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Bluefield's Kerry Collins earns Class AA all-state first team

bluefield daily telegraph, w.va.
·3 min read

Jun. 18—CHARLESTON — Bluefield High School's Kerry Collins has had a heck of a senior year. He's been called 'Mr. President' as BHS student body president.

Today he's 'Mr. Baseball', headlining the Beavers' five-player contingent appearing on the Class AA All-State Baseball Team.

Collins, the ace pitcher and infielder who helped lead the Beavers to their second consecutive sectional baseball championship, says goodbye to his high school playing days as a first team selection to the Class AA all-state squad as selected by members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Sophomore catcher Bryson Redmond was named second team captain, while senior third baseman and pitcher Ryker Brown was also a second team pick. Caleb Fuller, a pitcher and shortstop, and Hunter Harmon, pitcher and position player, earned honorable mention status.

As Bluefield's ace pitcher, Collins boasted a 4-2 record headed into regional play. At that point of the postseason he'd struck out 79 batters over 40 innings, allowing only 14 walks. He batted .500 with a .921 slugging percentage, driving in 37 runs. He will be playing his college baseball at Bluefield State under head coach Drew Bailey, who led the Big Blue baseball program its winningest season in history, including a Black College World Series championship in 2021.

Infielder Nathaniel Junkins of Robert C. Byrd was named Class AA first team captain.

Other faces on the Class AA first team who are familar rivals to Bluefield fans include Atticus Goodson and Michael McKinney of Independence and Cam Manns and Josh Lovell of Shady Spring.

Class AA All-State Baseball Team

First team

P — Cam Manns, Shady Spring, Jr.

P — Collin Cottrell, Sissonville, Sr.

P — Dawson Maynard, Logan, Jr.

C — Atticus Goodson, Independence, Sr.

C — Jake Ramey, Logan, Jr.

Inf- Nathaniel Junkins, Robert C. Byrd, Sr. (captain)

Inf — Jacob Howard, Wyoming East, Jr.

Inf — Michael McKinney, Independence, Sr.

Inf — Kerry Collins, Bluefield, Sr.

OF — Korbin Bostic, Logan, Sr.

OF — Evan Dennison, Fairmont Sr. Sr.

OF — Nick George, Robert C. Byrd, Jr.

Util -Josh Lovell, Shady Spring, Sr.

Util — Gunner Riley, Fairmont Sr., Jr.

Util — Cole Malnick, North Marion, Jr.

Second team

P — Mayson Jack, Fairmont Sr., Jr.

P — Luke Sperry, Robert C. Byrd, Sr.

P — Tanner Sipes, Independence, Sr.

C — Bryson Redmond, Bluefield, Soph. (captain)

C — Peyton Clark, Frankfort, Sr.

Inf — Brody Dalton, Chapmanville, Jr.

Inf — Garrett Williamson, Logan, Jr.

Inf — Ryker Brown, Bluefield, Sr.

Inf — Alfred Isch, Philip Barbour, Jr.

OF — Clay Hershberger, East Fairmont, Sr.

OF — Isaiah Ramsey, Sissonville, Sr.

OF — Will Bright, Herbert Hoover, Sr.

OF — Aiden Slack, Logan, Jr.

Util — Tanner Cook, Robert C. Byrd, Sr.

Util — Carson Brown, Independence, Sr.

Honorable mention

Tyler Baldwin, Braxton County; Clay Basham, Independence; Ryan Beasley, Herbert Hoover; Gavin Blair, Fairmont Senior; Noah Broadwater, Kesyer; Brett Bumgarner, Winfield; Trey Butcher, Chapmanville; Colten Carpenter, Sissonville; Levi Cassidy, Wayne; Cody Cooper, Philip Barbour; Cruz Tobin, North Marion; Caleb Fuller, Bluefield; J.P. Girod, Nicholas County; Andrew Lynch, Frankfort; Hunter Harmon, Bluefield; Seth Healy, Keyser; Caleb Henson, Winfield; Alex Johnston, Shady Spring; Dustin Keener, Grafton; Tyler Kelly, Weir; Will Kirkendall, Chapmanville; Dylan Kuhl, Winfield; Andy Lester, Independence; Stevie Loftis, Sissonville; Johnny Lopez, Lincoln; Konner Lowe, Logan; Cameron Lynch, Frankfort; Tyler Mackey, Shady Spring; Michael Martin, Lincoln; Jacob Meadows, Shady Spring; Griffin Miller, Scott; Tyler Ooten, Mingo Central; Alex Pritt, Nicholas County; Hagen Summers, Nitro; Tyson Thompson, Chapmanville; Connor Tingler, East Fairmont; Jared Vestal, PikeView; Sam Viani, Fairmont Senior; Tanner Whitten, Wyoming East