KELSEYVILLE >> Youngsters and veterans, both key ingredients during the Kelseyville High School varsity baseball team’s run to the North Central League I championship in 2023, received their just due as the All-League team as selected by the league’s coaches was recently announced.
Seven members of the Knights’ undefeated NCL I squad (14-0) were named to the All-League team — three seniors and four underclassmen — led by co-most valuable players Zayne Barker, a senior pitcher/shortstop and sophomore pitcher/third baseman Brock Barrick.
Two more Kelseyville underclassmen — junior pitcher/infielder Jon Dougherty and sophomore first baseman/outfielder Tyler Bryant — were accorded first-team honors by the league’s coaches. Second-team selections were outfielders Luke Watkins, a senior, and Reme Strong, a sophomore, while senior catcher/outfielder Joey Gentle was an honorable mention.
Kelseyville finished 18-6 overall and won 15 straight games before losing 5-1 to Justin-Siena of Napa in the North Coast Section Division 4 quarterfinals.
Clear Lake
Clear Lake, fourth in the NCL I standings at 6-8, landed three players on the All-League squad. Junior Hank Ollenberger was named to the first team while senior Greyson Wind received second-team honors. Jesse Hayes was an honorable mention, one of only two freshmen to make the team.
Lower Lake
Lower Lake also had three players honored on the All-League team despite finishing 3-11 in the final NCL I standings. The Trojans were competitive throughout the league campaign under new head coach Mark Peterson and their 8-14 overall mark was the school’s best in years.
Receiving honors were Jordan O’Keefe (first team), Jett Guralas (second team) and Ed Gutierrez (honorable mention), all seniors.
Middletown
Middletown, 4-9-1 in the league standings (sixth) was represented on the All-League team by freshman Jon Hawkins, the only freshman to receive first- or second-team honors, and senior honorable mention Hunter Hartzog.
Other teams
League runner-up Fort Bragg (11-2-1) had the second-most players honored after Kelseyville with five. For the Timberwolves, first-team selections were seniors Jason Jara and Chance Tager while senior teammate Brady Pyorre earned second-team honors. Honorable mentions went to Cooper Killion, a senior, and Derek Sanchez, a junior.
The third-place St. Helena Saints (9-5) had three players make the team. Micah Marquez, a junior, was named to the first team while Justice Penterman, a junior, was a second-team selection. Thomas Herdell, a senior, received an honorable mention.
The fifth-place Cloverdale Eagles (5-9) were represented by first-team selection Ayal Fitchelberg, a senior, second-team pick Caden Axell, a senior, and honorable mention Dominic Vellutini, a senior.
Willits (3-11), which tied Lower Lake for seventh place, also had three players honored. They were first-team selection Kooper Dockins, a junior, second-team pick Damian Lopez, a senior, and honorable mention Justin Nielsen, a senior.
