The Virginia High School League has announced that all-state teams for Class 2 in baseball and softball.
In baseball, King William senior pitcher Henry Kite is the Class 2 Player of the Year, and Lebanon head coach Cody Compton is the Class 2 Coach of the Year.
Kite is a hard-throwing 5’11”, 170-pound right-handed pitcher and King William’s top hitter as a slick-fielding second baseman when he wasn’t pitching. On the mound, the Cavalier ace posted a 9-3 record with a 1.56 ERA, 97 strikeouts, and held opponent batters to a .178 batting average in 58.1 innings pitched. As an offensive threat, the William & Mary signee batted .437 (31 hits) with 25 RBI, 17 runs scored, 8 doubles, a pair of triples, 5 stolen bases, and a .488 OBP.
In his fourth season leading the Lebanon baseball program, Compton’s Pioneers finished with a 21-8 record and a second state title under him with a 5-2 win over Patrick County in the Class 2 finals at historic Kiwanis Field in Salem.
James River was not represented on the all-state team but Cam Saunders, a junior pitcher for the Knights, was named second team All-Region 2C.
In softball Appomattox County senior pitcher Paisley Mann is the Class 2 Player of the Year, and Appomattox County head coach Janet Rawes is the Class 2 Coach of the Year.
Mann, a first-team all-state selection at pitcher for the third consecutive year, compiled a 13-2 record with a stellar 1.08 ERA. In 91 innings pitched, she threw two no-hitters, allowed just 14 runs, walked 31 batters, and struck out 167 hitters.
Appomattox County softball coach Rawes guided her Raiders team to a 23-3 record and a state runner-up finish, falling to King William in the Class 2 finals.
James River did not have anyone on the all-state team, but the Knights had three girls make the All-Region 2C team. Sydnee Breeding was first team at shortstop, Keira Crawford was first team in the outfield and Caitlyn Downey was a second team selection at second base. All three are seniors.
