Five Bulldogs named all-district, 3 on first-team
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

File photo by Lester Murray ALL-DISTRICT ANNOUNCED - Kilgore High School placed five players on the recently-selected District 12-4A All-District team: Danny Sharpe (above), Chris Dudley and Nick Sullivan were named to the first-team, while Andrew Ector, Steven McBryde, and Trace DeBerry were named second-team. The all-district team is selected by the coaches in the district at the conclusion of the regular season.

Three members of the Kilgore High School baseball team were honored recently when they were chosen as members of the District 12-4A All-District firstteam, and three other Bulldogs were named to the second team.

Catcher Chris Dudley, infielder Nick Sullivan and pitcher/first baseman Danny Sharpe were all named to the 12-4A first-team, as chosen by the coaches in the district, which also includes Hallsville, Henderson, Jacksonville, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Pine Tree, and Whitehouse. All three boys return to the Bulldogs' lineup next season.

Also named to the all-district second team were third baseman/ pitcher Trace DeBerry, the Bulldogs' only senior; center fielder Andrew Ector; and shortstop Steven McBryde.

Kilgore, coached by Jeff Blackstone, reached the UIL Class 4A playoffs for the sixth straight season. KHS, eliminated from the playoffs by Sulphur Springs, finished the season 15-12.

Superlatives in the all-district team were Hallsville pitcher Trevor Petersen. Petersen, a junior, was named the overall most valuable player. Hallsville's Josh Schattel was named the district's offensive player of the year. Hallsville and Nacogdoches were the district's other two playoff teams.

Pine Tree's Brett McAfee, used mainly by the Pirates as a pitcher, was named freshman of the year. Nac's Cody Locke is pitcher of the year, and the Dragons' Stewart Hill is the defensive player of the year. Newcomer of the year is Nac's Chase Wallace, and Dragons' coach Todd Sparks was named coach of the year.

Joining the KHS trio on the first team were Hallsville's Chase Jordan and Colton Roberts; Henderson's Jim Gossett, Matt Free, Brock Vinson, Weldon Davis and Tyrell Jenkins; Marshall's Jackson Hood and Beau Bayliss; Whitehouse's Seth Cashion, Kevan House and Ryan Bell; Nac's Justin McAninch, Randy Franks and Jake Skeeters; Pine Tree's Max Standifer; and Jacksonville's Terrence Canady.

Joining DeBerry, Ector and McBryde on the second team were Nac's Eric Opperman; Hallsville's Justin Jenkins, Justin Wingfield and Justin Roye; Marshall's Dustin Fitzgerald, Ryan Hall and Jared Gobert; Jacksonville's Frankie Almanderaz; Pine Tree's Danny Hollier, Taylor Guest and David Perkins; and Henderson's Blake Chambliss.