Kelsey Ahrens holding what used to be a round Softball after her walk-off 3-run homer
Canyon Lake’s Baseball and Softball teams celebrated their completed season last week when they held a banquet to honor their District and Team awards.
The Hawks will be ready for action next season as both these teams had youth and many players that will be returning for a better finish to their season.
Softball is classic in that regard as this team will only graduate two Seniors and basically played Varsity ball with a Junior Varsity (in grade) team.
With a total of 4 upper echelon players, this Hawk team was loaded with Freshman and Sophomores in key areas all over the diamond.
Alexis Robinson Sophomore District 27-3A 1st Team Pitcher Carly Dubois Freshman District 27-3A 1st Team Infield Kelsey Ahrens Junior District 27-3A 2nd Team Infield Brianna Young Senior District 27-3A 2nd Team Catcher
That is a pretty good list for a team that finished tied for last place in district competition.
An indicator of how much respect this team had amongst other district coaches that found themselves in a battle when taking the field this past year.
The players were also honored by their peers by casting their vote for three categories.
Best Offensive Player: Brianna Young
Young was a clutch hitter this year and for her career as she now holds the all time rbi numbers as well as standing in second place with a .367 career batting average.
Young finished this past season batting .461 with an on base percentage of .554 and a well deserved honor.
Frank Phillips College will be home for the next two years for Young and this young lady will do well in the Panhandle as she proved playing for the Hawks by getting on base via a hit or walk.
Those walks might come in handy based on how far she will be from home.
Best Defensive Player: Carly Dubois
Dubois made her mark in Hawk lore when she made a circus catch in one of her first games of this past season. The game was in Navarro and CL was in a hotly contested battle when this Freshman took off from her centerfield position and laid out for a snow cone catch in the alley.
There would be more of the same as this player would make doubles into outs and by using her speed to catch up to countless balls hit past the infield.
Dubois also had a hand in helping Catcher Young get her nickname as The Wall by throwing strikes from the outfield to home plate helping to cut down a potential run by the opposition.
Ultimate Team Player: Kelsey Ahrens
Wow! What can you say about a player that has brought her ‘A’ game in the batter’s box and third base position.
Ahrens was so good at third base that this year’s first baseman might have been better served playing with a catcher’s mitt instead of a regular glove.
In other words, she could bring it, and those laser throws almost broke the sound barrier several times.
Ultimate player also translates to the offensive side of the ball where Ahrens continues to improve each season at the plate.
Who can forget her walk-off 3run home run to beat Bandera this year. The ball she hit might still be climbing over the hills of Canyon Lake or who knows….the ball might have even made the lake.
A well deserving honor for Ahrens as this honor also tells the casual fan that she commands the respect of her teammates.
Congrats to all of these players as Canyon Lake will say good-bye to Young and Emma Broussard while welcoming a good group of players from Mountain Valley and bringing back every position but catcher and outfield spot.
The ReSporter will find it hard waiting to see how this team will respond to their new district as this team will be a fun team to follow.
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HAWK BASEBALL also had their ceremony and honored many players that performed this past season.
Nick Cahill interviewing for work at a Hardware store after bringing home several awards at the Hawk Baseball Banquet
Yes, it was a disappointing end, but Canyon Lake will also have a good chance of raising the bar when they throw out the ball next year.
This past season this team saw a two out 7 run rally for a win while having their defense complete a triple play.
Those are two accomplishments that will be hard to duplicate.
Canyon Lake had seven players that were named for a spot for District 27-3A squad.
First Team All-District Players: Cody Powell Junior Pitcher Nick Cahill Junior Outfield TJ Jones Senior Utility Second Team All-District Players: Garrett Winters Junior Third Base Nick Kissell Junior Pitcher Peyton Sipila Senior Shortstop JJ Nance Senior Outfield Canyon Lake also honored players voted on by their teammates: 110% Award: Tie Kyle Krohn Senior Catcher TJ Jones Senior Infield Offensive MVP: Nick Cahill Junior Outfield Defensive MVP: Garrett Winters Junior Infield Team MVP: Nick Cahill Junior Outfield Academic All-District: JJ Nance Senior Outfield TJ Jones Senior Infield Peyton Sipila Senior Infield
Nick Cahill certainly put himself with several other Hawk best players this season as this young man came on strong as the season progressed.
Anytime a player starts the season near the bottom of the batting order and then ends the year in the top four batters, then is a high compliment as Coach Trent Dunavant saw the value of having Cahill’s bat further up in the order.
Garrett Winters will need to use a glove for next year’s ceremony to protect his hand while holding this plaque.
Garrett Winters also found out he can hit with power when he has a finger in a splint and keeping this player healthy for a full season has to be on the need to happen category for Coach Dunavant next season.
Winters is an automatic out when a ball is hit in his vicinity of third base and it is a joy watching how effortless he can turn a well placed ball into an out.
Both these players will be returning next year to build on their goals with one of those hopes being translated to a post-season slot.
Nick Kissell and Cody Powell will be instrumental in realizing that goal as both players will return for another year on the mound.
Congratulations to all the players and The ReSporter will be waiting with ‘bated’ breath as next season comes calling.
