Top SMAC male athletes recognized

Following a season that saw many of the top male athletes from the region garner conference, region and state titles this spring, the best of the bunch is honored by the Southern Maryland News this week for their achievements.

Baseball — Daniel Knott, junior, and Hunter Lee, senior, Leonardtown High

During the Raiders’ improbable run from an 8-8 mark to the 4A state championship, Daniel Knott and Hunter Lee were among the numerous contributors to the team’s success. Knott batted .407 (24-for-59) with four home runs, scored 22 runs and drove in 18 more while solidifying the infield. Lee batted .400 (24-for-60) with six home runs, 29 RBI and 27 runs scored while also anchoring the Raiders’ defensively in the outfield. Leonardtown senior pitcher Will Buckler tossed a two-hit shutout in the Raiders’ 2-0 victory over Walt Whitman in the 4A state title game, while pitchers Brayden Owen and Seth Masse were also key members of the staff during the state title run. Huntingtown’s Logan Hastings, Patuxent’s Logan Powell, La Plata’s Chris Coombs, Great Mills pitcher Ryan Brown, McDonough’s Ryan Deinzer, North Point’s Jordan Daniel and St. Mary’s Ryken senior Sam Canady also enjoyed superb seasons on the diamond.

Track and field — Ebube Emechebe, Westlake High, senior

On a Westlake boys team that had a number of invaluable interchangeable parts, Ebube Emechebe was among the constants in the relays and individual events throughout the spring track and field season. He anchored the Wolverines state champion 400 relay (41.37) that led off with Christian Wilbon, Kendall Tyson and David Nnabuoko and also joined teammates Kelechi Anyanwu, Nnabuoko and Wilbon on the 800 relay (1:25.27) state title quartet. For good measure, the Wolverines’ quartet of Anyanwu, James Francis, Caleb Phillips and Daniel Gerald-Jenifer took the 1,600 (3:18.75) state title. Emchebe also finished fourth in both the 100 and 200. Chopticon’s distance quartet of Dominic Longobardi, Colton Longobardi, Nick Watson and Weston Carr took second in the 3A state final of the 3,200 relay after winning that SMAC title. Lackey senior Devin McNair won the 2A state title in the shot put, La Plata’s Willie Washington was state champ in the discus, teammate Jaycob Tidwell was state champ in the long jump and Lackey sophomore Ronald Johnson took the state crown in the triple jump.

Tennis — Jacob Farren, Leonardtown High, senior

In only his third season of competitive tennis after focusing his playing skills primarily on the soccer field where he was a member of the Raiders’ 4A state championship team last fall, Jacob Farren ascended to the head of the class among boys’ tennis players in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference. Farren captured the SMAC boys’ singles title by edging Westlake senior David Yum, later took the 4A East Region crown and eventually earned a berth in the 4A state semifinals. Yum enjoyed another successful season in SMAC, as did La Plata junior King Herald Nacua who won the 2A South Region title and reached the state semifinals. Lackey’s Brandon Rollins won the 1A South Region title and earned a berth in the state quarterfinals.

Lacrosse — Tyler Hayden, Huntingtown High, junior

On a team that will return nearly 90% of its roster next spring after capturing the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference championship, the 2A South Region title and eventually reached the 2A state semifinals, Tyler Hayden had the responsibility of taking the draws and did so very effectively. Hayden, who was named the SMAC boys’ lacrosse player of the year by the coaches’ association, won 239 of 307 face-offs, scooped up 119 ground balls and added five goals and three assists. Hurricanes’ junior Johnny Hollinshead led the team with 63 goals and junior teammate Landon Cawley added 43 more. Calvert’s Jaxon Zapoli and Ben Rachic, Chopticon’s Mason Krabbe, Northern’s Anthony Desantis and Dylan Wink, and Leonardtown’s Owen Chew were all chosen for the SMAC coaches’ first team.