Sports Scene Baseball Dream Team
Player of the Year
P Justin Alleman Holt
Holt’s Justin Alleman saved his best for last. The 2012 Co-Mr. Baseball was drafted in the 18th round (No. 553 overall) by the Kansas City Royals after completing a stellar season for the Rams.
Alleman tallied a perfect 9-0 record for Holt. He had a 1.43 ERA and struck out 146 batters. At the plate, he collected 31 RBI. He was also named to the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Dream Team and threw two no-hitters this season (vs. Lansing Eastern on April 26 and vs. Okemos on May 10). He started for the West at the MHSBCA East-West All-Star Game at Comerica Park on June 26 and struck out four in two innings of work.
A four-year letterwinner under Coach Nate Potts at Holt High School and a three-time Lansing State Journal Dream Team selection, Alleman was rated the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan by Perfect Game and was also ranked the No. 3 prospect out of both high school and college players in the state and No. 318 nationally by Baseball America. Among high school players, Alleman was rated the No. 104 player overall and the 38th-best pitcher nationally by Perfect Game.
P Keegan Akin Bullock Creek
The Bullock Creek junior had a nearly flawless season for the Lancers in 2012. Akin was a perfect 9-0 with and a 0.78 earned run average. He faced 132 batters in 72 innings, allowing 24 hits and eight earned runs. At the plate, he batted .463 with 35 RBIs, 13 doubles, and five triples.
P Joe Buchalski, Nouvel Catholic Central
After helping lead the Nouvel football team to a Division 7 state championship as the starting quarterback in the fall, Buchalski helped the Panthers make it all the way to Battle Creek during the baseball season. Nouvel would lose in the quarterfinals.
During the season, he was 8-2 on the mound with an 0.54 ERA, 104 strikeouts, four complete games, and two shutouts in 52 innings. At the plate, he hit .385 with two homers, three triples, 12 doubles, 28 runs scored, and 26 RBI. He also played second base.
He will play for Oakland University next season.
P Evan Hill, Mt. Pleasant
Hill was named the Saginaw Valley League Most Valuable Player after posting a 7-3 record and 1.80 earned run average. In 58 1/3 innings, he struck out 80 and threw seven complete games.
He will play for the University of Michigan next season.
INF Shain Showers, Rockford
A three time O-K Red all-conference selection, Showers had a huge senior season at shortstop for Rockford. He batted.447 with nine doubles, 22 stolen bases, 45 runs scored, and 39 RBIs as Rockford won back-to-back O-K Red Conference titles. He will play college baseball at the University of Evansville.
INF Chris Williams, Shepherd
Williams had an outstanding year at the plate, batting .505. He homered six times for a strong Bluejay squad and had 48 RBI on 46 hits. He also scored 25 times and had nine doubles. As a pitcher, he went 7-2 on the mound with 43 strikeouts in 52 innings of work.
INF Luke Bunting, Ithaca
Bunting was solid at the plate on the year with a.413 batting average. He struck out only seven times in 92 at bats while scoring 38 runs and driving in 38. He also stole 34 bases and had .556 on-base percentage. He was a catalyst for an Ithaca team that went 25-10 on the season and earned a Tri-Valley Conference West Division Championship.
INF Maverick Prine, Davison
Maverick Prine got it done for the Cardinals at the plate, on the mound, and in the field. He allowed only 16 earned runs in 51 innings pitched and struck out 67 batters for a 2.17 ERA and a 7-0 record. However, he may have been even more useful at the plate, as he hit .467 on the year with 37 RBIs, 12 doubles, five triples, and five homeruns.
OF Alex Rapanos, Midland
Alex Rapanos was named the Most Valuable Player in the Michigan High School Coaches Baseball All-Star Game at Comerica Park.
He led the Chemics to a 30-8 record and No. 1 ranking in Division 1. He hit .515 with a .593 on-base percentage and .667 slugging percentage. He scored 31 runs and led the team with 13 doubles. He did not commit an error in 2012.
He will play for Michigan State University next season.
OF Sam Brooks, John Glenn
A junior, Brooks guided the Bobcats to a state runner-up finish. The slick-hitting lefty batted .412 with 17 doubles and one home run. He knocked in 44 runs and scored 31 more and landed on Division 3 all-state first team.
OF Corbin Clouse, Grand Ledge
A dynamic player who can hit for power and average and who knows how to get on base, Clouse was named a pre-season All-State performer by ESPN. Just a junior, Clouse will be back next season to lead a dynamic Grand Ledge offense.
C Tony Dileo, Rockford
A pre-season Louisville Slugger All-American, Dileo lived up to the hype with an outstanding senior season for the Rams and earned a third consecutive O-K Red all-conference selection. He batted .423 with 13 doubles, 39 runs scored, and 39 RBIs. He also threw out 11 of the 19 runners who tried to steal on him. He will play baseball next season at Eastern Michigan University.
Coach of The Year
Ben Wright, Chippewa Hills
Wright led the Warriors to a record of 33-7. His team won a fifth straight conference crown (15-1) en route to district and regional titles in Division 2. The Warriors lost in the Division 2 quarterfinal round, marking their best showing in the state tournament since 1983.
All State Selections
Division 1 First Team
C Anthony Gonzalez, Rochester Stoney Creek
C Tony Dileo, Rockford
C Harrison Wenson, University of Detroit Jesuit
1B Carmen Benedetti, Grosse Pointe South
1B Hunter Prince, Hudsonville
INF Shain Showers, Rockford
INF Travis Harvey, Livonia Stevenson
INF Travis Maezes, Ann Arbor Pioneer
INF Dylan Eschenburg, Utica Eisenhower
INF Hector Gutierrez, Detroit Western
INF Jake Jessen, Hartland
INF Tommy Eng, Troy Athens
OF Cam Gibson, Grosse Pointe South
OF Alex Rapanos, Midland
OF Shane Dokey, Brighton
OF Zach Leimbach, Walled Lake Central
OF Jackson Lamb, Bedford
U AJ Susick, Avondale
P Justin Alleman, Holt
P Matt Stojkov, Northville
P Josh Vyletel, Howell
P Matt Ruppenthal, Brother Rice
P Blake Hibbitts, Hudsonville
Division 1 Second Team
C Tyler Baker, Grand Ledge
C Mike Midduszewski, Dexter
C Grant Bridgewater, Bay City Western
1B Will Farr, Grand Ledge
1B Nick Deeg, Lake Orion
INF Maverick Prine, Davison
INF Kyle Randick, Flushing
INF Jake Bivens, Lakeview
INF Connor Smith, Northville
INF Brandon Cable, Hudsonville
INF Sal Ciaravino, Grosse Pointe North
INF Tyler Phillips, L’anse Creuse
OF Corbin Clouse, Grand Ledge
OF Drew Farmer, Rockford
OF Cole Clifton, De La Salle Collegiate
OF Hank Vanooyen, Hudsonville
OF Zak Northup, Rochester Stoney Creek
U Jeff Gertley, Northville
P Nick Keller, Traverse City Central
P Chris McDonald, Livonia Stevenson
P Jake Lowery, Hartland
P Brandon Hughes, Utica Stevenson
P Dan Clouse, L’anse Creuse North
Division 2 First Team
C Alex Kroll, Marine City
C Jared Powell, Tecumseh
C Logan Holwerda, Gull Lake
1B Dylan VanPutten, Thornapple Kellogg
1B Matt Avromov, Notre Dame Prep
INF Colton Bradley, Gull Lake
INF Cam Wysoki, Forest Hills Northern
INF Josh Wieten, Orchard View
INF AJ Montoya, St. Joseph
INF Mike Azzopardi, Detroit Country Day
INF Josh Snyder, Zeeland East
INF Kurt Hoekstra, Grand Rapids Christian
OF Sam Brooks, John Glenn
OF Wes Vaughn, East Grand Rapids
OF Tyler Geiger, Chelsea
OF Tyler Castiglione, Jefferson
OF Ryan Roman, Lamphere
U Kelsey Sorenson, Mt. Morris
P Corey Session, Forest Hills Eastern
P Keegan Akin, Bullock Creek
P Zach Olszewski, John Glenn
P Kyle Slack, Edwardsburg
P Jacob Cronenworth, St. Clair
Division 2 Second Team
C Mike Hodgins, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep
C Justin Lemmen, Holland Christian
C Colton Adkins, Airport
1B Colton Conley, Chippewa Hills
1B Jordan Conti, Trenton
INF Hunter Hayes, Adrian
INF Dustin Lee, Mt. Pleasant
INF Chad Carson, Lapeer East
INF Luke Brower, Holland Christian
INF Jeremy Carrell, St. Clair
INF Randy Kuzdak, Divine Child Catholic
INF Neal Krentz, Bloomfield Hills Lahser
OF Aubrey Parrish, Charlotte
OF Josh Bailey, Bullock Creek
OF Jacob Britt, Tecumseh
OF Emerson Misch, Andover
OF AJ Rubio, Goodrich
U Scott McCormick, Airport
P Jake Tarbell, Chippewa Hills
P Gabe Berman, Andover
P Lucas Hamelink, Gull Lake
P Aaron Dehn, South Haven
P Dave VanVliet, Grand Rapids Christian
Division 3 First Team
C Brent Sunde, Bishop Foley
C Austin Searles, Brandywine
C James Baer, Clare
1B Zach Boone, Columbia Central
1B Chris Williams, Shepherd
INF Brady Vanderweele, Parchment
INF Mike Archer, Hanover-Horton
INF Billy Malak, Bishop Foley
INF Brett Hresko, Powers Catholic
INF Patrick Giddings, Oakridge
INF Colin Spencer, Olivet
INF Luke Bunting, Ithaca
OF Luke Ortel, Bishop Foley
OF Eric Wilk, Cabrini
OF Alex White, Homer
OF Derek Starks, Shepherd
OF Tanner McCarn, Olivet
U Josh Knorr, Blissfield
P Jay Topp, Parchment
P Brian Bayless, Bishop Foley
P Ethan Wiskur, Powers Catholic
P Cody Orban, Cass City
P Ryan Orr, Bath
Division 3 Second Team
C Austin Fenskie, St Charles
C Ty Fuson, Blissfield
C Blake Kraft, Hopkins
1B Alex Erwin, Brandywine
1B Gunner Bouvy, Reese
INF Dylan Williams, Dundee
INF Ryan Jergess, Brown City
INF Matt Jesse, Hemlock
INF Cole Knaup, Columbia Central
INF Travis Bolin, Watervliet
INF Austen Cox, Scottville
INF Brandon Phillips, Newago
OF Benny Clark, Schoolcraft
OF Austyn Allwood, Bridgman
OF Jerod Stuyvesant, Calvin Christian
OF Evan Fifer, White Cloud
OF Matt Darrer, Mancelona
U Scott Morse, Harbor Spings
P Dillon Rush, Lansing Catholic
P Nick Stiles, Bath
P Brady Harris, Bloomingdale
P Craig Conway, Mancelona
P Philip Jock, Memphis
Division 4 First Team
C Cameron Hansen, Gobles
C Nate Gaggin, University Liggett
C Tyler Wilson, Rudyard
1B Burke Hart, Hudson
1B Rayce Randal, Concord
INF Jack Ropp, Concord
INF Theodore Rufo, Decatur
INF Nick Azar, University Liggett
INF Chad Cook, Lutheran Northwest
INF Jason Hansen, Harbor Beach
INF Brett Kortmen, Johannesberg-Lewiston
INF Dylan Richardson, Brethren
OF Seth Johnson, Gobles
OF Tyler Harrin, Mendon
OF Lance Kleino, Saugatuck
OF Brian Vancollie, Johannesberg-Lewiston
OF Mark Auk, University Liggett
U Nathan Lenard, Posen
P JT Kawaski, Decautur
P Tim Cerren, Decautur
P Alex Daar, University Liggett
P Troy Taylor, Carsonville-Port Sanilac
P Gunnar Owens, Johannesberg-Lewiston
Division 4 Second Team
C Joel Crozier, Whiteford
C Zach Kitzmiller, Merrill
C Drew Bechtel, Beal City
1B Brian Feinauer, All Saints Central
1B Dominic Detorres, Muskegon Catholic Central
INF Nick Eberstein, Mendon
INF Justin Salvano, Lake Michigan Catholic
INF Dustin DeBeau, Merrill
INF Nick Hire, Sacred Heart Academy
INF Conner Seymour, Muskegon Catholic Central
INF Ty Rollin, Beal City
INF John Grayvold Jr., Norway
OF Austin Brege, Rogers City
OF Jason Ribecky, Muskegon Catholic Central
OF Justin Hughes, Whiteford
OF Adam Fiema, Inter-City Baptist
OF Allen Warren, New Lothrop
U Nick Harris, Franklin Road Christian
P James Urban, New Lothrop
P Aaron Buckner, New Buffalo
P Stephen Botti, Decatur
P Todd Rondo, Mio
P Laketon Belinger, Holton