First in a series of six

Sustala, Kulms share Player of the Year award

BRYAN — Abbott sophomore shortstop Riley Sustala and Kennard senior pitcher/shortstop Jaden Kulms shared player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class 1A baseball team.

Sustala batted .461 with 32 RBIs. He also was 2-0 pitching with a 1.62 ERA and two saves in leading the Panthers to the state title. Kulms was 8-3 with a 2.40 ERA, striking out 114 in 70 innings with three no-hitters. He also batted .458 with 35 RBIs for the state semifinalist.

Here is the TSWA’s 1A all-state team:

FIRST TEAM

Pitchers – Will Kazda, Abbott, sr.; Carson Heiman, Nazareth, sr.; Layton Herrmann, D’Hanis, sr.

Relief pitcher – Riley Sustala, Abbott, soph.

Catcher – (tie) Dakota Murray, Kennard, sr.; Jeren Pena, Ira, soph.; J. Tom Price, Borden County, sr.

First baseman – Hagan Gordon, Borden County, jr.

Second baseman – Easton Jaeger, Fayetteville, soph.

Shortstop – (tie) Riley Sustala, Abbott, soph.; Jaden Kulms, Kennard, sr.

Third baseman – (tie) Braygon Conrad, Claude, jr.; Bryton Partain, Ira, sr.

Outfielders – Karsyn Johnson, Abbott, sr.; Mason Hejl, Abbott, soph.; Donte Diaz, D’Hanis, sr.

Designated hitter – Brad Lamley, Graford, jr.

Player of the Year – (tie) Sustala, Abbott; Kulms, Kennard

Coach of the Year – Kyle Crawford, Abbott

SECOND TEAM

Pitchers – Cody Jordan, Slocum, soph.; Preston Pustejowsky, Abbott, sr.; Daelyn Gonzales, D’Hanis, sr. 

Relief pitcher – Maddox Stewart, Gordon, soph. 

Catcher – Logan Fritsch, Fayetteville, sr. 

First baseman – (tie) Sterl Welps, Nazareth, sr.; Noah Perry, Graford, fr.

Second baseman – Jaythan Garcia, D’Hanis, jr.

Shortstop – Koda Bigham, Borden County, jr.

Third baseman – Keagan Supak, Fayetteville, jr.

Outfielders – Tanner Birkenfeld, Nazareth, sr.; Reid Gross, Fayetteville, jr.; Garrison Proctor, Borden County, jr. 

Designated hitter – Luke Schulte, Nazareth, sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Pitcher – Chance Konvicka, Fayetteville, soph.

Catchers – Jayden Blandford, Claude, jr.; Gavin Brazell, Sulphur Bluff, jr.

Second basemen – Dawson Ensey, Claude, sr.

Shortstops – Brody Gunn, Sulphur Bluff, jr.; Carson Heiman, Nazareth, sr.; Luke Knox, Claude, jr.; Anthony Luna, Ira, jr.

Third baseman – Demarion Brown, Leverett’s Chapel, jr.