Junior pitcher Taylor Jungmann helped power Rogers to its first state championship in June, and on Tuesday he was named 2A Player of the Year on the 2007 Texas Sports Writers Association All-State Team.
Rogers also had two of the three first-team pitchers on the 2A squad, as Jungmann (13-0) was joined by senior and fellow right-hander Alan Valenzuela (10-0).
Senior outfielder Ricky Brenek gave the Eagles a third player on the first team, and Salado senior second baseman Tanner Myers also was a first-team selection.
Rogers’ Craig Coheley was voted 2A Coach of the Year after guiding the top-ranked Eagles to a 36-2 record in his fourth year.
Three area players were second-team selections: Rogers seniors Braxton Byers and Marshall Coots at shortstop and outfielder, respectively, and Salado junior Matt Fritsch at designated hitter.
Rogers senior catcher Chris Joshlin was picked to the third team, and three Salado players received honorable mention - junior pitcher Kevin Jackson, junior outfielder Seth Collins and Fritsch again at third base.
Gatesville seniors Matt Chartier (catcher) and Luke Howard (outfield) earned honorable mention on the 3A team, and Copperas Cove senior shortstop Bryant Lopez got an honorable mention in 4A.
The Player of the Year award is yet another honor for Jungmann. He was a first-team pick on the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and has been chosen to play in the AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic on Aug. 11 in San Diego.
The 6-6 Jungmann, a Texas verbal commitment, had a 0.41 earned-run average and 142 strikeouts in 85 innings, allowing only 40 hits. He pitched six innings of one-hit shutout ball in beating Blanco in a state semifinal.
Valenzuela, another THSBCA first-team pick, had a 0.76 ERA and 116 strikeouts before he suffered a broken ankle and missed Rogers’ final four games. A Hill College signee, he ended his Rogers career with a 25-4 record and 320 strikeouts.
Brenek went 9-0 as Rogers’ No. 3 pitcher and was voted Most Valuable Player of the state championship game after he threw 5 1/3 innings of shutout relief in an 8-4 victory against Hooks.
However, Brenek received his all-state status for his play as an outfielder. Rogers’ leadoff hitter, he had a .414 batting average, drew 31 walks and scored 34 runs.
Myers played a crucial role as Salado (24-7) advanced to the Region IV quarterfinals. He batted .500, drove in 28 runs, scored 35 and had 23 stolen bases.
As for the 2A second-team players, Byers batted .357 with four home runs and 40 RBI, Temple College signee Coots hit .359 with three homers and 32 RBI, and Fritsch added 30 RBI and 21 steals to a .413 average.
Joshlin, a THSBCA first-team all-state selection who has committed to play for Mary Hardin-Baylor, batted .397 with four homers and 34 RBI and threw out 18 of 27 runners attempting to steal.
In the honorable-mention category: Jackson went 9-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 67 strikeouts; Collins hit .390 with 43 runs and 24 steals; Chartier batted .490 with five homers and 30 RBI and teammate Howard hit .409 with 40 RBI and 16 steals to help Gatesville (18-15) reach the playoffs’ second round; and Lopez batted .393 with 17 RBI as Cove made a rare playoff appearance.
gwille@temple-telegram.com
