The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
La Harpe Northwestern Lands All Hawk Eye Coach, Player Of the Year
by Matt Levins, THE HAWK EYE (used with permission)
La Harpe-Northwestern was a senior-laden team this year, with seven seniors who saw plenty of playing time.
Not surprisingly, the Thunder's experience paid big dividends. After a 3-3 start, the Thunder reeled off 23 straight wins before losing to Macomb in extra innings in a sectional semifinal game.
The Thunder finished with a 27-4 record, including a perfect 10-0 mark in the Bi-County Conference.
La Harpe-Northwestern dominates this year's All-Hawk eye spring baseball team with four players joining Coach of the Year Todd Porter on the squad.
LaHarpe-Northwestern senior shortstop Jensen Jones garnered Player of the Year honors.
Jones completed a fabulous career with yet another standout season. He hit .465 and led the team with six home runs, 11 doubles and 34 runs batted in.
He also led the team in stolen bases with 26 and in runs scored with 45.
Jones had a fielding percentage of .909, committing just seven errors. In six appearances as a pitcher, he posted a 5-0 record with a 3.54 earned run average.
La Harpe-Northwestern senior Jason Myers was equally as productive. He hit .435 with 31 RBIs. He had a fielding percentage of .969 and was second on the team with 33 runs scored. As a pitcher, Myers was 9-1 with a 2.01 ERA.
Not to be outdone, La Harpe-Northwestern catcher Lane Metcalf stepped up with a big senior season. He led the team in hitting with a .529 average. He slugged four home runs, drove in 31 runs and scored 29 runs.
Siegworth capped a stellar career with a solid senior season. He hit .404 with three home runs and 34 RBIs and scored 24 runs. As a pitcher, he had a 9-2 record with a 1.79 ERA. In 62 2/3 innings, he struck out 103 batters.
Under Porter's guidance, La Harpe-Northwestern posted a 54-10 record the last two seasons. The Thunder are 191-6 in his 10 years as coach.
Southern completed yet another successful season, posting a 15-9 record. Three of those losses came to La Harpe-Northwestern.
The Rebels landed three players on the All-Hawk Eye team. Senior catcher Josh Ragar was the Rebels' leader, finishing with a team-leading .538 batting average. He hit four doubles, four triples and six home runs while driving in 24 runs and scoring 36. He was considered one of the best catchers in western Illinois this season.
Joining Ragar is teammate Chris Wisslead, a Junior pitcher first baseman. Wisslead hit .368 with six home runs and 24 RBIs. He scored 27 runs. As a pitcher, Wisslead posted a 7-5 record and a 4.04 ERA. He fanned 72 batters in 58 innings of work.
Southern sophomore right fielder Matt McIntire burst onto the scene with a solid season. He hit .438 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. He scored 32 runs and led the team with seven doubles and 15 stolen bases.
Hamilton was in the thick of the West Central Conference race all season, led by the trio of Greg Dowdall, Chris Dadant and Zach Summers.
Dowdall, a junior outfielder, led the Cardinals with a .471 batting average. He had 14 doubles and drove in 30 runs and finished with a lofty .857 slugging percentage.
Dadant, a senior outfielder, hit .431 with six home runs and eight doubles as the Cardinals lead-off hitter.
Summers, a senior pitcher, fashioned a 5-1 record with one save and a 2.66 ERA. He hit .313 from the plate.
Nauvoo-Colusa senior outfielder Josh Grant led a resurgent Vikings team. In 17 games, he hit .340 with three doubles and 17 stolen bases. He led the team with 19 runs scored.
Carthage senior pitcher Jacob Burling proved to be one of the area's best on the mound. In 66 2/3 innings, he struck out 74 batters while walking 26 and allowing 24 runs. He posted a 2.54 ERA. At the plate, Burling hit .381 while driving in 12 runs and scoring nine.