All-State teams feature Eagle, Bulldog standouts

SM-Tn Sports

University of Tennessee signee Kavares Tears and Class A Mr. Baseball honoree Grant Burleson lead a contingent of local athletes recognized this week as all-state performers by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association.

Joining Burleson – the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association’s selection as the top player in his classification – on the Class A team are Summertown teammates Drake Blackwood and Gavin Burleson. The three helped the Eagles to the Final Four of the state tournament at Spring Fling in May and a 30-10 finish.

Grant Burleson, who has signed with Columbia State, batted .442 with 18 doubles and 17 home runs, scoring 57 runs and driving in 60 RBIs. Named all-state as an infielder, Burleson also went 6-3 with a 1.80 earned run average and 115 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

Blackwood, also honored as an infielder, hit .500 his senior season with 33 extra-base hits (15 doubles, 17 homers, one triple), 59 RBIs and 55 runs scored. Gavin Burleson, a junior outfielder, batted .410 with 10 doubles, three triples, a pair of homers and 44 RBIs. On the mound, he finished 11-1 with a 1.83 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 66 innings.

In addition to Tears, Columbia Academy also placed Bryant Beranek on the Division II-A squad. The Bulldogs advanced to the DII-A state quarterfinal round of the postseason, winding up 32-9.

An infielder on the all-state team, Tears batted .446 with 10 doubles, two triples and 11 homers, scoring 47 runs and driving in 52. He also posted a 7-2 record with a 2.75 ERA over 43.1 innings with 89 strikeouts.

Beranek, who committed to Middle Tennessee State following his junior year, went 8-2 with a 1.26 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 72 innings. He also batted .282 with 10 homers and 38 RBIs.

The TSWA announced its all-state track and field teams on Tuesday and tennis on Wednesday. Boys soccer teams will be released for Friday publication, followed by softball on Saturday.

The all-state baseball teams, in their entirety, follow:

Class AAA

C — Jarrett Martin, Hardin Co., Sr.; INF — Cooper Clapp, Hardin Co., Jr.; Jayden Davis, Cookeville, Jr.; Kyle Magrans, Clarksville, Sr.; Pierre Seals, Germantown Houston, Sr.; UTIL — Logen Sutton, Powell, Sr.; OF — Conner Hyatt, Science Hill, Sr.; Tanner Kim, Farragut, Sr.; Cole Torbett, Science Hill, Jr.; P — Chase Burns, Beech, Sr.; Seth Garner, Hardin Co., Jr.; Derek McCarley, Seymour, Sr.

Class AA

C — Carson Raby, Gibbs, Sr.; INF– Riley Franklin, Pigeon Forge, Jr.; Brayden Taylor, Gibbs, Sr.; Holden Warmath, Covington, So.; Brandon Watts, Watertown, Sr.; UTIL — Eli Huddleston, Upperman, So.; OF — Logan Jonson, Pigeon Forge, Sr.; Baron Patterson, Martin Luther King, Sr.; Ethan Syling, Nolensville, Sr.; P — Reilly Byers, Gibbs, So.; Dylan Loy, Pigeon Forge, So.; Ethan McElvain, Nolensville, So.

Class A

C — Reece Genter, South Pittsburg, Sr.; INF– Drake Blackwood, Summertown, Sr.; Grant Burleson, Summertown, Sr.; Ryder Morey, Moore Co., Sr.; Van True, East Robertson, Sr.; UTIL — Chris Martin, Moore Co., Sr.; OF — Gavin Burleson, Summertown, Jr.; Kaleb Meredith, Johnson City University High, Sr.; Kaden White, Moore Co., Sr.; P — Ryan Cagle, South Pittsburg, Sr.; Peyton Smith, East Robertson, Sr.; Carson Whaley, North Greene, Sr.

Division II-A

C — Cade Law, Christ Presbyterian Acad., Jr.; INF– Langston Patterson, Christ Presbyterian Acad., Jr.; James Smith, Northpoint Chr., Jr.; Kavares Tears, Columbia Acad., Sr.; Anthony Zarlingo, Northpoint Chr., Sr.; UTIL — J.D. McCracken, Middle Tenn. Chr., Sr.; OF — Ryan Degges, Christian Acad. of Knoxville, Sr.; Brendan Jones, Goodpasture, Sr.; J.J. Williams, Christ Presbyterian Acad., Sr.; P — Bryant Beranek, Columbia Acad., Jr.; Bay Griffin, Christian Acad. of Knoxville, Sr.; Camden Hayslip, Friendship Christian, Sr.

Division II-AA

C — Trenton Lyons, Christian Brothers, So.; INF– Danny Corona, Baylor, Sr.; Kaelen Culpepper, St. Benedict, Sr.; Tyler Harrington, Briarcrest Chr., Sr.; Vytas Valincius, Baylor School, Sr.; UTIL — Cooper Kinney, Baylor, Sr.; OF — Jay Dill, Baylor, Sr.; Luke Ellis, St. Benedict, Sr.; C.J. Thomas, Memphis Univ. School, Sr.; P — Mick Arney, Briarcrest Chr., Sr.; Henry Godbout, Baylor, Jr.; Miller Green, Lipscomb Acad., So.

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