Vastly improved Yellow Jackets celebrate baseball succcessl

Team follows awards presentation with trip to Rangers game

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Yellow Jacket team honors were presented in the SHS cafeteria Wednesday to left to right) Easton Jones, Caleb Gibbons, Jerome Smith, Clay Krause and Cody Storrs. || Photo by The Flash Today

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (May 31, 2017) — The 2017 Stephenville Yellow Jacket baseball team advanced past the area round of the 4A playoffs for the first time in three seasons and posted its best overall record, 23-9-2, in the four seasons since the UIL reduced schedules by three games.

Such success was celebrated Wednesday with an awards presentation by second-year head coach Justin Swenson and others at the SHS cafeteria, and at the time of this writing players, coaches and some of the parents are gathering to travel to a Texas Rangers game Wednesday night in Arlington.

Players voted on the majority of the team awards, naming senior pitcher and first baseman Caleb Gibbons the most valuable player, sophomore catcher and outfielder Cody Storrs their offensive MVP and infielder Clay Krause, who played primarily at third base but also some at second and short stop their defensive MVP.

Gibbons was one of the two primary starting pitchers for the Yellow Jackets and also bat cleanup for much of the season, but Swenson also emphasized the southpaw senior’s leadership, going as far as to label Gibbons the heart of the team.

Storrs hit .390 in the regular season and was 8-for-15 from the plate in the opening two rounds of the playoffs. Krause returned to the diamond after two years away from the sport, and Swenson said, “If you watched him you couldn’t tell he missed a beat even after two yea rs off.”

Swenson and staff selected junior Easton Jones as outstanding pitcher after the righty posted a 0,88 earned run average with 87 strikeouts. Jones edged out Gibbons and others from a staff that had an overall ERA of use .210.

The Eric Everett Award has become a staple of he annual post season baseball recognitions and the 2017 honoree is Luke Bullard. It’s the 31st time the Everett family paid homage to their beloved son and brother with the award named for him. Eric, a lover of baseball and the type dof player who works hard, makes the grade and will take on any role necessary to help his team and those around him.

Family of the late Eric Everett with 2017 award winner Luke Bullard. || Photo by The Flash Today
Eric Everett || Famly photo

 Chris Gifford, life-long baseball supporter and father of Yellow Jacket sophomore short stop Derek Gifford, has established a scholarship fund to annually aid one SHS senior baseball player and one softball standout trying to continue their playing careers while getting a college education. The first male recipient of the Play Ball Scholarship is Seth Heupel, who has signed a letter of commitment with the baseball program at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. The inaugural softball recipient announced earlier this month is Sami Shaffer, who has signed a national letter of intent with the TexAnns of Tarleton State University.

Seth Heupel, the first boys winner of the inaugural Play Ball Scholarship established by Stephenville resident and Yellow Jacket dad Chris Gifford. || Photo by The Flash Today

All-district accolades won’t be made public until the end of Godley’s playoff run. The 8-4A champion Wildcats eliminated Stephenville in two games in the Region I-4A quarterfinals then sent Midland Greenwood packing in the regional semifinals last week. Godley is in a Region I-4A championship rematch with reigning regional and state champ Abilene Wylie.

Academic honors could be released, however, and Stephenville earned four spots on the academic all-state team. Bullard tops the list as an “elite” selection, while Caleb Gibbons and Seth Heupel are first team and Gatlin Wells honorable-mention. Academic all-state recognition is only for seniors, and to qualify they must average a 93 or above throughout all four years of high school.

Academic all-district honors go to varsity lettermen with a cumulative average of 90 or above over the fourth and fifth six weeks of the current school year. Qualifiers from Stephenville are Aaron Abila, KadeAverhoff, Bullard, Chase Carrillo, Nolan Carroll, Mason Castleberry, Trevor Easter, Gibbons, Derek Gifford, Gage Graham, Krause and Storrs.


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Stephenville second-year head baseball coach Justin Swenson pens the awards presentation at the SHS cafeteria Wednesday following his teams 23-9-2 campaign.

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