2024 BASEBALL PREVIEW 

CLASS 6A
 
2023 State Champion: Blue Valley West 
 
2023 State Runner-up: Blue Valley North 
 
2023 Review: Blue Valley West held off a late comeback attempt by Blue Valley North to take a 3-2 victory and defend its 6A championship. Trailing by two runs, Blue Valley North loaded the bases with no outs but the Mustangs were limited to a run as Nick Sawyer closed out the game on the mound for the Jaguars. West’s pitching depth showed in the final, with Ari Shafton, Brayden Hines, Samuel Dew and Sawyer combining to keep North’s lineup in check. The Jaguars scored all three of their runs in the second inning, which included an RBI double from Sawyer. West opened the tournament with a 7-1 win over Olathe North and pulled out a 2-1 win over Free State in the semifinals. Blue Valley North (13-12) caught fire in the state tournament, knocking off Manhattan in the quarterfinals and Derby in the semis. Free State beat Derby in the third-place to finish its season 16-7 while Derby went 15-10. 
2024 Contenders: Blue Valley West dominated the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches All-6A team last year, earning six total selections after winning its second straight championship. Four of those players have graduated – pitcher Austin Young, catcher Barrett Donaldson, first baseman Zach Darche and third baseman Jack Schneider. The two returning players who received all-state recognition are senior outfielder Easton O’Keefe, a second-team pick, and senior Nick Sawyer, who was honorable mention as a middle infielder last year.  Blue Valley North will also have to reload after losing 10 seniors off last year’s runner-up team. The Mustangs did return their ace in Griffin Allen, a first-team All-6A selection last year. Junior catcher Holden Groebl was a first-team All-Eastern Kansas League pick last along with Allen. Free State returned several key players off last year’s third-place team, including pitcher Kyle Graves, who earned second-team All-6A honors as a junior. The Firebirds, state qualifiers in seven of the last eight years, lost eight seniors, including second-team All-Sunflower League outfielder Brady Kern. Derby has qualified for state in each of the past nine seasons and finished fourth in 2023. The Panthers lost 10 seniors including second team All-6A pitcher Mitchell Johnson and first-team Ark Valley Chisolm Trail Division I outfielder Kade Sheldon. But the Panthers brought back first-team All-League picks Max White at pitcher and Colton Ruedy at first base as well as Caden Riojas, who was second-team all-league as an outfielder last year. Hudson Halstead and Rowan Foster are also back for the Panthers after receiving honorable mention all-league honors last year as freshmen. Runners-up in 2022, Manhattan reached state again after going undefeated in the Centennial League. The Indians finished 18-2 last season after being knocked off by Blue Valley North in the quarterfinals. Manhattan suffered big-time graduation losses including six players that received All-6A honors last year – Keenan Schartz, Ian Luce, Kyler Horsman, Tyler Gagnon, Jaxon Vikander and PJ Hughes. Senior Jake Wolcott is one of the Indians’ top returners after honorable mention All-Centennial League honors last year. Olathe North returned to state last year for the first time since 2010, finishing 14-9 after falling to eventual champion Blue Valley West in the quarterfinals. The Eagles have huge holes to fill, losing 14 seniors, including All-6A picks Jackson Evans, Jack Wilson, Nic Mozingo, Jackson Polich and Izac Thompson. Senior Tyler Janssen was a first-team All-6A pick as an outfielder last year. Shawnee Mission East reached state in each of the last two seasons, falling in the quarterfinals each time. The Lancers, 14-9 last year, brought back a pair of All-6A players in seniors Jack Jones and Scotty Fegen. Jones, a Tennessee signee, was a first-team pick at first base while Fegan earned second-team honors as a middle infielder.  Topeka High punched its ticket to state last year for the first time since 1947. After going 16-7, the Trojans returned three of its four All-Centennial League selections. They lost standout catcher Elijah Kincade but brought back first-team outfielder Isaiah Kincade, first-team pitcher Nate Plankinton and second-team infielder Matthew Genrich. 
 

CLASS 5A

2023 State Champion: Bishop Carroll 

2023 State Runner-up: De Soto 

2023 Review: After coming one win short of a state championship in 2022, Bishop Carroll finished the job in its return to the state title game, rallying for a 7-6 victory over De Soto to cap a 24-1 season. It was the Golden Eagles’ third state championship and first since 2012. Cal Purvis came up clutch for Carroll, delivering two key hits. Protecting a one-run lead, Carroll’s Van Haneberg worked around a one-out single in the seventh to seal it on the mound. In the semifinals, the Eagles erased a pair of one-run deficits to take a 4-3 win over Eisenhower. De Soto finished 21-4. The Wildcats rolled to a 12-2 win over St. Thomas Aquinas in the semifinals. The Saints (21-4) bounced back to claim third place with an 11-1 win against Eisenhower (18-6).

2024 Contenders: Reigning champion Carroll returned the bulk of its championship team, losing just four seniors. Senior Shane Holman was dominant on the mound as a junior, posting a 5-1 record with an 0.83 ERA. The Golden Eagles also return a big bat at the plate in Nathan Tajchman, who drove in 40 runs last year. Tajchman was a first-team All-5A pick last year while Holman earned second-team honors. Senior Van Haneberg and sophomore Cal Purvis are also back after receiving honorable mention All-5A. Key graduation losses were first-team All-5A third baseman Reed Haneberg and pitcher Peyton Newell, a second-team pick. De Soto, returns three of its four first-team All-United Kansas Conference picks from last year’s runner-up team in senior pitcher Jack Millman, junior infielder Cade Martinez and junior outfielder Noah Thompson. Dillon Stanley graduated after earning first-team All-Conference honors as an infielder. The Wildcats also return a pair of honorable mention selections in senior pitchers Will Burger and Max Thurman off last year’s 21-4 team. Aquinas, which went 21-4 last year and took third place, returned three of the five players who received All-5A honors last year – first-team pitcher and Player of the Year Blake O’Brien, first-team first baseman Cru Huenfeld and second-team middle infielder Brady Stewart. Key graduation losses in the lineup include Ashton Larson and Eddie Henchek. Eisenhower took fourth last year and went 18-6. The Tigers graduated 5A Pitcher of the Year Tyner Horn, now at the University of Nebraska, and also graduated first-team All-5A outfielder Carson Roy and second-team outfielder Will Rogers. Senior Max Brown was second-team All-5A at third base last year. Goddard finished 16-7 last year after falling to Aquinas in the quarterfinals. The Lions brought back a pair of All-5A selections in first-team pitcher Colton Watkins and second-team middle infielder Austin Rudkin. Great Bend made it back to state last year for the first time since 2019, finishing 13-10. The Panthers returned its top player in junior Carson Umphres, a second-team All-5A pick last year as an outfielder. A perennial power and nine-time state champion, Seaman made the state tournament for a state-record 19th time before losing in the quarterfinals to Eisenhower. The Vikings brought back three players who were All-5A honorable mention last year -- Kaiden Griffin, Holden Finley and Max Huston. Spring Hill went 13-6 last year and qualified for state for the first time since 2011. The Broncos lost a first-team All-5A pitcher in Donovan Johnson but sophomore Keaton Neal was first-team as a middle infielder. 

 

CLASS 4A

2023 State Champion: McPherson 

2023 State Runner-up: Chanute 

2023 Review: Jaret Myers tossed a gem in the championship game as McPherson sealed its second straight championship with a 6-0 win over Chanute. Myers allowed just two hits and struck out nine. McPherson outscored its opponents 23-5 in the tournament and finished the season 21-4. Eight seniors went out as back-to-back champs for the Bullpups. Chanute made a surprise run to the final, earning 1-0 wins over Clay Center and Fort Scott. The Blue Comets went 16-9. Fort Scott took third place with a 10-9 win over Paola to finish 18-7. Paola went 15-10.

2024 Contenders: McPherson is aiming for a three-peat. The Bullpups have some big holes to fill after losing Class 4A Player of the Year Hunter Alvord as well as fellow All-4A first-team selection and Jaytin Gumm and honorable mention pick Dawson Feil. Ian Rezak is one of the Bullpups top returners after earning second-team All-4A honors last year as a sophomore. Chanute knocked off top-seeded Clay Center last year in the quarterfinals and Fort Scott in the semifinals, winning both games 1-0. The Blue Comets brought back several key contributors from last year’s 16-9 team, including first-team All-4A first baseman Larsen Koester. Rhett Smith, who earned second-team All-4A honors as a middle infielder and honorable mention recognition as a pitcher, is also back, along with Nathan Meisch, who has honorable mention as an outfielder last year. Fort Scott returned its top pitcher from last year’s third-place squad in senior Rocco Loffredo, a first-team All-4A pick, as well as junior Lennox Vann, who received honorable mention. The Tigers lost a pair of second-team All-4A picks in Eli Kellogg and Cody Wilson. Hunter Loethen is one of the top returners off last year’s Paola team that took fourth place. Loethen earned first-team All-4A recognition as a middle infielder as a sophomore. Key graduation losses for the Panthers were all-starters Kale Murdock and Keaton Matlick. Abilene is coming off back-to-back state tournament appearances, the Cowboys’ only two trips to state. Abilene went 15-8 last year, losing to Fort Scott in the quarterfinals. The Cowboys should be set up for success again, returning five first-team North Central Kansas League selections – Zach Miller, Stocton Timbrook, Kyson Becker, Heath Hoekman and Thomas Keener. Miller was honorable mention All-4A as a utility player last year as a junior. Clay Center made its third straight trip to the state tournament last season before being knocked out by Chanute, finishing 21-2. The Tigers will have to replace its ace in Mark Hoffman, the 4A Pitcher of the Year last season. Junior Cole Pladson was first-team All-4A as an outfielder in 2023 while fellow outfielder Carter Long earned second-team honors as a junior. Larned/La Crosse was a state qualifier last year before running into McPherson in the first round. Senior pitcher/infielder Brady Hope leads several returners for the Indians, who went 14-8 in 2023. Hope, who is working to heal from a knee injury from the football season, was a first-team All-Central Kansas pick as an infielder and a second-team pick as a pitcher. Rock Creek has made state in nine of the last 10 seasons. The Mustangs went 21-2 in 2023 but were knocked off by Paola in the quarterfinals. Senior lefty Daegen Vinduska is back on the mound after going 6-1 last year with a 0.40 ERA, striking out 47. Vinduska was first-team All-4A. The Mustangs graduated two All-4A outfielders in first-teamer Ethan Burgess and honorable mention pick Maddox Ibarra. Buhler enjoyed a solid season last year but fell to McPherson the regional final. The Crusaders were dealt a blow by a season-ending Jeffrey Neill suffered in basketball practice, but they returned a second-team All-4A player in Brendan Scripsick.
 

CLASS 3A

2023 State Champion: Collegiate 

2023 State Runner-up: Columbus

2023 Review: Collegiate defended its Class 3A state championship in dramatic fashion. The Spartans rallied from a 4-0 deficit, with Brady Hunt’s grand slam in the top of the seventh inning powering Collegiate to a 6-4 victory over Columbus in a rematch of the 2022 title game. Collegiate also pulled out a wild 9-8 win over Humboldt in the semifinal, scoring the winning run on a steal of home after surrendering an 8-0 lead. The Spartans were also tested in the quarterfinal, pulling out a 3-1 win over Sabetha. Columbus finished 22-3 after suffering the heartbreaking loss in the title game. The Titans beat Bishop Ward and Santa Fe Trail on their path to the runner-up finish. Santa Fe Trail (21-3) beat Humboldt (23-3) in the third-place game.

2024 Contenders: Collegiate will look to reload in its bid for a repeat. The Spartans lost its leaders from a year ago including state final hero Brady Hunt, 4A pitcher of the year Hayden Malaise and another standout pitcher in Brett Black. Malaise, Hunt and Black were all first-team All-3A picks last year as seniors. Brett Wetta is a key returner for the Spartans after batting .320 last season with 31 hits, 14 RBI, 26 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. He was a second-team All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division IV pick as an outfielder. Columbus also lost a talented senior class following last year’s second straight runner-up finish. The Titans are tasked with replacing four players who received all-state recognition – Seth Stover, Landin Midgett, Kolt Ungeheuer and Kayden Cox. Santa Fe Trail took third place last year and went 21-3. The Chargers ended an 18-year state drought last year. Chad Robert is back after producing a stellar season on the mound in which he fashioned an 8-0 record with a 1.11 ERA. He also hit .359 with 12 RBI. Kyle Strother is a strong No. 2 pitcher for the Chargers, going 5-2 with a 2.02 ERA and 37 strikeouts last year. He also led Santa Fe Trail at the plate, hitting .459 with 30 RBI. Robert and Strother were both honorable mention All-4A. Humboldt nearly pulled off an incredible comeback in the semifinals, rallying from an 8-0 deficit against Collegiate to knot it up at 8 before surrendering the final run and falling 9-8. The Cubs settled for fourth place, finishing 23-3. Sam Hull will again be a key in Humboldt’s lineup. He batted .468 with 4 home runs, 41 RBI and scored 51 runs last year. Hull was a first-team All-3A pick. The Cubs graduated standout pitcher Trey Sommer, an honorable mention 3A selection. Tradition-rich Bishop Ward, winner of 13 state titles in program history, went 17-7 last year. The Cyclones lost to Columbus in the quarterfinals. Ward returns three first-team all-leaguers –  Chris Mancinas, Damon Esparza and Connor Taylor. Goodland, will look to make its third straight state tournament appearance. The Cowboys went 18-5 last year, dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker to Santa Fe Trail in 10 innings in the quarterfinal. Senior Cole Linton is back to lead the Cowboys on the mound after earning second-team All-3A honors last year. Hoisington/Central Plains made state last year for the first time since 2006. The Cardinals finished 15-8. Hoisington lost a second-team All-Stater in Chase Steinert, but Tony Moore, who split time between shortstop, third base and pitcher last year, is back after earning honorable mention All-3A honors. Sabetha is coming off a 19-5 season that ended with a loss to champion Wichita Collegiate in the quarterfinals. The Bluejays got back a key player in Christian McAfee, who was a first-team All-3A pick at first base last year. Senior Marcus Bauman was an honorable mention All-3A selection last year. Wichita Trinity put together a 20-3 season last year but lost to Collegiate in the regional final. The Knights graduated 3A Player of the Year Easton Norris but returned three All-3A selections in senior Matt Omundsen, senior Joaquin Sanchez and junior Braden Roberts. Colby could be another team to watch out for after the Eagles opened the season with a pair of victories over GWAC rival Goodland. 
 

CLASS 2-1A 

2023 State Champion: Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan 

2023 State Runner-up: Marion

2023 Review: Battle tested in the regular season, Pittsburg St. Mary's Colgan dominated the 2-1A state tournament to capture the program’s 21st state title. The eighth-seeded Panthers (15-11) outscored their opponents 35-8 over the three tournament games. Colgan run-ruled Marion 13-3 in six innings in the championship game. John Potusek worked out of trouble to toss a complete game while Carter Jacquinot, Cooper Simmons and Kysen Bennett each had two-hit games for the Panthers. Runner-up Marion went 21-3, reaching the title game with wins over Sedgwick and Elkhart, which bounced back to take third place with a 3-2 win over Onaga to finish 22-2. Onaga went 20-4.

2024 Contenders: St. Mary's Colgan should have enough firepower to make a strong bid at a repeat, losing just two seniors off last year’s championship squad. Catcher Cooper Simmons will be a leader for the Panthers after hitting .420 and driving in 21 runs as a junior. He was a second-team All-2-1A selection and earned first-team All-CNC honors. Senior Gus Keller was a second-team all-league pick last year for the Panthers. Marion lost five seniors off last year’s runner-up squad that finished 21-3. Jack Lanning, Trevor Schafers and Cooper Bailey are among the key returners for the Warriors. Lander Smith joined Lanning as a second-team All-2-1A pick last year but Smith is expected to miss most of the season with an injury. Elkhart lost its top standouts from year – 2-1A Pitcher of the Year Kage Ralstin, fellow first-team All-State picks Cesar Gomez and Austin Rich, and honorable selection Clayton Cole. The Wildcats took third place and went 22-2. Jackson Kolterman helped Onaga make program history as the Buffaloes qualified for the Class 2-1A state tournament for the first time in its three-year history last year. Kolterman, honorable mention All-2-1A as a sophomore,  hit. 405 last year with five home runs, including a clutch one in the regional championship that sent the Buffaloes to state. Onaga will have to replace a pair of first-team All-Staters in Zac Fisher and Colby Sinkins.  Kansas City Christian made its third state tournament appearance in program history last year, finishing 15-9. Dan Haivala is back for the Panthers after earning first-team All-Kaw Valley Conference honors last year as a junior. KC Christian lost their top pitcher to graduation in Ben Raschke, a first-team All-2-1A pick. Little River followed up a runner-up showing in 2022 with another trip to the state tournament before losing to Colgan in the quarterfinals. Little River, which went 20-2 last year, graduated three of the four players it put on the All-2-1A first team last year – Braden Young, Dalton Mantz and Grant Stephens. Young was the 2-1A Player of the Year. Junior Logan Renken a returning first-team All-State performer. He hit .623 as a sophomore and was also sharp on the mound, allowing just seven runs in 27.2 innings pitched. Medicine Lodge went back to state last year for the first time since making back-to-back trips in 2015 and 2016. The Indians went 19-5, falling to Onaga in the first round. Senior Carter Cunningham is Medicine Lodge’s top returner, batting .464 with 4 home runs and an .857 slugging percentage last year to earn first-team All-Central Plains League honors. Derrek Randels is also a returning first-team All-League pick for the Indians. Sedgwick, which won the state title in 2021, finished 18-6 last year. Sterling Lies and Corey Crumrine are back to lead the Cardinals after earning second-team All-2-1A honors last year, while Jeff Nold also returns after receiving honorable mention. Sacred Heart, which fell to Little River in the regional final last year, returned three first-team All-North Central Activities picks in Evan Bogart, Cooper Ivey and Cameron Yohe. Colony Crest took an undefeated record into regionals last year but were knocked out by Kansas City Christian 3-2. Senior Rogan Weir hit .549 last year for the Lancers and was a first-team All-2-1A selection.