T-town's Louis Niemerg H&R Area Baseball Player of Year

Teutopolis High School's Louis Niemerg was named the Decatur Herald & Review Area Baseball Player of the Year.

Niemerg went 10-0 on the mound with a 1.19 ERA. He finished with a .414 batting average and had 25 RBI. He's the fifth Teutopolis player in the last six years to win the award.

Named to the First Team along with Niemerg were Carter Hayes, senior, catcher, Effingham with 11 home runs and 12 doubles. He drove in 47 runs; Brock Mette, senior, outfield, Teutopolis, had 10 doubles, two triples and three home runs with a .389 batting average; Devon Still, senior,  pitcher, Okaw Valley; Nick Frerichs, senior, infield,  Sullivan; Bryce Pearce, senior, infield, Flora; Michael Lowery, senior, infield, Mount Pulaski; Ryne Bundy, senior, infield, Monticello; Payton Hartbank, senior, outfield, Mattoon; Nick Bates, junior, utility, Tuscola and Payton Hagerman, senior, utility, Okaw Valley.

Named to the Second Team were Braydon Bone, senior, pitcher, Effingham had a 1.22 ERA and 86 strikeouts; Jordan Thoele, senior, catcher, Teutopolis had six homers among his 20 extra-base hits; Blayke Cutts, infield, Cumberland hit .483 with eight homers, 36 RBI and 2.02 ERA; Devin Smith, junior, infield, Teutopolis had a 1.74 ERA, hit .333; Adam Cox, senior, infield, North Clay (Louisville), hit .414; Matt Kingery, junior, outfield, Neoga, had .509 on-base percentage and hit nine home runs; Austin Hartke, senior, utility, Teutopolis, hit .354 with six homers; Guy Walk, junior, utility, Neoga, with 8-3 with 93 strikeouts; Austin Warrem, senior, pitcher, Mattoon; Daniel Caldwell, senior pitcher, Monticello and Dylan Hart, senior, infield, Sullivan.

Area Coach of the Year was Ted Kerner, Neoga.

Honorable Mention to area players -- Zach Gardewine, senior, pitcher, Effingham St. Anthony; Adam Koester, senior, infield, Effingham; Brennon Poland, senior, infield, Effingham; Brock Mammoser, junior, infield/pitcher, Newton; Mitch Jansen, sophomore, pitcher/first base, Newton; Austin Johnson, junior, pitcher/infield, Teutopolis; Hayden Kanizar, utility, Cumberland; Quincy Aldrich, freshman, outfield, North Clay (Louisville); Sam Baugess, infield, Cumberland; Mitch Bierman, sophomore, catcher, Newton; Alex Bohnhoff, senior, utility, Dieterich; Jordon Byers, senior, infield, North Clay (Louisville); Braden McNeely, senior, pitcher, North Clay (Louisville); Trevor Moore, senior, pitcher, Neoga; Noah Powless, senior, utility, South Central; Kyle Smith, pitcher, Teutopolis; Austin Stinnett, senior, catcher, North Clay (Louisville); Brady Winn, senior, outfield, Altamont and Klaiton Wolff, junior, utility, Altamont.