The American Legion Post 14 baseball teams look much more intimidating after multiple area players received spots on the Kansas All-State Baseball Team.
Following last Saturday’s state championship tournament, state officials selected six players from Iola, Humboldt and Colony as the best players in the state for their respective class.
Iola High School senior pitcher and first baseman Grady Dougherty made the Kansas 3A All-State Team.
Dougherty ended the regular season with a 6-0 record with 75 strikeouts and allowing just 24 walks in more than 62 innings on the mound and a 1.22 ERA. In the batter’s box he boasted a .324 batting average on 24 hits, 14 doubles, three home runs and 32 RBIs.
Logan Page, a Humboldt High senior pitcher, was also named to the 3A Kansas All-State First Team.
Page ended the season as the Cubs’ starter in the state quarterfinals, where he posted five strikeouts and an RBI in a 10-3 victory over Russell-Victoria.
Page ended the year with a 6-2 record while tallying 94 strikeouts and boasting an ERA of 1.392. He ended the season with a .376 batting average with 32 hits, 15 doubles, a triple and 35 RBIs.
Iola catcher Tre Wilson received recognition as a second-team selection. The switch-hitting, junior catcher was by far the Mustangs’ most threatening bat. Wilson wrapped up the year with a .420 batting average, including seven home runs and 27 RBIs on 29 hits. Wilson often came on in relief, with six strikeouts in four appearances. 
During Post 14’s home opener, he proved had not missed a beat since the regional tournament while belting a grand slam to put Post 14 ahead of the Kansas Curve early.
Sophomore outfielder Jace Herrmann received All-State honorable mention as one of the Iola Mustangs’ most reliable outfielders while also presenting a constant threat in the batter’s box and on the base paths. He had a .440 batting average with 33 hits, six doubles and 13 RBIs. As a reliever he picked up a win and two saves while tallying 16 strikeouts with an ERA of 4.41.
Crest junior Drake Weir received a first-team selection in the 2-1A division. Weir served as the Lancers’ ace and posted five wins in eight appearances. With a 4.41 ERA, he racked up 53 strikeouts over more than 33 innings on the mound. Weir’s swing may be more impressive than his arm after he ended the season with a .537 batting average with 44 hits, 10 doubles and three home runs.
Crest senior pitcher and first baseman Kade Nilges received All-State honorable mention while dominating on the mound and in the batter’s box. He ended the season with the school record for career home runs with eight and home runs in a season with seven while boasting a .418 batting average. He also had 38 hits, six doubles and two triples. On the mound, Nilges ended the year with six wins in 10 starts, including 45 strikeouts, with an ERA of 2.80. Last month, area voters selected Nilges as the Allen County Area Athlete of the Month.
