Daily Chronicle 2021 All-Area Baseball Team

Player of the Year

Tyler Conklin, sr., SS/P, Kaneland

First team

Sebastian Cabeza, sr., C, Kaneland - Not only did the Kaneland backstop call his own games from behind the plate, he hit .370 with a 1.102 OPS with three home runs and 26 RBIs. He was an all-conference selection in the Interstate 8 and will play for Black Hawk Community College next year.

Owen Piazza, soph., P/3B, Sycamore - Piazza had a 2.10 ERA this year, striking out 30 in 27 innings with a 2-1 record two saves. He also hit .333 on the year.

Ben Franson, sr., P/IF/OF, Genoa-Kingston - Franson had a 3.03 ERA in eight starts this year, striking out 48. Opposing batters hit just .186 off of him as he was an all-conference selection in the BIg Northern and was named Cy Cog - given to the team’s top pitcher.

Drew Gaston, sr., P/SS/2B, Indian Creek - The leadoff hitter not only hit .460 for the Timberwolves and stole 21 bases, but he was also 2-2 with a 4.48 ERA on the hill. He reached base at a .557 clip this year.

Nolan Perry, soph., SS, Genoa-Kingston - Perry hit .409 and had OPS of 1.073 en route to making first-team all-conference and being named the team’s offensive player of the year. He drove in 11, scored twelve and was 8 for 8 in steal attempts.

Brennen McNally, sr., P/OF/3B, Indian Creek - McNally hit .515 this year and stole 17 bases, reaching base at a .608 clip.

Ashton Gates, sr., OF, DeKalb - An all-conference selection in the DuPage Valley, Gates hit .429 with a pair of home runs, scored 11 times and drove in 16 runs. He had an OPS of 1.152 and had four triples.

Brady Popovich, sr., OF/P, Kaneland - Popovich went 3-1 on the mound with a 3.26 ERA with 50 strikeouts. He also hit .296 and scored 23 times and was named to the I8 all-conference team.

Blake Novinsky, sr., OF, Sycamore - Novinsky hit .341 this year and stole 12 bases. He had a .448 on-base percentage and scored 30 times.

Griffin Hallahan, jr., OF/P, Sycamore - Hallahan was strong on the hill this year, striking out 37 in 27 innings with a 1.30 ERA. He also notched a save and went 5-1.

Alex Panico, soph., OF, Kaneland - An all-conference selection, Panico hit .373, scored 24 times and drove in 18 runs.

Ethan Storm, jr., P, Sycamore - Storm was 3-2 with a 1.62 ERA this year, striking out 54 in in 35 innings. He also hit .310 and was an all-I8 selection.

Kiefer Tarnoki, soph., OF/P, Sycamore - Not only did he hit .353 and reach base at a .500 clip, but he was a fantastic defensive center fielder. He also struck out 27 batters in 15 innings of relief work.

Carter Askew, sr., OF, Kaneland - Askew hit .342 this year, had an OPS of .908, drove in 23 runs and scored 15 times. He was honorable mention in the I8.

Second team

Matt Korb., sr., P/2B, Hiawatha

Richard Hintzsche, sr., P/IF, Hinckley-Big Rock

Rhett Kline, sr., P/2B, Genoa-Kingston

Nate Nunez, soph., C, DeKalb

Jack Keck, jr., P/2B/3B, DeKalb

Jared Schultz, jr., P, DeKalb

Tucker Ikens, sr., OF, DeKalb

Johnny Spallaso, soph., 3B, Kaneland

Jimmy Amptmann, soph., P/DH, Sycamore

Honorable mention - Tanner Grimm, sr., 1B/OF, Genoa-Kingston; Jordan Wortman, sr., SS/2B/P, Indian Creek; Noah Badal, jr., 3B, Hinckley-Big Rock