With summer ball in full swing and as student-athletes gear up for college in the fall, the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) released its All-State selections this week.
There were five ballplayers from the tri-county area who earned a spot on the All-State team, while the Whiteville 1A state championship club landed three players on the list.
After winning the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A state title in June, Topsail was represented by two players on the All-State roster, including East Carolina University-bound Trent Hansley and rising senior Clark Cota.
Hansley was dominant in the postseason for the Pirates and was named state championship MVP after a win and save in the two-game sweep that clinched the state finals. The right-handed hitter launched a home run in the series finale and tossed a complete game.
Cota was a top contributor in the outfield and on the mound. The hurler fanned 18 in a win during the regular season and battled through a hamstring injury during the team’s memorable run through the playoffs. He also recently worked out at the Team USA Training facility as part of the Tournament of Stars event, which included some of the top 18-under high school players across the country. (Read related story)
New Hanover’s Tyree Johnson and Ashley’s Shane Shepard made 4A All-State after big seasons for their respective clubs. Johnson was virtually unhittable throughout the season for the Wildcats and had a fastball working in the low-to-mid 90s during a playoff game against New Bern.
Johnson is off to Spartanburg Methodist after he wraps up the summer for the Wilmington Post 10 American Legion baseball team. Shepard is headed to N.C. State and also working with Post 10 as the local club looks to clinch a spot in the state tournament.
Rounding out the list is North Brunswick rising senior Shelton Perkins. Perkins has been a key to the Scorpions ball club since making a run to the 2A state championship series in 2013. The pitcher and shortstop helped guide North Brunswick to a 21-5 record, a conference championship and trip to the third round of the state playoffs.
Area All-State selections
4A
- Tyree Johnson, New Hanover
- Shane Shepard, Ashley
3A
- Trent Hansley, Topsail
- Clark Cota, Topsail
2A
- Shelton Perkins, North Brunswick
1A
- Zack Pait, Whiteville
- Mckenzie Gore, Whiteville
- Turner Brown, Whiteville
