RED RIVER DIAMOND DOZEN: Holliday's Peyton Marchand earns MVP award

Peyton Marchand went 4 for 4 at the plate in the first game of the season.

If you think that’s impressive, then the fact Marchand didn’t give up an earned run in his first 27.2 innings pitched should leave you in awe.

It was a solid precursor to the type of season the Holliday junior experienced on the baseball diamond.

And It was a season worthy of the Red River Diamond Dozen Most Valuable Player award.

Other Diamond Dozen superlative winners including Iowa Park senior Jaydon Southard as Offensive Player of the Year, Bowie senior Cade Thompson as Pitcher of the Year and Jacksboro sophomore Kaleem Howard as Defensive Player of the Year. Bowie’s Tyler Price is Coach of the Year.

Making up The Dozen are Holliday senior Dalton Anderson, Iowa Park senior Ty Cunningham, Bowie senior Jacob Fallis, Graham senior Ryan Grimsley, Windthorst senior Zane Hackley, Rider senior Justin Marsh, Vernon senior Cooper Quillin, Bowie senior Kawlyer Swearingin, Petrolia seniors Cooper Watson and Quade West, Archer City senior Hudson Williams and Windthorst senior Cooper Wolf.

More:Final stat leaders for 2022 high school baseball season

But it was Marchand emerging as the MVP frontrunner early during the season, and he never lost that momentum.

In 36 games, Marchand failed to record a hit in just nine games and was an easy choice for 7-3A MVP after recording a .543 batting average and astronomical 1.114 slugging percentage.

Marchand didn’t allow an earned run until his seventh appearance on the mound. He gave up just five unearned runs during that span. His ERA stayed under 1.00 until his playoff appearance against eventual state runnerup Brock.

Marchand is the only junior on this year’s team. Similarly, Howard is the lone sophomore, meaning the other 14 players on this list were seniors.

Of the 16 athletes honored, 11 made their RRDD debut. Marchand, Anderson, Southard, Swearingin and Watson are the only two-time honorees.

SUPERLATIVE AWARDS

MVP: PEYTON MARCHAND, JR., HOLLIDAY – Marchand led the Eagles with a .455 batting average, hitting 12 doubles, five triples and five home runs for 31 RBIs and 44 runs scored. He walked (19) more than he struck out (16). As a pitcher, Marchand had a 7-0 record and three saves with a 1.55 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched, striking out 79 and walking 21. He was named District 7-3A MVP and THSBCA second-team all-state catcher. He was also a member of the Red River 22 small-school football team.

PITCHER: CADE THOMPSON, SR., BOWIE – Thompson’s selection is rare. He served as the No. 3 pitcher on the Bowie staff and is the only player on this list to be a second-team all-district choice. The others either earned superlative awards or first-team all-district. But Thompson’s impact during the postseason was key to Bowie advancing to the regional finals for the first time since 1981. In four postseason starts, Thompson allowed just four earned runs in 24 2/3 innings pitches, striking out 19 and walking 11. The For the season, Thompson went 8-2 with a 1.36 ERA in 51 2/3 innings, striking out 51 batters.

OPOY: JAYDON SOUTHARD, SR., IOWA PARK – District 5-4A’s Offensive Player of the Year earns the same award on the RRDD team after leading the area with a .527 batting average and 48 hits. Southard finished with eight doubles and 26 RBIs. He was elected second-team all-state catcher by the THSBCA. Southard was also named to the Red River 22 large-school football team.

DPOY: KALEEM HOWARD, SO., JACKSBORO – Being named a district’s Defensive Player of the Year isn’t always a legit statement of a player’s actual fielding ability. But one opposing District 7-3A coach swears Howard’s defensive skills are worthy of the designation, calling the Jacksboro sophomore “an absolute stud.” Howard was also elected THSBCA first-team all-state outfielder. Howard led the Tigers with a  .455 batting average, scoring 31 runs and stealing 18 bases.

COACH: TYLER PRICE, BOWIE – Price guided his alma mater to a 28-14 record, and the Jackrabbits’ deepest playoff run since they advanced to the state championship game in 1981. The Rabbits overcame finishing third in District 7-3A and won three postseason series in the third game.

THE DOZEN

DALTON ANDERSON, SR., HOLLIDAY – Anderson was one of the Eagles’ most consistent hitters, finishing with a .407 average with 12 doubles and two home runs for 25 RBIs and 38 runs scored. He walked 21 times and struck out 20. Anderson was selected as a THSBCA first-team all-state third baseman and earned Offensive Player of the Year in District 7-3A.

TY CUNNINGHAM, SR., IOWA PARK – Cunningham was named District 5-4A MVP and was a top contender for Pitcher of the Year. The Hawks’ ace went 9-3 with a 1.76 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched, striking out 101 batters with 29 walks. He batted .352 with nine doubles, two triples and three home runs for 23 RBIs and 19 runs. Cunningham was selected to represent Iowa Park in the THSBCA Class A-4A all-star game.

JACOB FALLIS, SR., BOWIE – Fallis was the Rabbits’ most productive batter with 34 RBIs and 29 runs. He batted .347 with 11 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He was named first-team all-district as an outfielder.

RYAN GRIMSLEY, SR., GRAHAM – The first-team all-district outfielder shined at the plate and on the mound. Grimsley batted a team-best .356 with two doubles, three triples, two homers, 23 RBIs and 17 runs scored. On the mound, he posted a 6-6 record with a 1.85 ERA, striking out 64 and walking 24 in 64 1/3 innings pitched.

ZANE HACKLEY, SR., WINDTHORST – Hackley was a versatile player capable of filling multiple roles for the Trojans, earning him THSBCA third-team all-state second baseman. Hackley batted .352 with 11 doubles, two triples, one homer for 40 runs scored and 32 RBIs.

JUSTIN MARSH, SR., RIDER – Marsh was named District 5-5A Defensive Player of the Year and received consideration for the same award on this year’s RRDD team. The senior outfielder batted .368 with five doubles, 19 RBIs, 24 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.

COOPER QUILLIN, SR., VERNON – While he was named 5-4A Co-Pitcher of the Year, Quillin was also the Lions’ best hitter. He had a team-best .386 batting average with five doubles, three triples, two homers for 39 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He posted a 2.86 ERA with eight wins and 74 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings.

KAWLYER SWEARINGIN, SR., BOWIE – The District 7-3A Pitcher of the Year, Swearingin makes his second RRDD team after stellar seasons on the mound and at the plate. As a batter, Swearingin hit .309 with three doubles, four home runs, 25 RBIs and 33 runs scored. As a pitcher, Swearingin posted 1.37 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.

COOPER WATSON, SR., PETROLIA – Watson was the District 9-2A Pitcher of the Year and a contender for the same award on this year’s RRDD. Watson finished second in the area with a  1.30 ERA, winning eight games and striking out 91 batters in 53 2/3 innings. As a batter, Watson hit .500 with two homers and 33 runs scored. He was named THSBCA third-team all-state pitcher. Watson is the only male athlete to be elected to the Red River football, basketball and baseball teams in each of the past two years.

QUADE WEST, SR., PETROLIA – West was second in the area with a .520 batting average and finished in the top five in hits (39), runs scored (38), RBIs (35) and home runs (four). He was also a solid pitcher, posting a 2.84 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 32 innings. West was a first-team all-district and THSBCA first-team all-state third baseman. He also made the Red River 22 small-school football team.

HUDSON WILLIAMS, SR., ARCHER CITY – Williams was District 9-2A MVP for good reason, leading Archer City with his arm and bat. At the plate, Williams batted .468 with 13 doubles and an area-best six homers for 37 RBIs and 30 runs. On the mound, Williams posted a 2.46 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 20 walks in 48 1/3 innings. He was also named to the Red River 22 small-school football team.

COOPER WOLF, SR., WINDTHORST – Wolf led the area with a 1.23 ERA in 51 1/3 innings. He finished with eight wins and 47 strikeouts against a mere 11 walks. He was elected first-team all-district as a pitcher. Wolf was a respectable hitter with a .299 average with 24 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He led the team with 28 walks, striking out just 12 times in 125 plate appearances.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Red River Diamond Dozen baseball team 2022