The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team had a successful season and the Cougars had two players placed on the Empire Conference Region IX All-Region team that was released earlier this week.
WNCC starting pitcher Clayden Brandon and starting shortstop Vaughn Wilson earned First Team honors this past season.
Brandon, a red-shirt sophomore from West Herriman, Utah, had a strong season this past season finishing with a 3.61 earned run average in going 7-3 on the season. Brandon tossed 67.1 innings with 67 strikeouts with just 28 walks in his 12 appearances. He had three complete games, including a game against Lamar Community College where Brandon had a one-hitter and only faced 21 batters. The only hit in the April 6 game was the only base runner of the game and was erased the next batter on a double play that was initiated by Brandon.
Wilson a freshman from Riverton, Utah, played in 49 games for the Cougars this season. Wilson finished with a .374 batting average with five home runs, 17 doubles, and three triples. He had 54 runs scored with 33 RBIs. Wilson had a fielding percentage of .938 with 12 double plays and just 10 errors in 160 total chances.
The two were part of a First Team that featured five players from Region IX champion Northeastern Junior College, one each from Southeast Community College and McCook Community College, two from Region IX runner-up Otero College, and two from Lamar Community College.
The First Team selections included WNCC's Brandon and Wilson; NJC's Ondrej Vank at pitcher, Brayden Stork at relief pitcher, Brayden Stufft at third base, Max Valerio at catcher, and Tanner Peerey at outfield; Southeast's Garrett White at pitcher; Lamar's Eduardo Cardenas at first base and Keenan Oxford at outfield; and Otero's Dylan Salcido at shortstop and Ryan Ray at outfield; and McCook's Cory Wouters at designated hitter.
The region coaches also had a Second Team and a Golden Glove list.
The Region IX Player of the Year went to McCook's Cory Wouters, while the Freshman of the Year went to Southeast's Jack Hogan. The Pitcher of the Year went to NJC's Ondrej Vank, while the Defensive Player of the Year went to Southeast's Cody Zrust.
Empire Conference All-region Baseball Team
First Team
SP -- Garrett White, Southeast
SP -- Ondrej Vank, Northeastern JC
SP -- Clay Brandon, Western Nebraska
RP -- Brayden Stork, Northeastern JC
C -- Max Valerio, Northeastern JC
1B -- Eduardo Cardenas, Lamar
3B -- Brayden Stufft, Northeastern JC
MIF (2B) -- Vaughn WIlson, Western Nebraska
SS -- Dylan Salcido, Otero
OF -- Tanner Peerey, Northeastern JC
OF -- Ryan Ray, Otero
OF -- Keenan Oxford, Lamar
DH -- Cory Wouters, McCook
Second Team
SP -- Jaxson Cahoy, Southeast
SP -- Brayden Keeter, Lamar
SP -- Sawyer Jensen, Trinidad State
RP -- Will Flege, Southeast
C -- Simon Molina, Luna
2B -- Kieta Fujino, Otero
3B -- Kameron Arrington, Southeast
MIF -- Gabe Dalton, Southeast
1B -- Michael Clark, Northeastern JC
OF -- Cole Carter, Southeast
OF -- Brendan Clelland, Northeastern JC
OF -- Dalton Berg, McCook
DH -- Jack Hogan, Southeast
Gold Glove Awards
C -- Max Valerio, Northeastern JC
!B -- Peyton Moore, Southeast
2B -- Zach McVay, Northeastern JC
3B -- Kameron Arrington, Southeast
SS -- Cody Zrust, Southeast
OF -- Cole Carter, Southeast
OF -- Nate Hutchinson, McCook
OF -- Ryan Ray, Otero
Region IX Player of the Year
Cory Wouters, McCook
Freshman of the Year
Jack Hogan, Southeast
Pitcher of the Year
Ondrej Vank, Northeastern JC
Defensive Player of the Year
Cody Zrust, Southeast
Empire Conference Coach of the Year
Andrew Kachel, Northeastern JC