Tom Dodge
St. Edmund dominated the All-District 4-1A baseball list as the Blue Jays repeated as district champions.
Grand Lake’s Dylan David was voted the district MVP, while St. Ed’s head coach Barry Manuel was named district Coach of the Year.
While it was the Blue Jays who won the district title, Oberlin rolled in the playoffs to claim the Class 1-A state championship.
After a first-round bye, No. 6 Oberlin grabbed wins over No. 11 Slaughter Community Charter (7-3) and No 3 LaSalle (6-5) to advance to the state semifinals.
The Tigers downed district rival Merryville 5-2 and Oberlin then cruised to a 9-1 win over No. 4 Kentwood in the title game at McMurry Park in Sulphur.
Top-seed Grand Lake also received a first-round bye and then earned wins over No. 16 Haynesville (11-1) and No. 9 Logansport (6-2 before falling to Kentwoood in the semifinals.
No. 10 Merryville began the playoffs with victories over No. 23 Northwood Lena (19-2), No. 7 Jonesboro-Hodge (4-3) and No. 2 Oak Grove (5-4) before losing to Oberlin in the semifinals.
No. 19 South Cameron lost 10-1 to No. 14 West St. John in the opening round.
No. 9 St. Edmund fell to No. 8 Sacred Heart in the Division IV opening round series (7-4, 13-1).
St. Edmund’s Dawson Ardoin was selected first team pitcher, joined by David from Grand Lake, Oberlin’s Trevor Rider and Drake Johnson from Grand Lake.
Three Blue Jays led the first team infield including first baseman Bryce Vidrine, second baseman Brock Bieber and shortstop Will Turk.
Oberlin’s Levi Peloquin was named first team catcher, while Zach Cleveland was selected as first team third baseman.
St. Ed’s Carter Lejeune was named first team outfielder, joined by J.T. Gargis from Merryville and Oberlin’s Seth Rider.
Blue Jays Brad Miller and Remi Guillory were voted first team utility players.
Other utlility players included Stefon Williams and Kole Royer from Merryville, Grand Lake’s Jaren Sonnier and Brayden Richard from South Cameron.
St. Edmund’s Alex Dupre was named second team pitcher, along with Kellon McCleon from Oberlin, Merryville’s Blaise Duncan and Jesus Morales from South Cameron.
The second team infield included catcher JD Reeves from Merryville, Oberlin first baseman Alex Fontenot, Merryville second baseman Causey Owen, South Cameron third baseman Clark Smith and South Cameron shortstop Kyler Little.
St. Edmund’s Jack Miller was selected second team outfielder along with Kyler Griffen from Merryville and Oberlin’s Jared Joubert.
Blue Jays’ Ian Dupre was named second team utility player along with Mikey Hoskey and Blake Hatfield from Merryville.
Grand Lake’s Kade Massey and Aaron Young were also voted to as second team utility players along with Austin Vincent from South Cameron.