HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: JC sweeps POY, COY honors; Blevins, Jefferson captains

Johnson Central senior Ryan Sartin-Slone’s love for the game of baseball is second to none.

He wrapped up his senior season hitting .468 while helping the Golden Eagles reach the state tournament for the first time since 2017. He had 51 hits, scored 34 runs, and drove in 33 runs. Twenty of his hits were for extra bases.

Sartin-Slone walked 19 other times at the plate and struck out only nine times in 109 plate appearances.

The University of Pikeville signee was named Mountain Top Sports’ Player of the Year on Monday.

He edged out Lawrence County pitcher Bryce Blevins. The junior finished 8-0 on the mound, allowing just 20 hits in 47 innings. His ERA was 0.30. He also hit .500.

Blevins was named captain of the first team. Other pitchers selected were Johnson Central’s Cameron Kelsey, Belfry’s Ashton Deskins, and Paintsville’s Ashton Miller.

Lawrence County’s Blue Fletcher and Pikeville’s Logan Windle were named as catchers.

Infielders included Pikeville’s Tait Lakin, Belfry’s Steven Banks, Floyd Central’s Brant Potter, Prestonsburg’s Payton Burke, sand Belfry’s Gage Fields.

Outfielders are Letcher Central’s Sam Little, Pike Central’s Keegan Bentley, Johnson Central’s Conner Lemaster, and Lawrence County’s Nick Collinsworth.

Utility players chosen were Pike Central Bryce Adkins, Floyd Central’s Caleb Hager, and Prestonsburg’s Nick Kidd.

Paintsville senior catcher Cory Jefferson was named captain of the second team.

Johnson Central mentor Shawn Hall was named Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Eagles to a 26-14 record.

Player of the Year: Ryan Sartin-Slone, Sr., Johnson Central

Coach of the Year: Shawn Hall, Johnson Central

FIRST TEAM

P – Bryce Blevins, Jr. Lawrence County (Capt.)

P – Cameron Kelsey, So., Johnson Central

P – Ashton Deskins, Jr., Belfry

P – Ashton Miller, So., Paintsville

C – Blue Fletcher, Jr., Lawrence County

C – Logan Windle, Jr., Pikeville

INF – Tait Lakin, Jr., Pikeville

INF – Steven Banks, So., Belfry

INF – Brant Potter, Sr., Floyd Central

INF – Payton Burke, Jr., Prestonsburg

INF – Gage Fields, Sr., Belfry

OF – Sam Little, Sr., Letcher Central

OF – Keegan Bentley, Sr., Pike Central

OF – Conner Lemaster, Jr., Johnson Central

OF – Nick Collinsworth, Sr., Lawrence County

UTL – Bryce Adkins, Sr., Pike Central

UTL – Caleb Hager, Sr., Floyd Central

UTL – Jonah Porter, So., Paintsville

SECOND TEAM

P – Connor Fugate, So., Paintsville

P – Parker Hall, Jr., Belfry

P – Brady Clark, Jr., Pikeville

P – Mason Kestner, Sr., Johnson Central

C – Cory Jefferson, Sr., Paintsville (Capt.)

C – Caleb Mouton, So., Pike Central

INF – Dawson Mills, Sr., Martin County

INF – Brayden Slone, Sr., Prestonsburg

INF – Matthew Dudleson, Sr., Betsy Layne

INF – Sam Brown, Jr., Shelby Valley

INF – Aiden Fields, So., Letcher Central

OF – Evan Crum, So., Martin County

OF – Hunter Damron, Sr., East Ridge

OF – Ethan Whitt, Sr., Lawrence County

OF – Ashton Miller, So., Paintsville

UTL – Riley Dotson, Sr., Phelps

UTL – Caleb Howard, Sr., Magoffin County

UTL – Nick Kidd, So., Prestonsburg

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION:

Josh Slone, Johnson Central; Brayden Maynard, Lawrence County; Jonah Porter, Paintsville; Cameron Kimbler, Blake Hager, Pike Central; Ryan Meade, John Little, Prestonsburg; Jake Varney, Devin Jude, Belfry; Dylan Thompson, Wade Hensley, Blake Birchfield, Pikeville; Lucas Litteral, Ethan Salyer, Magoffin County; Jacob Bentley, Max Martin, Floyd Central; Chase Preece, Greyden Proctor, Dylan Fitch, Martin County; Hunter Mullins, Brady Bentley, Shelby Valley; Brady Robinson, Andrew Kidd, Byron Tackett, Betsy Layne; Caleb Dotson, Dawson McCoy, Dominick Francis, Phelps; Keegan Bentley, Jenkins; Canaan Cunniff, Letcher Central.