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2015 KABC 5A All-State Teams Announced

June 4, 2015

By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

The Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches (KABC) released their 2015 All-State teams yesterday. Coaches across the state nominate players for each classifications All-State teams, but cannot nominate their own players. On May 23rd coaches met in Wichita to make final selections for each team. 

We are going to take an in-depth look at each classification over the next few days, yesterday we covered the 6A top honors and first/second teams, today we move on to 5A:

5a Player of the Year: nolan williams, turner

Turner junior SS Nolan Williams was named 5A Player of the Year after hitting .478 with 10 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 21 RBI. The switch-hitting shortstop also scored 25 runs, stole nine bases and had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4:8, striking out only four times in 67 at bats.

As we have covered previously, Williams, a national-level high school prospect, announced this spring that he is re-classifying from class of 2017 to class of 2016.

5a Pitcher of the Year: Miller Hogan, blue valley Southwest

Senior RHP Miller Hogan (Saint Louis commit) of Blue Valley Southwest earned Pitcher of the Year honors after going 5-0 with a 0.00 ERA. The righty gave up just one unearned run on the season and collected a win in the 5A state tournament first round while notching his first and only save of the season in the championship game, throwing one inning, striking out all three batters he faced.

Interestingly, Hogan’s unearned runs innings streak began on May 13, 2014 in the first round of 5A regional action when he fired four perfect innings. He followed that outing up with a seven-inning complete game no-hit shutout in the first round of the 5A state tournament in Manhattan. All told, Hogan ended his high school career having giving up no earned runs in his final 55 innings pitched. If you include the shutout inning he threw at the KABC All-Star Game yesterday in Manhattan it’s 56. 

This would be a remarkable accomplishment at any level of baseball, but is even more impressive when you consider the strength of Southwest’s schedule over the course of that time, playing in the highly competitive Eastern Kansas League, two state tournaments and not shying away from tough competition outside of league play. For good measure, Hogan also led Southwest in hitting at .333 with 3 doubles and 14 RBI. The right-hander was the only Timberwolves player to earn 5A All-State honors. Individual streaks and accomplishments aside, Southwest showed they had the “Best Nine” at the 5A state tournament in Wichita in late May.

5a Coaches of the Year: chad christensen and mark george

The KABC 5A Coaches of the Year are Maize South’s Chad Christensen and Newton’s Mark George. Maize South rebounded from a below .500 season a year ago by posting an 18-6 overall record this spring, finishing fourth at the 5A state tournament. Newton finished the season with a 15-6 overall record, won the 5A South Central Regional at Newton and advanced to the 5A state tournament in Wichita. Coincidentally, Coach Christensen and George squared off in the first round in Wichita with South winning a 10-4 contest to move on to the semifinals.

5a All-State Underclassmen

Much like the 6A All-State teams, there is a heavy dose of upperclassmen named to the 5A squads. In addition, three sophomores had standout campaigns this spring and were honored: Jordan Maxson of Maize South (1st Team OF); Wichita Heights' Korey Bice (2nd Team DH) and Collin Jones of Leavenworth (2nd Team UT).

Here are your 2015 KABC 5A All-State First and Second Teams:

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