The Shadow
Covington’s Michael Myers is the 2010 Virginian Review Baseball Player of the Year after capping off a phenomenal career as a member of the Covington Cougar baseball team.
Myers was a four-year starter with the Cougars and was named first team All-Pioneer District and All-Region C as a senior and was also named to the All-Group A baseball team.
Myers finished his senior campaign with an area-best .517 batting average (31-for-60). He led the Cougars with 31 hits and 26 RBI and also had a team-high nine doubles.
Joining Myers on this year’s All-Area baseball team are Alleghany’s Jerrod Groves, Cody Craft, Cody Nida, Dakota Nicely, Ashby Taylor, Taylor Carter and Jacob Vaughan.
Bath County is represented by Eric Gentry, J.M. Harvey, Derek Brinkley, Dillon Fry and Eric Woodzell, while Adam Simmons, Shawn Perkins and Preston Waddell join Myers to represent Covington.
Groves had a phenomenal year for Coach Gary Rice and the Alleghany Mountaineers. Groves was a first team All-Blue Ridge District and All-Region III selection and was named to the Honorable Mention list of the All-Group AA team.
Groves finished the season with a .430 batting average (34-for-79), including seven doubles and two home runs. He also drove in 19 runs on the season, while scoring 30 runs.
Craft was a first team All-Blue Ridge District selection and a second team All-Region III selection. The lanky second baseman hit .377 (26-for-69) on the season and belted five home runs. Craft scored 29 runs and drove in 24.
Nicely was a second team All-Blue Ridge District selection after finishing the year with a .418 batting average (33-for-79). He belted five long balls, drove in an area-best 37 runs and scored 23 runs.
Taylor was a second team All-Blue Ridge District selection this past season after finishing with a .306 batting average (19-for-62). He ripped five doubles and scored 17 runs.
Carter was solid both at shortstop and on the mound for the Mountaineers this past season. He batted .296 (24-for-81), hit four home runs, drove in 20 runs and scored 17. He posted a 5-4 record on the mound, striking out 54 batters in 452/3 innings pitched. He finished the year with a team-best 3.37 ERA.
Vaughan finished the season with a .359 batting average (28-for-78), including three home runs and five doubles. He drove in and scored 22 runs on the season. On the mound, Vaughan finished with a 4-2 record and a 4.04 ERA over 53 2/3 innings pitched. He struck out 45 and walked 14.
Gentry was a first team All-Pioneer District and All-Region C selection in his senior campaign. He finished the season with a 2.80 ERA on the mound, striking out 61 batters. At the plate, he hit .436 (24-for-55), scored a team-high 21 runs and drove in 13.
Harvey was a first team All-Pioneer District selection and was named to the Honorable Mention list of the All-Region C team after finishing the year with a .458 batting average (22-for-48). Harvey belted three long balls on the year and drove in 17 runs.
Brinkley was a first team All-Pioneer District selection and was named to the Honorable Mention list of the All-Region C baseball team after leading the Chargers with a .510 batting average (27-for-53). He had a team-highs in home runs (four) and RBI (18).
Fry was a second team All-Pioneer District selection as a junior. He finished the year with a .357 batting average (20-for-56) and drove in 11 runs on the year.
Woodzell was also a second team All-Pioneer District selection after finishing the season with a .383 batting average (18-for-47).
Simmons was a first team All-Pioneer District and second team All-Region C selection as a senior. He belted an area-high six home runs and drove in a 22. Simmons finished the season with a .397 batting average (27-for-67).
Perkins was a first team All-Pioneer District selection this past season after finishing the year with a .313 batting average. Perkins was also named to the Honorable Mention list of the All-Region C baseball team.
He was tied for second on the team with 18 runs scored.
Waddell was a second team All-Pioneer District selection as a senior.
Waddell hit .362 (21-for-58) on the year and drove in 15 runs. He also posted a 3-1 record on the mound, striking out 42 batters over 36 1/3 innings pitched. Waddell finished the year with a 4.43 ERA.
