Jared Butler

Albert Lea

Junior, Outfield

Butler received honorable mention on the All-Big Nine Conference team as the Tigers struggled to a record of 2-20 overall. He was the Tigers’ top RBI man with 10, batting .316 with four doubles and seven runs scored. &uot;He covers a lot of ground in the outfield and he’s very sure-handed out there,&uot; said Albert Lea coach Joe Sczublewski. &uot;When he’s on a good streak, he hits everything hard. He had a lot of big RBIs for us and was our most consistent hitter with people in scoring position.&uot;

Ryan Truesdell

Albert Lea

Junior, Utility

Truesdell played several positions for the Tigers, starting the season at catcher before moving to the infield and the outfield. An all-conference selection, Truesdell led the team with a .328 batting average, 10 runs scored, eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and an on-base percentage of .429. He also pitched 17 innings. &uot;Ryan had a solid year,&uot; said Tigers coach Joe Sczublewski. &uot;The first half of the season, in particular, he was a very tough out. He’s a good hitter and it showed in the fact he led our team in most offensive categories.&uot;

Greg Opseth

Alden-Conger

Sophomore, Shortstop/Pitcher

With only one senior starter, the young Knights struggled but made some progress and Opseth was their offensive leader, batting .345 with 27 hits, four doubles, a triple and 16 stolen bases. His on-base average was around .400. &uot;Greg is just an all-around hustler,&uot; said Alden-Conger coach Faren Bremseth. &uot;You put him somewhere, he’ll play there. He caught for us a little bit and did some pitching. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve got and he won my Charlie Hustle Award this year.&uot;

Wade Flattum

Glenville-Emmons

Sophomore, Catcher

Although a solid hitter, it was Flattum’s defensive ability that earned him a spot on the All-Area team as the Wolverines finished 17-3 overall and won the Southeast Conference title with a record of 9-1. He threw out 16 baserunners while committing three errors. Flattum batted .297 with 19 hits, 26 runs, 12 RBIs, three doubles and 13 stolen bases. &uot;A lot of umpires commented on his defensive skills behind the plate,&uot; said G-E coach Louie Toulouse. &uot;He blocks a lot of balls in the dirt and probably threw out at least 50 percent of the baserunners who tried to steal. He’s just such a presence in the field.&uot;

Michael Greibrok

Glenville-Emmons

Soph., Pitcher/Infield

Greibrok was key to the Wolverines’ success both offensively and defensively, hitting .356 with 26 hits, 25 runs, 20 RBIs, three doubles and a team-high 17 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he was 6-2 with two saves and a 1.70 ERA in a team-high 45 1/3 innings, striking out 64 while walking six. &uot;The first half of the year, he was our best pitcher,&uot; said Wolverines coach Louie Toulouse. &uot;He’s also a very patient hitter. He had a lot of key base hits for us to drive in a lot of runs.&uot;

Alex Hansen

Glenville-Emmons

Junior, Pitcher/Infield

Hansen had some of the best overall numbers in the area, excelling on the mound and at the plate. He had a pitching record of 6-0, with an earned run average of 0.66, totaling 47 strikeouts and 13 walks in 42 1/3 innings. Hansen batted .413 with 19 hits, 19 runs, 17 RBIs, three doubles, one triple and five stolen bases. He set a school record with an on-base percentage of .672. &uot;He really developed over last summer and this spring as a pitcher, increasing his velocity and developing a nice curve ball,&uot; said G-E coach Louie Toulouse. &uot;He also had an excellent year hitting. He’s very patient at the plate.&uot;

Devin Kaasa

Glenville-Emmons

Junior, Center Field/Pitcher

Another key all-around performer for the Wolverines, Kaasa batted .318 with 21 hits, 19 walks, 20 RBIs, four doubles and three stolen bases while pitching 25 1/3 innings. He had a 3-1 pitching record and an ERA of 1.1, with 19 strikeouts and 14 walks. &uot;He really developed,&uot; said Wolverines coach Louie Toulouse. &uot;Last year, he was mostly a B-squad player but he really made progress last summer in Legion ball and picked up right where he left off. He’s a very aggressive hitter with good speed and a great attitude.&uot;

Mike Yocom

Glenville-Emmons

Senior, Shortstop/2nd Base

Yocom led the area with a batting average of .500, totaling 30 hits, 26 RBIs, 18 runs, three doubles and 11 stolen bases. Yocom had a 14-game hitting streak, striking out three times in 60 at-bats, and had an on-base average of .606. He also pitched seven innings. &uot;Mike was a real excellent leader for us,&uot; said Wolverines coach Louie Toulouse. &uot;And he had a very good year statistically.&uot;

Joey Balfe

NRHEG

Senior, Left Field

Balfe had a huge year at the plate for the Panthers, who finished 18-7 overall and shared the Gopher Conference title. He hit .411 with 23 hits, 18 runs, 16 RBIs, six doubles, a triple and 22 stolen bases. &uot;Joel has really put his time into the sport,&uot; said NRHEG coach Jeff Reese. &uot;He works real hard on his hitting and has some power. I would say he has an above average arm in the outfield, and he has good speed.&uot; Balfe will attend Waldorf Junior College on a baseball scholarship.

Jason Churchill

NRHEG

Senior, Catcher

Churchill had an impressive spring and will join Balfe at Waldorf JC on a baseball scholarship. He was the Panthers’ Most Valuable Player and shared their Gold Bat Award. Churchill batted .371 with 26 hits, 29 runs, five doubles, two triples, one home run and a team-high 27 stolen bases. &uot;He’s definitely one of the quickest-release catchers I’ve had,&uot; said Panthers coach Jeff Reese. &uot;He gets rid of the ball fast. He has an above average arm, but he gets a lot of guys out because of his quick release. He’s a switch hitter and, for me, an ideal leadoff hitter, with a good eye and great speed.&uot;

Ben Groth

NRHEG

Senior, Center Field

Groth had a big offensive season, batting .377 with 23 hits, 17 runs, 17 RBIs, two doubles, a triple and 13 stolen bases while earning the Panthers’ Most Improved Player Award. He was also a defensive standout in center field, with one error all spring. &uot;Ben gives it 110 percent defensively and is a very aggressive defensive ballplayer,&uot; said Panthers coach Jeff Reese. &uot;Any ball within reach, he’ll go and get it. He has above average speed and a good arm. He batted No. 9 for us in the high school season but I’ve had him leading off for the Legion team this summer. He puts the ball in play.&uot;

Bjorn Peterson

NRHEG

Junior, Pitcher/Outfield

Peterson was the Panthers’ most consistent pitcher, compiling an 8-0 record and 1.46 ERA, with 53 strikeouts and 15 walks in 52 2/3 innings. He had two complete games. Offensively, Peterson batted .356 with two doubles and nine RBIs. &uot;Bjorn had great control, with only 15 walks,&uot; said Panthers coach Jeff Reese. &uot;He’s a competitor, the kind of guy you want out there with the bases loaded and you need that out, because he’s going to go after them. He’s a real good all-around athlete and he’s used to the pressure.&uot;

Jacey Reese

NRHEG

Senior, Second Base

A captain and an all-conference selection, Reese &045; son of Panthers head coach Jeff Reese &045; had a batting average of .329 with 25 hits, 23 runs, three doubles and 13 stolen bases. He led the team with 26 RBIs and five sacrifices. &uot;He does all the little things coach’s kids should do,&uot; said Jeff Reese. &uot;He’s got a good baseball head on him, but sometimes he thinks a little too much. He’s a pretty good contact hitter, pretty confident with two strikes on him, and he goes the opposite way real well.&uot;

Brett Wangsness

NRHEG

Senior, DH/Third Base

Wangsness was force at the plate for the Panthers while posting some of the best offensive numbers in the area. He batted .385 with 25 hits, 15 runs, 22 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples, three home runs and 11 stolen bases. He was co-recipient of the Panthers’ Gold Bat Award. &uot;Brett has a lot of power,&uot; said NRHEG coach Jeff Reese. &uot;He hit (a home run) over at Cleveland that was over 400 feet. For as muscular as he is, Brett has got some good speed. He’s deceivingly fast. He mostly DH’d for us, but when he did play third base he did a real good job there.&uot;

Brandon Haugh

United South Central

Junior, Shortstop/Pitcher

Haugh had an outstanding spring for the 14-10 Rebels, batting .319 with 23 hits, 18 runs, four doubles, one triple, one home run, 16 walks and 27 RBIs. He had a slugging percentage of .444 and an on-base average of .483. As a pitcher he was 3-3 with a 4.51 ERA, with 44 strikeouts and 30 walks in 40 1/3 innings. &uot;He really came on strong the second half of the year as a pitcher,&uot; said Rebels coach Thomas Williams. &uot;He has a real strong arm and, at the plate, he sees the ball well.&uot;

Ben Linder

United South Central

Junior, Right Field

The biggest surprise for the Rebels this year, Linder earned a starting spot and went on to bat .361 with 22 hits, 20 runs, four doubles, eight walks and 10 RBIs, with a slugging percentage of .426 and an on-base average of .558. Linder struck out only twice in 61 at-bats. &uot;He was a great surprise with his offense this year,&uot; said USC coach Thomas Williams. &uot;He’s the kind of a kid that you want nine of him because of his work ethic and attitude. You coach him, he’s listing and working on things. He gives 110 percent all season long.&uot;

Kenny Sandt

United South Central

Junior, Third Base/Pitcher

A state tournament qualifier in wrestling, Sandt made his mark on the diamond this spring for the Rebels. Offensively, he hit .382 with 26 hits, 21 runs, four doubles, one home run, 11 walks and 21 RBIs. He also pitched 29 1/3 innings, going 3-0 with a 4.53 ERA, striking out 22 and walking 18. &uot;Kenny is a kid who shows up and plays the game,&uot; said Rebels coach Thomas Williams. &uot;Defensively, he did a good job for us. Offensively, he was a surprise. He rose to the occasion. As a pitcher he threw strikes and the guys made the plays behind him.&uot;

Adam Schrader

United South Central

Junior, Pitcher/Utility

The Tribune’s Player of the Year, Schrader earned it with the best overall numbers for the area team that went the farthest in postseason play. Schrader batted .418 with 33 hits, 21 runs, seven doubles, five home runs, seven walks and 28 RBIs. As a pitcher he was 7-3 with a 2.44 ERA, with 40 strikeouts and 19 walks in a team-high 43 innings. He played several positions defensively. &uot;He played anywhere we needed him to play,&uot; said USC coach Thomas Williams. &uot;He’s a sharp ballplayer, a good talent.&uot;

Honorable Mention

– Albert Lea &045; Brandon Klukow, jr., pitcher;

– Alden-Conger &045; Mike Minehart, sr., third base;

– Glenville-Emmons &045; Nathan Cooper, jr., third base; Robert Flugum, sr., outfield ;

– NRHEG &045; Brady Hullopeter, sr., pitcher/shortstop; Paul Johnson, sr., right field/pitcher;

– United South Central &045; Jerrad Honstad, sr., second base.