Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West Branch and Regina each had a player named to the River Valley Conference Elite team for the second consecutive season on Monday when the league announced its postseason awards

Regina junior Chase Becker and West Branch senior Peter Espensen were each Elite Team selections for the second consecutive season to highlight the area all-conference honorees.

The 17-member Elite Team is made up of the top players from both the North and South Divisions.

Becker was an Elite Team selection as a pitcher after earning Elite Team honors as a utility player last season and joined teammate Eliezer De Los Santos on the Elite Team.

Becker went 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA and struck out 22 in 15 1/3 innings this season allowing just nine hits and six walks.

The junior also hit .385 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 12 games.

De Los Santos was an Elite Team selection as an infielder in his first season in a Regina uniform.
The junior shortstop hit a team-high .545 with five extra-base hits and led the Regals in stolen bases (7), walks (11) and runs scored (17).

Espensen was named to the Elite team as a catcher after hitting .311 and leading the Bears with two home runs and 15 RBI.

West Branch put four players on the South Division team while Regina had a pair of players earn South Division honors.

West Branch seniors Matt Paulsen and Trey Eagle were both named to the South Division team as pitchers while junior Cael Fiderlein was named to the South Team as an infielder and Brad Hunger was a South Team outfield pick.

Regina senior Alex Meister was named to the South Division team as an infielder and junior Levi Quinlan was a South Division utility selection.

West Branch senior shortstop Matt Whaley and Regina junior outfielder Alec Wick were both honorable mention selections.

River Valley Conference Baseball

Elite Team – C: Logan Callison, Sr., Durant; Pete Espensen, Sr., West Branch. P: Brad Tornow, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Mason McManus, Sr., Camanche; Nate Dierickx, Jr., Durant; Chase Becker, Jr., Regina. INF: Aidan Rath, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Andrew Swartz, Sr., Bellevue; Eliezer De Los Santos, Jr., Regina; Trent Pelzer, Sr., Tipton. OF: Monte Slabaugh, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Keagan Head, Jr., Durant; Carter Green, Sr., Cascade; Jackson Wagner, Sr., Bellevue. UTIL: Caleb Wulf, Soph., West Liberty; Ethan Sahr, Sr., North Cedar; Jackson Hull, Soph., Wilton.

South Team – C: Pat Barszczewski, Sr., Wilton; Vinny Bowlin, Jr., Mid-Prairie. P: Ben Orr, Soph., Durant; Matt Paulsen, Sr., West Branch; Trey Eagle, Sr., West Branch; Keegan Gingerich, Jr., Mid-Prairie. INF: Karson Grout, 8^th, Mid-Prairie; Drew DeLong, Sr., Durant; Cael Fiderlein, Jr., West Branch; Alex Meister, Sr., Regina. OF: Chris Miller, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Talen Dengler, Sr., West Liberty; Lake Newton, Jr., West Liberty; Brad Hunger, Sr., West Branch. UTIL: Kayden Reinier, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Cole Syring, Jr., Tipton; Levi Quinlan, Jr., Regina.

Coach of the year – Andrew Greiner, Mid-Prairie

North Team – C: Mason Byrns, Jr., Camanche; Grahm Humpel, Soph., Anamosa. P: Eli Green, Jr., Cascade; Dylan Roher, Fr., Monticello; Cole Swartz, Soph., Bellevue; Brayden Lodge, Jr., Camanche. INF: Kaleb Topping, Jr., Cascade; Caleb Delzell, Sr., Camanche; Caleb Sauser, Soph., Monticello; Ted Weber, Jr., Cascade. OF: Tucker Dickherber, Soph., Camanche; Tanner Simon, Soph., Cascade; Trae Klatt, Jr., Anamosa; Tyler Jackson, Soph., North Cedar. UTIL: Caden Reinke, Sr., Cascade; Sam Wilt, Soph., Anamosa; Connor Lambert, Jr., Monticello.

Coach of the year – Darryl Cochran, Camanche

Honorable Mention – Preston Ries, 8th, Monticello; Caleb Gruhn, Soph., Northeast; Tadan Lange, Soph., North Cedar; Paxton Felderman, Sr., Bellevue; Wyatt Bickford, Sr., Anamosa; Cade Everson, Jr., Camanche; Jack Carr, Soph., Cascade; Will Esmoil, Sr., West Liberty; Karson Willey, Soph., Wilton; Alec Wick, Jr., Regina; Matt Whaley, Sr., West Branch; Nile Schuett, Jr., Tipton; Nolan DeLong, Fr., Durant; Will Cavanagh, Soph., Mid-Prairie

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