Meet The Herald’s 2022 All-Area baseball and softball teams and honorable mentions
High school coaches often wax poetic about their senior classes. They say that their seniors “set standards and foundations” to build upon — that they “take ownership” of their teams and “lead by example” and do other things that keep the high school sports world spinning round.
Every once in a while, though, senior classes do more.
That was true at Andrew Jackson and Fort Mill this spring — and that was reflected in The Herald’s All-Area selections.
Andrew Jackson’s senior pitcher and UNC baseball signee Kyle Percival is The Herald’s Baseball All-Area Player of the Year. The All-State and South Carolina 2A Player of the Year headlined a talented AJ Class of 2022 and helped lead the Volunteers to the school’s first state title in a boys sports since 1980. Percival went 11-0 with a 1.17 ERA in 69.1 innings pitched. The lefty ace struck out 143 batters and only allowed 33 hits. When he wasn’t on the mound, he contributed in the field at first base and in the batter’s box to the tune of six home runs, nine doubles, 32 RBI and a .307 batting average.
Percival’s coach, Mike Lucas, is The Herald’s Baseball All-Area Coach of the Year. AJ competed in 2A, but the Volunteers would have hung tough with anyone in the state — and would likely be favored to win against anyone in the state with Percival on the mound. Lucas witnessed his team go 33-2-1 overall en route to a region championship and a state title over public charter Gray Collegiate in three games — handling the team’s unfinished business after losing in the state championship series in 2021. This team’s success was a result of a years-long culture build and will go down as one of the best baseball teams the town of Kershaw has ever seen.
On the other side, senior pitcher Maddie Drerup has been selected as The Herald’s Softball All-Area Player of the Year. The USC Upstate signee and All-State selection tossed almost every consequential pitch of the Yellow Jackets’ state championship run in 2022. She went 15-5 overall and recorded 191 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.13. She was also one of her team’s best hitters: Her .449 batting average was the best on the team among players who played every game, and that efficacy resulted in 29 RBI and four home runs. Arguably her biggest hit of the year came late in an elimination game in the state championship series against Lexington — when Drerup crushed a grand slam to give Fort Mill a lead and, ultimately, a bounce-back win that changed Fort Mill’s final fate.
Fort Mill fixture Chuck Stegall is The Herald’s All-Area Softball Coach of the Year. The blue-haired Fort Mill native and “country-scrapper” supervised another successful season — leading his team to a sixth straight district championship, a share of the Region 3-5A crown and a program-first state title. He declared he was retiring at the end of the school year mid-regular season, and now he’s one of an elite few who can say he won the last high school game he competed in.
York, Chester and Lancaster counties overflowed with baseball and softball talent in 2022. Meet The Herald’s full All-Area teams and honorable mentions below.
Baseball end-of-year awards
Player of the Year: Kyle Percival, Andrew Jackson
Coach of the Year: Mike Lucas, Andrew Jackson
First team
Kyle Percival, Andrew Jackson.
Connor Rasmussen, Fort Mill. The senior infielder and All-State selection recorded a .418 batting average and a .525 on-base percentage en route to leading his team to a 5A state championship appearance. His season stat-line is impressive wherever you look: 41 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 28 RBI and eight stolen bases. He was also a starting pitcher for the team, notching a 1.27 ERA and 41 strikeouts. Later this summer, he’ll join the East Carolina baseball team — the same group that made a Super Regional earlier this month.
Ethan Darden, Northwestern. The Clemson commit and lefty ace for the Trojans notched 42 strikeouts and a 1.6 earned-run average in his senior season. He also finished with a .355 batting average. Northwestern made the playoffs but fell two wins short of a district championship.
Mathieu Curtis, Fort Mill. The All-State selection pitched a team-high 67.2 innings and notched a record of 10-1. He finished his senior year with 90 strikeouts and a 1.55 ERA.
Harrison Wilson, Catawba Ridge. The Region 3-4A Player of the Year and All-State selection led Catawba Ridge in home runs (five) and doubles (11) and also notched 30 RBI. The Winthrop signee also was a great pitcher, throwing a 2.10 ERA and notching 31 strikeouts. The Copperheads finished the season as Region 3-4A champions and were one win away from a district championship.
Caleb Cox, Clover. The North Greenville signee was integral in leading Clover baseball to its first Region 4-5A championship and one of its best seasons ever. The senior pitcher went 7-2 — notching a 1.12 ERA and striking out 100 batters in 62.2 innings pitched.
Michael Gibson, Northwestern. Gibson had done a lot of growing up in his six years in the Trojan baseball program, and the Trojans will miss him next year. The senior hit .403 — a second-straight year he hit over .400 in 5A baseball — and notched a .501 on-base percentage, five home runs, 20 RBI and 26 runs. The Trojan is heading to Charleston Southern to play baseball in the fall.
Jake McCoy, Catawba Ridge. The All-State and All-Region player posted a 2.54 ERA as a pitcher and a .360 batting average as a lefty slugger. He also recorded a .524 on-base percentage, three home runs and 21 RBI.
John Wimmer, Rock Hill. The junior was a big reason why the Bearcats made the playoffs (and made a bit of a run, defeating Clover and threatening CHS for the district crown). The shortstop had a .425 batting average, 11 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 18 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
Trevor Testerman, Catawba Ridge. The All-State and All-Region selection hit .382 and led the Copperheads in hits (39) and RBI (35). He also stole 14 bases.
Ashton Phillips, Andrew Jackson. The All-State selection and Diamond Prospects 2A Runner-Up Player of the Year (behind his teammate, Percival) hit .363, six home runs and 32 RBI. The senior also went 8-2 with a 2.19 ERA and struck out 93 batters in 2022.
Cooper Zohner, Clover. The Clover junior had a .427 average, two home runs and 25 RBI. He also finished the year with a .511 on-base percentage.
Landon Peavy, Andrew Jackson. The All-State selection had a .449 batting average — accumulating 48 hits, 38 RBI, 10 doubles and 24 stolen bases.
Devin Parks, Legion. As provisional members of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association, the Lancers weren’t eligible to play for a state championship. But they had a lot of the talent that delivered a state title from the year before — and one of those guys was Parks. The junior had a batting average of .415 and notched a team-high seven home runs and a team-high 29 RBI.
Sam Czyz, Clover. The Blue Eagles had a really good pitching staff in 2022. Czyz provided effective depth. In 47 innings pitched, he put together a 7-0 record with a 1.787 ERA and 49 strikeouts. In the batter’s box, he also hit .423 and had an OBP of .595.
Second team
Andrew Sands, Northwestern. The sophomore was an offensive leader who recorded a .344 batting average, a .521 on-base percentage, 22 hits, eight doubles and 22 RBI.
Skylar Hooten, Rock Hill. The junior center fielder hit .378 and notched 12 RBI and nine stolen bases.
Cole Canty, Rock Hill. The sophomore has a bright future ahead of him in his high school career. The left fielder hit .347 and notched six doubles, a home run and 21 RBI in 2022. He also was a good pitcher: 3-3 record, 2.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts.
Dylan Schaefer, Fort Mill. When Fort Mill needed a hit, particularly in the throes of its playoff run, Schaefer delivered. The junior notched a .348 batting average and added 10 doubles, three triples, a home run and 12 stolen bases.
Ron Robinson, Lancaster. Robinson hit .319 and 22 RBI in the batter’s box. On the mound, he went 4-3, threw 46 strikeouts and recorded a 1.97 ERA.
Riley Stout, York. The York senior and Newberry signee hit .423, adding five home runs, 18 RBI and six stolen bases. He was one of five baseball players from York to sign to play college ball next year and helped lead his team to a 15-13-1 record in 2022.
Seth Morrow, Lewisville. The All-State selection hit .402 with eight doubles and 20 RBI. He also recorded a 2.59 ERA for a team that went undefeated in its region.
Gabe Simmons, Nation Ford. The junior is a N.C. State commit.
Jay Douglas, Legion. The senior and Florence-Darlington signee recorded a .420 batting average and 20 RBI.
Joey Hylinski, Legion. The Winthrop signee and right-handed pitcher went 6-0 overall with 60 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.46.
Landon Sexton, York. Sexton was another York senior who signed to play college ball. He’ll be attending Spartanburg Methodist College. The senior pitcher went 6-2 with 69 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.17. In the batter’s box, he also accumulated nine RBI.
Xavier Pelzer, Legion. The University of South Carolina commit and lefty pitcher notched a 1.80 ERA with 57 strikeouts as a junior.
Bryce Helms, Andrew Jackson. Another AJ senior, Helms hit .342 and notched 27 RBI with 11 stolen bases.
Dion Brown, Clover. The sophomore Clemson commit notched a .333 batting average and 14 RBI in 2022.
Kenan Bowman, Nation Ford. The junior infielder is an ECU commit.
Honorable mention
Luke Garabedian, Fort Mill; Aiden Pomnitz, Lancaster; Jaden Young, Lancaster; Braden Small, Indian Land; Cole Montgomery, South Pointe; Lane Sullivan, Chester; Riley Darby, Chester; Owen Sarna, Northwestern; Jack Burton, Northwestern; Fuller Sims, Andrew Jackson; Jack Killelea, Legion; Ben Coyle, Lewisville; Lane Ross, Nation Ford; Seth Hanson, Nation Ford; Miles Baker, Nation Ford.
Softball All-Area awards
Player of the Year: Maddie Drerup, Fort Mill
Coach of the Year: Chuck Stegall, Fort Mill
First team
Maddie Drerup, Fort Mill.
Janelle Ilacqua, Catawba Ridge. The sole senior on her team has done her part to make Catawba Ridge a growing power in York County. The Region 3-4A Player of the Year and All-State selection hit .521 with 39 RBI, eight doubles and seven home runs en route to leading her team to a program-first 4A state championship series. She’ll play softball at Michigan next year.
Emily Wodecki, Clover. Clover earned a share of the Region 3-5A crown — which is no small feat considering it shared it with eventual state champion Fort Mill — and Wodecki is a big reason why. The All-State senior hit .450 and knocked in 32 runs.
Taylor Ames-Alexander, Lancaster. The All-State senior hit a remarkable .578 batting average on the season — adding 40 RBI, 10 doubles and an area-best 18 home runs. The SC State commit helped Lancaster to a 19-8 record and a second-place finish in Region 3-4A.
Audrey Wilson, Catawba Ridge. The All-Region and All-State selection finished her sophomore season with a .480 batting average, 48 RBI and nine home runs.
Olivia Southerly, Nation Ford. The senior center fielder hit .364 and only made one error in the field all year. The All-Region 3-5A selection was the MVP for a Nation Ford team that made the playoffs.
Emma Skovran, Nation Ford. The junior All-Region selection hit .388 and notched 21 stolen bases and 19 runs scored.
Layla Clayton, York. The freshman starting pitcher led a team that went 15-7. She threw 154 strikeouts and notched an ERA of 1.7.
Morgan Langley, Legion. The Lancers, like their baseball counterparts, couldn’t play for a state championship after joining the NCISAA, but a lot of their state championship talent stayed. And that includes Langley. The USC Upstate signee hit .532 with six home runs, five triples, 32 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Marisa Reyes, York. Between Clayton and Reyes, the Cougars have a lot of young talent. Reyes, specifically, is an eighth-grader who hit .450 with a slugging percentage of .700.
Sydney Rollins, Lewisville. The ninth-grader hit .556 and finished with five doubles, four triples, two home runs and 37 RBI. She was an All-State selection and the All-Region 2-1A Player of the Year and led her team to a state championship appearance.
Trista Reid, Fort Mill. Reid hit a team-second-best .438 and had a team-best five home runs and 31 RBI in the Yellow Jackets’ state title run. Two of those RBI came in the final game of her career.
Trinity Wall, Fort Mill. The senior outfielder notched a .366 batting average, 20 RBI and three home runs. She was also one of the area’s best fielders — recording a .958 fielding percentage.
Chloe Burger, Catawba Ridge. The Copperhead sophomore and starting pitcher went 25-5. She finished 2022 with 260 strikeouts, a 1.94 ERA and three no-hitters.
Rayna Blackwell, Legion. The Lancer hit .473 and added 24 RBI, six doubles, four triples and four home runs.
Second team
Bree Colbert, Andrew Jackson. The center fielder hit .506 en route to leading the Volunteers to a playoff appearance. She also notched 22 RBI, 21 doubles and a home run and only struck out three times all year.
Avery Smith, York. The sophomore catcher hit .325 and fielded at a high level — .988 fielding percentage.
Brynn Bartolini, Fort Mill. The senior hit .352 with eight RBI and two doubles.
Sami Chavis, Clover. The senior North-South game selection hit .365 with 21 RBI.
Ava Balsinger, Fort Mill. The senior hit .373 with 16 RBI, seven doubles and two home runs.
Amelia Mason, Clover. The freshman and Clover’s ace pitched 149 innings and ended with a record of 19-6. Her ERA finished at 1.69, and she struck out 145.
Isabell Cunningham, Rock Hill. The All-Region 4-5A player hit .437 for a Rock Hill team that went 7-17 and won a playoff game.
Joei Owens, Legion. The senior hit .386 and is joining the North Greenville softball program in the fall.
Peyton Hurst, Indian Land. The All-Region 3-4A selection hit .302 with nine doubles, three triples, two home runs and 24 RBI. The pitcher — who was named the team’s MVP — also notched 104 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched.
Emma Tisdale, Fort Mill. Tisdale is a Charlotte 49er commit and had 17 RBI and seven doubles in 2022.
Logan MacNeil, Clover. The junior hit .316 and added three home runs and 18 RBI.
Alyssa Rollings, Lewisville. The junior, who shared co-MVP honors with teammate Sydney Rollins, hit .506 with 36 RBI.
Riley Burton, Legion. The junior catcher is a Clemson commit.
Jamaya Miller, Lancaster. The Bruins pitcher finished her senior year with a 2.19 ERA. She also notched a team-second-best .364 batting average.
Kailey Canupp, Legion. Canupp was part of a deep lineup. She hit .362 and notched eight RBI and two home runs.
Honorable mention
Payton Hope, South Pointe; Sophia Forney, Rock Hill; Amarie Gist, Lancaster; Saleena Rollins, Lewisville; Abby Furr, Lewisville; Camie Myers, Indian Land; Olivia Miller, Indian Land; Maddie Bruining, Clover; Adah Bruining, Clover; Avery Smith, York; Gabi Wilson, Legion; Sydnie Spears, Fort Mill; Olivia Poteat, Fort Mill.
Sam Copeland, Jay Edwards and Alex Zietlow all contributed to the selection of these teams. Check out The Herald’s All-Area track and field, golf and lacrosse teams at heraldonline.com.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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