The tremendous baseball season by the Ruston Bearcats was certainly acknowledged by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association on its Class 5A All-State team announced today.
Sophomore pitcher and slugger J.R. Tollett was chosen a first-team All-Stater, while four more Bearcats received honorable mention recognition: pitcher/hitter Isaac White, catcher Josh Miller and center fielder Jack Whitaker.
The Bearcats, under now retired coach Toby White, had a tremendous 26-10 season including a 13-game winning streak heading into the second round of the state playoffs.
Tollett was the breakout star. He was the District 2-5A Co-Pitcher of the Year with another first-team All-State, Lane Little, who pitched West Monroe to the state championship game. Tollett was 9-2 with a 1.05 ERA and 83 strikeouts. He was also one of the Bearcats’ most explosive and reliable hitters and a strong fielder at third base when not on the mound.
Miller, Whitaker and White were all first-team all-district picks. White made that squad as a pitcher, but carried a big stick when he was in the lineup as a first baseman.
2021 LSWA Class 5A All-State Baseball Team
Pos Player Cl stats
P Lane Little West Monroe Sr. 10-4
P Jack Walker Barbe Sr. 13-0
P Alex Norris Sam Houston 10-3
P Holden Hess Jesuit Jr. 6-1
C Zack Casebonne Jesuit Sr. 391
IF Clint Lasiter Benton Sr. .470
IF JC Vanek Barbe So. .394
IF Matt Russo St. Paul’s Sr. .350
IF Peyton Stovall Haughton Sr. .505
OF Josh Pearson West Monroe Sr. .418
OF Tripp Haddad Jesuit Sr. .431
OF Jack Walker Byrd Sr. .415
UT J.R. Tollett Ruston So. 9-2
UT Gavin Guidry Barbe Jr. 6-0
UT Davis Stephens Holy Cross Sr. .414
UT Caleb Webb Walker Jr. 8-2
UT Blaise Priester Live Oak Sr. .426
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: JACK WALKER, BARBE
COACH OF THE YEAR: GLENN CHECCHINI, BARBE
HONORABLE MENTION: Donovan Lasalle, Barbe; Crawford Courville, Barbe; Grant Comeaux, Barbe; Alex Laiche, Brother Martin; Cameron Senior, Brother Martin; Nyan Hayes, John Curtis; Giovanni Liccardi, Jesuit; Tyler Carreras, Chalmette; Cardell Thibodeaux, Acadiana; Dallas Rhodes, Sam Houston; Kade McBride, Sulphur; Ean Rodrigue, Thibodaux; Spencer Boudreaux, Thibodaux; Chanler Guidry, Terrebonne; Gavin Vordick, H.L. Bourgeois; Collin Husser, Ponchatoula; Collin Zeringue, Hahnville; Zach Shaw, Ouachita; Isaac White, Ruston; Brady Weatherford, Pineville; Kade Anderson, St. Paul’s; Nathan Monceaux, Dutchtown; Grayson Gates, Benton; Mason Langdon, Byrd; Sawyer LaCoste, Byrd; Kirk Martinson, Byrd; Jacob Hernandez, Haughton; Austin Anderson, Haughton; Josh Miller, Ruston; Kyle DeBarge, Barbe; Cole Joyner, Byrd; Collin Loupe, Jesuit; Nyan Hayes, John Curtis; Kade Dupont, Live Oak; Slade Netterville, Byrd; Ean Rodrigue, Thibodaux; Dane Stearn, Benton; Jack Whitaker, Ruston; Cameron Senior, Brother Martin; Dylan Biddick, Lafayette; Addison Ainsworth, Catholic; Darnell Bayonne, Pineville; Alex Walsh, Alexandria; Trent Gonzales, Chalmette; Colin Rains, Haughton; Kenya Huggins, St. Augustine.
Photo: Boatright/LPJ
