The 2008 all-area baseball squad, from left to right: Brock McGinnis and Broone Heston, Oskaloosa High; Matthew Abel and Chad Krutz, Eudora; Joe Kombrust and Aaron Rea, Lawrence High; John Wilson, Jordan Dreiling, Cody Kukuk, Caleb Gress and coach Mike Hill, Free State High. Mark Steward, McLouth High, is not pictured.

Matthew Abel

Eudora High, senior

Abel made a serious bid to be considered the top player in Class 4A during the 2008 season. The all-state center fielder hit .483 and logged an on-base percentage of .630 while scoring 29 runs and driving in 25 more. He had three doubles, four triples and one home run. In addition, the Northern Oklahoma Junior College signee set a school record with 33 stolen bases.

Chad Krutz

Eudora High, senior

The Cardinals’ third baseman had a monster year at the plate, finishing with a .471 batting average and .603 on-base percentage. He scored 13 runs, drove in 24 and had 10 doubles and eight stolen bases.

Mark Stewart

McLouth High, senior

Stewart was one of the offensive leaders for the MHS team in 2008. His .491 batting average was tops on the team, and it was bolstered by an on-base percentage of .541. Stewart drove in 14 runs and struck out 38 batters in seven games on the mound.

Boone Heston

Oskaloosa High, senior

Heston capped his OHS career in style, leaving the program as the all-time leader in wins and strikeouts. He finished the ’08 campaign 8-1 with 62 strikeouts and an impressive 1.90 earned-run average. Offensively, Heston also stood out, as he hit .364, scored 21 runs and drove in 16.

Brock McGinnis

Oskaloosa High, senior

McGinnis also had a banner year for the Bears, leaving the program as the all-time leader in batting average, home runs and RBIs. The Bears’ slugger hit .475 during his senior season and added 23 runs, 29 RBIs and four home runs to his tally.

Aaron Rea

Lawrence High, junior

Rea was a leader for the Lions in more ways than one this season. In addition to playing the role of defensive leader at shortstop, the powerful junior led the team in stolen bases (15) and batting average (.373). In his first season in the leadoff role, Rea finished with 28 hits, 22 runs and three triples.

Joe Kornbrust

Lawrence High, senior

The Lions’ most dominant pitcher this season might have been the guy opponents saw the least. While starters Tom Schuh and Dorian Green did most of the work in the early innings, Kornbrust was ferocious as the Lions’ door-slammer. He led the state in saves, with six, and finished with 20 strikeouts in 19 innings of work. He surrendered just two earned runs, had an ERA of 0.72 and walked just seven batters.

Caleb Gress

Free State High, senior

Gress was the anchor of a Firebirds’ staff that finished the season with a team earned-run average under 3.00. As the No. 1 starter most of the season, Gress finished with a record of 6-1, including a perfect game in the first round of regionals against Leavenworth. He struck out 60 in 51 innings and finished with an ERA of 2.32.

Cody Kukuk

Free State High, freshman

The freshman sensation led the senior-laden ballclub in hitting (.489), was fourth in on-base percentage (.565) and tied for third in RBIs, with 17. Hitting in the middle of a potent lineup, the designated hitter led the team with 30 hits and ripped eight doubles to finish third on the team in that category. In addition, the ninth-grader was 2-0 on the mound with a 2.27 ERA and 13 strikeouts.

John Wilson

Free State High, senior

Wilson was second on the team in batting average (.426), third in on-base percentage (.583) and tied for the team lead in home runs with two. He was the Firebirds’ outright leader in RBIs (26) and total bases (50). In addition, he recorded 29 hits, 13 doubles and one triple while occupying one of the most important spots in the batting order – clean-up.

Jordan Dreiling

Free State High, senior

Often overlooked in his team’s loaded lineup, Dreiling delivered one of the most impressive all-around seasons for the Firebirds this year. Offensively, he hit .377 and had an on-base percentage of .523 – both good for fourth on the team – and knocked in 17 runs and walked a team-high 13 times. He also tied for the team lead in homers, with two. Defensively, the second baseman finished second among regulars in fielding percentage (982) and made just three errors.

Honorable Mention

Brian White, sr., Eudora High; Logan Forbis, sr., Jace Waters, jr. and Rob Schlicht, jr., Tonganoxie High; Chase Muder, sr., Tom Schuh, sr., Clint Pinnick, jr., Lawrence High; Hunter Scheib, sr., E.J. Swanson, sr., Adam Rock, sr., Free State High; Zach Durr, sr., Baldwin High; Cody Amerine, fr., Dylan Turpin, fr., Brock Harden, sr., Perry-Lecompton High; Ryan Smith, sr., Mike Rome, sr., Derrick Crouse, jr., Brian Kabus, sr., McLouth High.