After starting the season 0 and 4, and just one year from a third place finish in the district, the Blanco Panther Junior Varsity Baseball Team is back on top having won the District 8-AA Championship. For the season, the Panthers finished on a roll having won 11 of their final 12 games to finish the year 11 and 5. As a team, the Panthers’ pitching staff was credited with 5 shut-outs, while offensively the team run ruled 5 opponents and scored 20 or more runs in a game 3 times. Statistically, the Panthers would out score their opponents 156 to 77 while out hitting them 100 to 63. Defensively, Blanco would commit just 36 errors on the season while holding their opponents to a .264 batting average. In regards to the record books, this year’s team would rank in the top three of 6 different categories. Offensive records included: most home runs (7) and fewest strike outs (57). Defensive and pitching records included: fewest walks allowed (57), fewest hit by pitches allowed (11), fewest hits allowed (63), and fewest errors (36).

Individually, several Panthers would have strong seasons. Layton Dworaczyk would lead the team in home runs with 3, tying the J.V. single season record, in addition to leading the team in RBI’s (19) and batting average (.619). Layton would also tie the team record for fewest strikeouts in a season after not striking out a single time. Freshman Grady Childress would also lead the team in several categories including innings played (61), at bats (31), runs scored (tied at 18), and hits (14). Keaton Dodd would also rank high in several categories. At the plate, Keaton would tie for the team lead in runs scored (18) while on the mound, he would post a 5 and 2 record in 8 appearances, striking out 36 batters and holding opponents to a .226 average. In the “Man Stat” category, John Pepper would lead the team in hit by pitches with 8. In addition, with Childress at SS and Brooks Wyatt at second base, the Panthers would turn 10 double plays on the year.

Players on this year’s championship team included: Layton Dworaczyk, Blake West, D.J. Phipps, Grady Childress, Corey Dowlearn, Travis McClinton, Keaton Dodd, Brooks Wyatt, Dalton Gray, Austin Deshane, Ecce Bradfute, Michael Cummings, Kaleb Specht, Colby Haas, Dal Dechert, Clayton Green, Dustin Green, Tanner Reddout, John Pepper, Chris Bond, Ethan Evans, Shelby Moore, and Brooks Lane. Coaches are Bryan Wyatt and Jason Marek.