McGee, Boyd get top Ohio Cardinal Conference honors

  • brian questel
  • June 8, 2011
  • 336
                        
061311 OCCbbawards Generals earn handful of OCC baseball awards McGee, Boyd get top Ohio Cardinal Conference honors By Brian Questel Derek Boyd knew there was talent in the program when he took over the Wooster High School baseball position. He just didn’t know how much. By the end of the season, the answer was clear for Boyd and Co. The Generals finished with an 18-6 campaign overall and won the Ohio Cardinal Conference with a 13-1 mark. That included a split with runner-up Ashland, which finished with a 12-2 ledger. Not surprisingly, the Generals picked up a number of OCC honors, led by Pitcher of the Year Luke McGee. The junior southpaw posted an 8-0 mark with a 1.99 ERA to account for nearly half of Wooster’s wins, “which we felt was well deserved,” said Boyd. “We felt his experience was going to be a factor,” said Boyd. “Coming in knowing he had lettered twice already, we thought he would have a chance to be at top. We didn’t know where, but he definitely proved his value to us. He had an outstanding year, no doubt about it. “The top thing in my mind wasn’t anything he did on the mound but before he went to the mound. I felt all along one of his strongest characteristics was his willingness to listen,” added Boyd. “He’s extremely coachable and he bought into what we were teaching. I think he valued everything we were telling him. “He’s a hard worker on top of it, which helps. That’s one of his strongest areas. He’s willing to listen and buy into what we’re doing, and he has talent on top of it. I don’t think that is talked about enough. Everybody talks about throwing hard … but the mental aspect is big for him. … And, our kids are confident when he’s on the mound.” Wooster had two other first-team picks in seniors Mike Eisel and Zach Ellsworth. Eisel finished the season batting .415 and led Wooster with 23 RBI and walks (20). He was also 4-2 on the mound, allowing just over three runs a game. Ellsworth was the team’s leading hitter (.442) and in stolen bases (11), “and a lot of coaches liked Zach’s leadership,” said Boyd. “He’s quiet, goes about his business and works really hard.” Tyler Etter and Devin Daugherty were second-team picks. Etter played second base and batted .345 with 23 RBI. “He was a role player last year, but he came into his own early on,” said Boyd. “When we went to Cincinnati for some scrimmages, he stepped up his game and made us take notice. He had a nice year for us. “Devin was our starting shortstop and he finished hitting .296. He led us in doubles with eight, and was also 2-1 on the mound,” added Boyd. “At the end of the year he was pitching as well as anybody. He had a complete game against Orrville and in another went 7.2 innings against Ashland at home. Unfortunately he got the loss, but he was pitching as well as anybody.” A pair of sophomores was named honorable mention as Nick Buckingham hit .270 playing mainly left field and “batting in the middle of our order,” while classmate Seth Carnahan stepped behind the plate and gave Wooster a huge boost in a position that was shrouded in concern. “A lot of coaches liked his defense,” said Boyd, who was missing both catchers from the 2010 campaign. “That was a huge question mark going into the season. We didn’t know what we were going to have there. We liked his arm, he listens, he worked hard and pitchers like throwing to him. He threw out a little over half the people trying to steal, so defensively he did a nice job.” When it came to his coaching award, Boyd shared that with his staff. “We knew that the biggest thing to work on was getting them to buy into our way of doing things and I put it on the guys working with me,” said Boyd. “They know me as well anybody. They’ve been in same programs I have -- I don’t have to coach those guys. They know how to do it and show the guys what to do. “I was fortunate to have them. Mike Morris is a West Holmes and College of Wooster grad, and Greg McKenzie is a Madison grad and played at Muskingum. Mike came (to Wooster) in my first year, 1995-96, and I coached him. I had Greg as a freshman at Madison in ’01-02, and I was able to get him to come and help. He coached at Wadsworth last year. “When I was able to get those two guys, I felt good. I knew I would need help and that I could not do it by myself. Those two are extreme valuable to me and deserve a lot of credit as well.”


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