By STEVE KNOX
Sports Connection Team
LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Activities Association has released the names of those players named All-State and All-State Tournament in both baseball and softball.
The baseball All-State squad players from our coverage area include, in Class 3A State champions Gosnell had two players named in senior Trent Middleton and junior Chad Stewart and Rivercrest standouts, senior Conner Vaughn and junior Joe Louis Ralph.
In Class 2A Buffalo Island Central standout Nick Patterson and Riverside’s Zain McClure. In Class 1A, Armorel’s Jackson Welch and Marked Tree’s Tate Swink.
Players named to the All-State Tournament team were in Class 3A Gosnell’s Middleton, who also was named the Most Valuable Player of the state tournament, Conner Whitehead and Ryan Wrinkles, Caden Williams of Harrisburg and Rivercrest’s Vaughn.
In Class 2A Riverside’s Cash Gillis got the nod, while in Class 1A Armorel’s Ben Braswell earned a spot on the squad.
Area players earning All-State honors in softball included in Class 3A Rivercrest’s Chesnee Chandler and Gosnell stars Savana Gist and Anna Claire Smith. In Class 2A Buffalo Island Central’s Claire Jackson was honored, as was East Poinsett County’s Terrin Powell. State runnersup Riverside had two players honored in Katie Ridge and Klaire Womack. In Class 1A Marked Tree had two players named in Gabby Baker and Alyssa McGuire.
Players named to the All-State Tournament squad included, in Class 3A Cheyanna Trapp of Gosnell and Rivercrest’s Chandler.
In Class 2A Riverside’s Kaylee Cox and Womack were selected.