Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

There are similarities between Solon sophomore standout Brett White and Clear Creek Amana senior stalwart Ben Swails.

Both are multisport athletes that bring size, strength and athleticism to the left side of the infield.

They are both excellent hitters, team leaders and have futures in college baseball.

After Thursday both are WAMAC Conference Divisional players of the year.

White was named WAMAC East Division player of the year and Swails the West Division player of the year when the conference released its postseason awards on Thursday.

A four-year varsity starter Swails had the best season of his career as a senior leading the Clippers to a 23-11 record and a spot in the 3A substate finals.

Swails hit a career-best .481 and led the Clippers in hits (52), extra-base hits (22), total bases (94), doubles (11), home runs (9) and RBI (57).

An Iowa recruit, Swails was a unanimous West division first-team pick as an infielder after playing at third base in his final prep season.

Fellow senior Sam Young joined Swails as a unanimous first-team infield selection in the WAMAC West.

Young hit .369 with 34 runs scored and 24 RBI and also went 7-0 on the mound with a 2.38 ERA in a team-high 47 innings.

Juniors Josh Loren and Reece Hoffman and senior Parker Smith were all named to the West Division second team.

Smith was a second-team selection as an infielder following a senior season in which he hit .327 with eight extra-base hits and 18 RBI to go with a team-high 42 runs scored and 26 walks.

Hoffman hit .330 with eight doubles, 29 RBI and scored 26 runs.

Loren posted a 6-1 record and a 2.33 ERA in 45 innings this season striking out 55 and allowing 26 hits and 15 walks.

Senior Blaine Stockman and junior David Williams each earned WAMAC West Division honorable mention honors for Clear Creek Amana.

White was named East Division player of the year to highlight six Solon players to earn East Division recognition.

A starter since his eighth grade season, White hit a team-high .482 and led Solon in runs (55), hits (55), doubles (14), home runs (7), RBI (45) on-base percentage (.619) and slugging percentage (.825).

Senior Kinnick Pusteoska was an East Division first team utility pick after hitting .324 with 14 doubles, four home runs and 42 RBI while leading the Spartans with 39 walks.

Junior Blake Timmons and sophomore Gehrig Turner were each named to the East Division second team.

Turner was a second-team catcher after hitting .330 with four home runs and 33 RBI while Timmons was a second-team infield pick after posting a .306 batting average with 40 runs and 18 RBI.

Senior Logan Gruchow and Michael Pipolo both earned honorable mention honors in the East Division for Solon.

WAMAC All-Division Baseball

East Division

First Team

P: Robert Reeder, Sr., West Delaware; *Mitchell Roeder, Sr., Maquoketa C: Kaden Frommelt, Jr., Marion. INF: *Brett White, Soph., Solon; Luke Kehrli, Sr., West Delaware; *Myles Davis, Soph., Marion. OF: *Will Ward, Jr., West Delaware; *Cael Hodges, Sr., Marion; *Luke Schieltz, Jr., Dyersville Beckman. UTIL: Kinnick Pusteoska, Sr., Solon; Owen Huehnergarth, Sr., Dyersville Beckman.

Second Team

P: Kasey Coakley, Jr., Maquoketa; Nick Schmidt, Sr., Dyersville Beckman. C: Gehrig Turner, Soph., Solon. INF: Julio Galvan, Sr., Mount Vernon; Blake Timmons, Jr., Solon; Luke Sigwarth, Soph., Dyersville Beckman. OF: Conner Funk, Sr., West Delaware; Kyle Cole, Sr., West Delaware; Eli Kluesner, Soph., Dyersville Beckman. UTIL: Nate Offerman, Jr., Dyersville Beckman; Payton Hodges, Soph., Marion

Honorable Mention

Jake Miller, Fr., Marion; Trey Franck, Soph., Marion; Logan Gruchow, Sr., Solon; Michael Pipolo, Sr., Solon; Hunter Manning, Sr., Maquoketa; Carter Meyer, Soph., Maquoketa; Maddox Rollinger, Jr., Mount Vernon; Logan Burchard, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; Lane Kramer, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; Lukas Meyer, Sr., West Delaware; Peyton Aldrich, Jr., West Delaware  

Player of the year – Brett White, Soph., Solon

Coach of the year – Kevin Werner, West Delaware; Fred Martin, Dyersville Beckman

West Division

First Team

P: *Jake Sidles, Sr., Independence; Braylon Havel, Sr., Center Point-Urbana. C: *Keegan Schmitt, Sr., Independence. INF: *Ben Swails, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; *Sam Young, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; *Mitch Johnson, Jr., Independence. OF: Casey Gallagher, Sr., Benton Community; *Marcus Beatty, Sr., Independence; *Jake Weber, Sr., Williamsburg. UTIL: Korver Hupke, Jr., Independence; Sam Rich, Jr., Williamsburg

Second Team

P: Brady Borkgren, Jr., Center Point-Urbana; Josh Loren, Jr., Clear Creek Amana. C: Collin Hoskins, Sr., Center Point-Urbana. INF: Lane Kaestner, Jr., Benton Community; Ben Hakert Jr., Jr., Center Point-Urbana; Parker Smith, Sr., Clear Creek Amana. OF: Owen Mullinex, Soph., Vinton-Shellsburg; Reece Hoffman, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Teegan McEnany, Sr., Independence. UTIL: Zane Frese, Benton Community; Nile Sinn, Fr., Williamsburg

Honorable Mention

Jordan Thys, Jr., Benton Community; Cael Kaestner, Jr., Benton Community; Bryer Wiley, Soph., Center Point-Urbana; Blayze Havel, Soph., Center Point-Urbana; Blaine Stockman, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; David Williams, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Trey Weber, Sr., Independence; Curtis Erickson, Jr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Levi Ferguson, Soph., Vinton-Shellsburg; Gavin Bridgewater, Soph., South Tama; Jordan Bly, Sr., South Tama; Trey O’Neil, Jr., Williamsburg; Madox Doehrmann, Jr., Williamsburg

Player of the year – Ben Swails, Sr., Clear Creek Amana

*- Denotes unanimous selections

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