By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle head coach William Booth and seniors Luke Bole and Chad Girodo swept the top honors in the Hartselle Enquirer’s 2009 All-Area Baseball team after leading the Tigers to a school-record 50 wins and a seventh state championship this season.
Bole, who also was chosen as the state’s Mr. Baseball last month, hit .412 with 20 homers and 73 RBIs.
He was the Class 5A most valuable player.
Bole’s 20 homers tied a state record set most recently by former Auburn and major league player Bo Jackson of McAdory.
Girodo led the Tigers with a 17-1 record, including five wins in the playoffs as Hartselle went 10-1 in post-season play.
Girodo reeled off 17 straight victories after losing to Cullman on the first day of the season.
Hartselle’s 50 wins gives Booth 775 career victories, more than any other coach in Alabama high school history.
The Tigers’ 50 wins was two more than the state record set several years ago by Cullman.
Hartselle dominated the all-area team with 10 players honored. Also earning all-area honors were Hartselle outfielders Ryan Joy, Josh Doyle and Zach Waddell; infielders Walton Ashwander, David Reeves and Taylor Nelson; utility player Robby Reese; pitchers Girodo and Garrett Turrentine; and Bole, a designated hitter.
Waddell, Girodo and Turrentine were all-area selections a year ago.
Other members of the all-area team include pitchers Jacob Young of Danville, Dalton Lorance of Priceville and Falkville’s Trevor Mayer.
Priceville’s Kody Etheridge and Joseph Lacy of Falkville earned all-area honors in the infield. Priceville catcher Jeremy Hale and outfielder Stephen Starkey also represented the Bulldogs.
Danville’s Parker Hogan was a repeat selection at catcher.
Honorable mention selections were Brewer’s Matthew Bazeel and Matthew Pinkerton; Danville’s Jacob Fields, Cole Veazey, Matt Vest and Zac Ward; Falkville’s Cody Kelsoe, Brye Hill and Corey Holladay; Hartselle’s Mike Hasse and Nick Howard; and Priceville’s Kyle Bunnell and Justin West.