Thursday, June 30, 2005 | 9:58 a.m.
Rob MILLS
C, SENIOR, CHEYENNE
NOTEWORTHY: Hit .548 this year with 48 RBIs and 26 extra-base hits. ... Had a 1.068 slugging percentage. ... Stole 10 bases on the season. ... Throw to second timed at 1.85 seconds. ... Has signed with Cumberland College (Ky.).
Said Desert Shield coach Mike DeMaria: "Coming in, you don't know what to expect. You have this kid, he's good, he's this and that. I saw a lot of kids I heard were supposed to be good. He was one of the legit kids that lived up to the hype. If I had nine Rob Mills, I'd win a lot of games."
Kris CICHOSKI
1B, SENIOR, DURANGO
NOTEWORTHY: Had a .500 batting average with 33 RBIs and 13 extra-base hits. ... Struck out eight times in the season. ... Had a 5-3 record as a pitcher with a 2.18 ERA. ... Has signed with CCSN to play for the Coyotes next season. ... Drafted in the 39th round (1,168th overall) by Tampa Bay.
Said Trailblazers coach Sam Knapp: "He beat Bonanza 3-1, and I think he drove in all three runs. He's just gotten better and better each year."
Jordan SALAZAR
2B, SENIOR, CENTENNIAL
NOTEWORTHY: Solid defensive and pitching presense for the state runners-up. ... Hit .385 in 2005, with a team-high five triples. ... Had a .912 fielding percentage with 79 assists. ... Struck out 28 batters in 29 2/3 innings pitched. ... Will attend New Mexico next year.
Said Bulldogs coach Charlie Cerrone: "He was a great addition. Even though he was new to our school, he was a very good on-the-field leader. He's a baseball savvy kid and a real smart on-the-field player."
Brad CARLSEN
SS, SENIOR, SPANISH SPRINGS
NOTEWORTHY: Team leader who helped guide the Cougars to their first-ever state tournament. ... Batted .400 with 46 RBIs and eight home runs. ... Had an .809 slugging percentage. ... Has signed with Western Nevada Community College in Carson City.
Said Cougars coach Mike Bosco: "He really let the team in more ways than I think he even realizes. He made guys around him a little bit better. Obviously he's our team's MVP, the kid that did the most for us."
Kevin WELLS
3B, SENIOR, BASIC
NOTEWORTHY: A no-brainer for coaches and observers when asked about the top 3B in the state. ... Hit .411 with 22 RBIs for the Sunrise Region runners-up. ... Named to first team All-Southern Nevada team.
Said Wolves coach Mike Kazek: "He was instrumental in the reasons we had success this year. He was consistent, and I don't think there was a better defensive third baseman in town."
Scott BERKE
OF, JUNIOR, SIERRA VISTA
NOTEWORTHY: Hit .341 with 12 home runs for the state champions. ... Struck out only 11 times in 132 at bats. ... 16-for-19 in stolen bases. ... A .987 fielding percentage with 73 put outs. ... Also drew 12 walks. ... Hit .360 (9-for-25) in the postseason.
Said Mountain Lions coach Nate Selby: "He had a great year and certainly delivered on our expectations. He's been very good for us in the three years we've had him. He definitely did a lot of things to help us win."
Brandon TRODICK
OF, SENIOR, CIMARRON-MEMORIAL
NOTEWORTHY: Hit .463 with 10 doubles for Cimarron-Memorial in 2005. ... Hat a .642 slugging percentage and .531 on base percentage. ... Drove in 25 runs for the Spartans. ... Drafted by Minnesota in the 33rd round (1,005th overall).
Said Spartans coach Mike Hubel: "He had all the weight on his shoulders. After he finally bought into me telling him 'Hey do your thing,' ... he started tearing it up."
Andrew FERGUSON
OF, SENIOR, GALENA
NOTEWORTHY: Batted .455 for the Grizzlies, which finished 22-11 on the season and won the High Desert League championship. ... One of just two starting seniors on a team with mostly sophomores and freshmen. ... Led the team in RBIs (34) and doubles (13). ... Also had a 3.78 ERA in 50 IP with a team-high 44 strikeouts. ... Struck out just six times in 99 at bats. ... Had 72 total bases in 2005. ... Will attend the College of San Mateo next year.
Said Grizzlies coach Gary McNamara: "Andrew was the key to the team in the sense that he didn't let these freshmen and sophomores be satisfied with 'We'll be good in two years.' Instead of cashing into, 'We'll get them next year,' Andrew definitely didn't let that happen."
Jake RASNER
P, SENIOR, WOOSTER
NOTEWORTHY: Pitched in nine games for the Colts, recording a 0.67 ERA in 60 IP. ... Had a 7-1 record. ... Drafted in the seventh round by the Texas Rangers. ... Struck out 90 batters while allowing 12 walks. ... Fastball consistently clocked 92 mph.
Said Colts coach Ron Malcom: "One thing about Jake, he was 91, 92 or 93 from the first pitch to the seventh inning. He never lost velocity."
Steve MASTEN
P, SENIOR, SPANISH SPRINGS
NOTEWORTHY: Went 7-1 with a 1.42 ERA in 59 1/3 innings. ... Struck out 80 batters while issuing 20 walks. ... Opponents batted .237 against him. ... Hit .323 with 40 RBIs and 14 home runs. ... Has signed with UNR.
Said Cougars coach Mike Bosco: "Being left-handed, at times he was just so overpowering that he was able to throw the ball past kids. At times, he was unhittable."
Chad RIDDLE
P, SENIOR, SIERRA VISTA
NOTEWORTHY: The state champions' ace went 10-2 with a 1.31 ERA. ... Struck out 39 batters in 64 innings pitched. ... Opponents had a .230 batting average. ... Issued just seven walks. ... Allowed one earned run in the Mountain Lions' state tournament opener against Spanish Springs. ... Came back from illness and arm problems in the 2004 season.
Said Mountain Lions coach Nate Selby: "We thought not having him be very good as a junior hurt his chances of being very good. This year he was exactly the opposite."
Mike McCLAREN
P, SENIOR, DURANGO
NOTEWORTHY: Had a 9-1 record with a 1.41 ERA. ... Allowed 24 runs total in 69 2All times 3 p.m. innings. ... Struck out 48 batters but walked only two. ... Also hit .360 in 2005.
Said Trailblazers coach Sam Knapp: "He's one of those kids, you don't have to tell him to do his pitching drills, do running on off days, he takes care of that all himself."
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