Staff Report

The 2008 baseball and softball seasons were highly successful for the four teams from Southern and Eastern high schools. With the release of the All-Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division teams, there are plenty of individual accolades to explain why.

The Southern Tornadoes landed nine different players on the All-TVC baseball and softball teams, and the Eastern Eagles boasted seven of their own. But the most noteworthy accomplishment was the Southern girls' sweep of the yearly awards, taking the offensive player, defensive player, and coach of the year honors.

For the first time, the Lady Tornadoes softball team won the Hocking Division in ‘08. Led by Coach of the Year Kelly Pape, the girls from Racine finished conference play with a record of 8-2. Along with their division crown came a sectional crown, and the Lady 'Does finished the season with an overall record of 13-7.

Seniors Sarah Eddy, Lindsey Buzzard, and Stephanie Cundiff, and sophomores Kasey Turley and Breanna Taylor were all selected to the All-TVC team for Southern, giving them the most of any Hocking school. Eddy and Turley were also named to the team in 2007, making them each two-time selections. Senior Whitney Wolfe-Riffle missed much of the season due to injury but was an All-TVC choice in 2006 and ‘07.

Along with Pape, Eddy was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Turley took Defensive Player of the Year.

Though they'd hoped for more, the Lady Eagles saw improvement from last season to this one, and they were rewarded with three All-TVC choices.

Senior Kelsey Holter was named to the all-conference team for the third year in a row for the Lady Eagles, putting an exclamation mark on an impressive career at EHS. Joining her on the list were senior Kathryn Bland and freshman Allie Rawson, both first-time honorees.

The Southern and Eastern baseball teams had very similar seasons, winning sectional and district titles before ending their years at the regional finals on the same day in Lancaster. Fittingly, both teams received four players apiece on the All-TVC team.

Like Holter, Tornado senior Wes Riffle made the team for the third year in a row, while senior Ryan Chapman made it for the second time. Rounding out Southern's selections were junior Chris Holter and sophomore Jordon Taylor, who both made their first all-conference team. These four were big contributors to their team's impressive 18-6 overall record and a second consecutive district title.

For the second year in a row, head coach Ryan Lemley's Southern team also claimed the Defensive Player of the Year award. In 2007, Patrick Johnson was honored with the recognition. This season, it was Chapman who brought it back to SHS thanks to some dominant pitching throughout the year that included consecutive no-hitters and a perfect game early on.

Senior Kyle Gordon, juniors Derek Griffin and Zach Hendrix, and sophomore Nick Brannon were all first-time selections to the All-TVC team for Eastern. Brian Bowen's Eagles, who once again tested themselves with a notably-difficult regular season schedule, went 14-12 in ‘08 and won the district title for the third year in a row.