By Marty Gordon
Christiansburg High School has dominated River Ridge District baseball play this season, and the Blue Demons led district honors revealed on Wednesday.
Junior Mason Self, who has played first base and pitched for the team, was named the district player of the year.
Self finished the regular season with a .561 batting average, eight home runs and 38 runs batted in. His on-base percentage was .691; he went 2-0 on the mound with 35 strikeouts in 16 innings.
Dale Nelson, who coached the Blue Demons to the regular season and tournament titles, was named River Ridge District Coach-of-the-Year. His team finished the regular season at 18-2 overall and 12-0 in the district.
Self was joined on the first team by teammates Nate Hall (pitcher) and Dawson Gragg (outfield).
Blacksburg placed four players on the district’s first team: catcher Bennett Shealor, third baseman Bruce Abbott, outfielder Harrison Tate, and shortstop Trevor VandeVord.
Christiansburg added five more to the River Ridge District second-team: Self at pitcher, catcher Marshall Basham, second baseman Tanner Evans, outfielder Colton McGrady, and utility player Joseph Tuck.
On the softball field up the hill, Christiansburg’s Kadyn Camper was named the Player of the Year. The sophomore has 119 strikeouts in the circle while giving up only eight earned runs. Camper has pitched 69 innings with 17 walks. At the plate, she has six home runs and 30 runs batted in with a .580 batting average, which leads her team.
Camper was joined on the first team by teammates, Baylee Reasor and Blacksburg’s Emily Dickerson, Kaley Mathena, and Loreli Spradlin.
Christiansburg placed a trio of players on the River Ridge District second team: catcher Casey Kietrys, third baseman Addison Reasor, and utility player Kyrstin Lowe. Blacksburg’s Aubrey Hudgins, Evelyn Rhodes, and Mia Farley were named to the second all-district team.
Blacksburg’s McKenzie Cheynet was named the River Ridge District girls’ soccer player of the year while Christiansburg’s Scott Duff was named Coach-of-the-Year.
Cheynet was joined on the all-district first team by Norin Bortz, Morgan Cheynet, Julia Howland, Kylene Monaghan, and Elayna Witherspoon.
Duff placed four players on the district girls soccer first team: Jordin Harris, Lilly Shepherd, Bridget Miller, and Anna Blaine.
Two more Christiansburg players, Ava Landers and Madison Farley, were named to the girls soccer all-district second team as were Blacksburg’s Mila Santesaver-Jones, Kat Leedy, Rebecca Webster, and Erin Bishop.
On the boys’ side of the soccer field, Blacksburg’s Edric Zhang was the district’s Player-of-the-Year. Five other Bruins were named to the all-district bys soccer first team: Sean DeLorenzo, Andrew Neely, Wyatt Eschenmann, Caleb Byun, and Luke Milauskas.
Christiansburg placed two on the all-district boys soccer first team: Sami Selfie and Kendell Britt.
Blacksburg’s Nevin O’Dowd and DJ Garza made the all-district boys soccer second-team as did Christiansburg’s Isaac Prather.