By Lee Trawick Riverbend News
On Tuesday, May 11, Lafayette High School held their 2021 baseball banquet at Airline Baptist Church, located at 200 NE County Rd. 354, in Mayo. On hand for the night were the parents and families of the Lafayette High School Hornets Varsity and Junior Varsity Baseball teams. Coach Tim Hanson and assistant coach Jared Brock were on hand to reflect on the varsity Hornets season, while junior varsity head coach Adam Walker and assistant coach Brandon Hewitt were there to represent and honor the junior varsity team.
The junior varsity team had a great season and both coaches, as well as varsity coaches, were happy to honor them. Two particular players stood out for the junior varsity Hornets and those two players were Even Buchanan and JT Cooks. Buchanan was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year Award and Cooks received the Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Next, coach Tim Hanson stood at the podium to honor his varsity baseball team. Although there were some highs and lows throughout the season and the emergence of several young players, three players stood out above the rest. The Most Valuable Player award was awarded to Jackson Ward, leading the team with a batting average of .437. Ward had 31 hits this past season. He also led the team in doubles, runs batted in and one homerun. Ward led the way for the Hornets on the mound as well. He threw 56.1 innings for the Hornets’ with a team-leading earned run average of 2.41 and had 68 strikes. Dawson Mock earned the honor of Offensive Player of the Year, batting .385 and led the team in runs scored with 31 runs. Mock also led the team in on base percentage with .579 and one homerun. Max Byrd, who started the season in left field before moving behind the plate as the Hornets’ catcher, was given the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Bryd was the anchor of the Hornets’ defense, time and time again, coming up with big-time throws to throw out base runners attempting to steal a base.