By: LaMar Gafford
For the LSWA
The headliners of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 3A team all have something in common.
They all willed their respective teams to Sulphur.
Jena senior pitcher Kiette Cooper earned Most Outstanding Player honors in softball, while first-year Sterlington baseball coach Jeff Tannehill was named Coach of the Year – highlighting the top honors on the Class 3A All-State team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Cooper, a McNeese signee, led the Lady Giants with a 23-5 record and 1.08 earned run average with 332 strikeouts in 175.1 innings pitched. Not only was she one of the state’s most dominant pitchers, but she also batted .344 with five home runs and 30 RBIs.
Tannehill, who enjoyed previous success at LaSalle and Neville, guided the Lady Panthers to the Division III non-select title behind a trio of first team all-state players freshman pitcher Ansley Johnson and senior position players Jaleeyah Alford and Sullivan Cannon.
This is the Tannehill’s third Coach of the Year honor – winning it in softball with Class 1A LaSalle (2002) and Class 1A football with St. Frederick (2013).
Westlake’s first state baseball title since 1996 coincided with the senior pitcher Hadley Hardesty and coach Blake Reed sweeping the baseball superlatives.
Hardesty produced on the mound with a 10-3 record, 86 strikeouts, 1.97 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He saved his best for the postseason with a perfect 4-0 mark, 25 strikeouts and 0.93 ERA in 22.2 innings. He also hit .362 with four home runs and 48 RBIs this season.
Reed proved the third time was the charm, leading Westlake past Sterlington after consecutive losses to the Panthers in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
The Rams went 30-8 this season but were 8-1 in the postseason behind the likes of all-state performers Hardesty, Peyton Kile and Brody Anderson.
Class 3A Baseball
Pos Player School Cl Rec/Avg
P – Blaiden Dunn, Caldwell Parish, Sr., 9-5
P – Hadley Hardesty, Westlake, Sr., 10-3
P – Landon Johnston, Sterlington, Sr., 10-2
P – Logan Sorrel, Parkview Baptist, Sr., 1.51|
C- Hunter Smith, Patrick Taylor, Sr., .506
INF – Landon Derouen, Erath, Jr., .510
INF – Devyn Downs, Sterlington, Jr., .360
INF – Shepherd Gammon, University, Jr., 384
INF – Miller Sheets, Sterlington, Sr., .382
OF – Jaris Hamilton, University, Sr., .366
OF – Peyton Kile, Westlake, Sr., .403
OF – Landon Lemaire, Erath, Sr., .340
UT – Brody Anderson, Westlake, Jr., 8-2
UT – Henry Beckers, Parkview Baptist, Sr., .442
UT – Liam Cazenave, St. James, Jr., 5-2
UT – Jed Henry, South Beauregard, Sr., 9-1
UT – Sebastian Rideaux, Acadiana Renaissance, Jr., 6-4
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Hadley Hardesty, Westlake
COACH OF THE YEAR: Blake Reed, Westlake
Honorable mention
AJ Armand, Buckeye; Alex Baggett, South Beaugard; Bryce Bankston, Albany; Drew Barrow, South Beauregard; Luke Becnel, St. James; Layf Bella, Berwick; Jacob Bourgeois, Fisher; Kaylor Broussard, Iota; Tre Burch, Sterlington; Carter Champagne, Erath; Tate Collins, Erath; Beau Cormier, Acadiana Renaissance; Ty Curtis, Buckeye; Seth DeGeorge, Parkview Baptist; Sabe David, Kaplan; Reece Dommert, Iota; Malachi Dunn, Madison Prep; Hudson Dupuis, Jennings; Camden Fisackerly, De La Salle; Jack Garcille, St. Louis; Jeremy Gibson, Patrick Taylor; Landon Gravois, St. James; Jonah Grob, Albany; Trent Helwig, Haynes Academy; Linzy Howard, Patterson; Justin Hunt, Buckeye; Sy Jackson, St. James; Jonas Jenkins, Jena; Collin Jensen, Jena; Brody Mayeaux, University; Tyler Mike, Fisher; Cain Milligan, Bunkie; Trace Moreau, St. Louis; Caleb Ortiz, Albany; Noah Pearson, Caldwell Parish; Parker Pilgreen, Bunkie; Jacques Riche, Bunkie; Karson Robichaux, De La Salle; Grayden Ross, Westlake; Cole Schexnaider, Acadiana Renaissance; Braden Scioneaux, St. James; Riley Sinclair, Caldwell Parish; Maddox Soileau, St. Louis; Trey Sotile, University; Lucas Surcouf, Haynes Academy; Dylan Vital, Lake Charles College Prep; Grant Vollmer, University; Cooper Williams, Westlake; TJ Williams, Vidalia; Carson Willis, Jena; Jake Wooten, Parkview Baptist; Jakson Yeager, Iota; Jackson Yellot, South Beauregard.
Class 3A Softball Team
Pos Player School Cl Rec/Avg
P – Kiette Cooper, Jena, Sr., 23-5
P – Lexi Greene, Kaplan, Jr., 24-7
P – Ansley Johnson, Sterlington, Fr., 18-3
P – Ashtyn Rogers, Patrick Taylor, Sr., 19-4
C- Leah Godoy, Patrick Taylor, So., .434
INF – Jaleeyah Alford, Sterlington, Sr., .493
INF – Kayleigh Beckley, Caldwell Parish, Jr., .486
INF – Rosalee Richey, Jena, Jr., .442
INF – Emma Venable, Jennings, Sr., .542
OF – Sullivan Cannon, Sterlington, Sr., .333
OF – Sadie St. Pe., Buckeye, Jr., .526
OF – Morgan Singleton, University, 8th, .515
UT – Callie Decker, Jena, Sr., .396
UT – Mattie Fullington, St. Louis, So., .537
UT – Aimee Gawlik, Parkview Baptist, 8th, .400
UT – Katie Elizabeth Lachney, Marksville, So., .636
UT – Jalayah Slaughter, Parkview Baptist, Fr., .388
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Kiette Cooper, Jena
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeff Tannehill, Sterlington
Honorable mention
Calli Grace Baum, Caldwell Parish; Andi Bettevy, Bunkie; Jai Bright, St. James; Austin Carter, Sterlington; Saige Cherry, Iota; Aubrey Crochet, Iota; Aubree Ducote, Bunkie; Ellie Gage, St. Louis; Azyria Garrison, Berwick; Liberty Greene, Kaplan; Gabriella Grogan, Patterson; Olivia Harmson, Buckeye; London Harvey, University; Anna Hebert, Kaplan; Rylee Henson, South Beaureguard; Kenadee Jeansonne, Buckeye; Mia Knight, Patterson; Emmarie Lacy, Parkview Baptist; Ava Landry, Parkview Baptist; Addisen Lipari, Berwick, Genie Lovett, Doyle; Charlotte Lowe, University; Makinley Miller, Buckeye; Myca Mudd, South Beauregard; Elaina Newman, Westlake; Rosalee Richey, Buckeye; Makayla Richoux, Cabrini; Kenzie Sonier, South Beauregard; Charli Sonnier, Iota; Malaya Sonnier, Jennings; Shiya Steib, St. James; Bailey Thomas, Albany, Shelby Taylor, Berwick; Rayleigh Thompson, Caldwell Parish; Abby Traub, St. Louis; Savanna Triche, Albany; Ava Webb, Bunkie; Triniti Williams, Jena; Hayden Williamson, Patrick Taylor; Piper Wimberly, Vidalia; Mary Wood, Jena; Addie Young, Parkview Baptist.