .404 on-base per
centage, 24 runs, 12 RBIs and 13 steals.
Comment: Corbin is a good athlete with
a very good swing, according to his coach,
who points out that Corbin still has two more
varsity seasons.
Justin Cole, Jr.
Jefferson, centerfield
Cole hit .314 with a .412 on-base per
centage, 26 RBI, 19 steals and two walk-off,
game-winning hits.
Comment: Cole is one of the best defensive
outfielders to ever play for Jefferson.
Lane Watkins, So.
Jefferson, catcher
Watkins hit .304 with a .406 on-base per
centage, four homeruns and 16 RBIs.
Comment: Watkins is described as a very
talented player who is not even close to reach
ing his potential on the field.
Brandon Trefren, Jr.
Jefferson, pitcher
Trefren went 7-1 with a 1.90 ERA, 0.97
WHIP, 33 strikeouts while allowing 14 walks
and an opponent batting average of just .191.
Comment: Trefren had an excellent year on
the mound, according to his coach, giving Jef
ferson a chance to win each time he started.
Aubrey Davis, Sr.
Madison Co.
Pitcher, first base
Davis crafted a 0.53 ERA with 58 strikeouts
in 40 innings pitched and hit .314 with three
homers and 20 RBIs.
Comment: Davis has signed with Florence
Darlington Technical College.
Dylan Gentry, Sr.
Madison Co.
Pitcher, outfield
Gentry finished with a 1.40 ERA with 112
strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched and batted
.346 with 14 RBIs.
Comment: Gentry, the Begion 8-4A Pitcher of
the Year, has signed with Auburn.
Noah Rogers, Sr.
Madison Co., shortstop
Rogers hit .354 with one home run and 19
RBIs.
Comment: NA
Golston Gillespie, Sr.
Madison Co., catcher
Gillespie hit .316 with four home runs and
16 RBI.
Comment: Gillespie has signed with Ole
Miss.
Pat DeMarco, Sr.
Winder-Barrow, centerfield
DeMarco hit .415 with two homers, 26
RBIs, 51 hits, 19 doubles and 12 stolen
bases.
Comment: DeMarco was the Begion 8-BA
Player of the Year and a first-team all-state
selection by Georgia Dugout Magazine. He
was drafted in the 24th round by the New
York Yankees and signed to play college
baseball at Vanderbilt.
Skylor Murphy, Sr.
Winder-Barrow, rightfield
Murphy hit .368 with 35 hits, including
11 doubles, and drove in 22 runs from the
No. 9 spot.
Comment: Murphy was a first-team
all-region selection and has signed with
Young Harris.
Will Hardigree, Sr.
Winder-Barrow
Pitcher-shortstop
Hardigree went 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA, 66
strikeouts in 53 innings pitched and two
saves while hitting .323 with 40 hits, a
home run, 10 doubles and 27 RBIs.
Comment: Hardigree was the Begion
8-6A Pitcher of the Year and is a USC-Up-
state signee.
Trent Maddox, Sr.
Winder-Barrow, infielder
Maddox hit .333 with 32 hits, two hom
ers and 25 RBIs.
Comment: Maddox was a first-team
all-region selection and an Augusta Uni
versity signee. Maddox said he played
"flawless defense," according to his coach.
Daniel Buice, Sr.
Winder-Barrow, pitcher
Buice went 7-1, 1.84 ERA with 56 strike
outs in 68 1/3 innings of work.
Comment: Buice was a second-team
all-region selection for 8-6A and a first-
team all-state selection by Georgia Dugout
Magazine. He has signed with Lawson
State.
• • •
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chad Gillespie, Madison
County
Comment: In his first season with the
Bed Baiders, the Madison County alum
guided the program to its first region title
since 2004 and past the first round of the
state tournament for the first time since
2003. Gillespie's team reached the Elite
Eight before bowing out against Marist.