Regional Radio Senior Spotlight – Baseball: Ellington, Steelville, Valle Catholic

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Ellington Whippets:
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Nolan Heady – IF, P

Heady was a returning starter for the Ellington baseball team this spring and was an absolute grinder for the Whippets. He has an exceptional work ethic both on and off the field and is the type of person who does not let anybody outwork him. Heady kept his head down and did things the right way and set a great example for the rest of the team. He was also a savvy and intelligent player who always knew what to do on any given play. In addition to his athletic prowess, Heady is also likely to be the valedictorian of the Ellington class of 2020. This past season he was named All-Conference, All-District, All-State and Academic All-State. Heady will be attending Saint Louis University in the fall where he will study mechanical engineering.

Garett Morris – OF

Morris was a returning starter for the Whippets baseball team this spring and was the heart of the team. He had a great passion for the game of baseball and was a vocal leader for the group. Morris was the type of player who made the game fun and played as hard as he could every time he took the field. He has a big, powerful swing and he takes cuts with bad intentions, trying to do damage with every swing. Morris did everything big and to the best of his abilities both on and off the field. This past season he selected All-Conference, All-District, and All-State. Morris is currently undecided on his plans for after graduation.

Interview with Ellington Head Coach – Jake Hime:

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Steelville Cardinals:
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Rylee Mabe

Mabe was a returning starter for the Steelville baseball team this spring and was, simply put, a gamer. He always showed up ready to play and performed at the highest level. Mabe set a great example for the team with his work ethic. He was a grinder who put in time in the weight room and consistently improved. Mabe produced a lot of offense for the Cardinals but ones of his best traits was his great range and soft hands in the infield. He was a two-time All-Conference and All-District selection. This past season, Mabe hit .375 with a .537 on-base percentage, a homerun, and 15 RBI. He was also a member of the Steelville basketball team. Mabe will be playing baseball at State Fair Community College in the fall and will study to pursue a career in education.

Kadin Norris

Norris was a returning starter for the Cardinals baseball team this spring and was the team’s top returning offensive threat. He possessed tremendous power and could always be found in the heart of the Steelville order. Norris sees the ball well and would always find a way to get on base. He was also the ace of the team’s pitching staff last year and was an absolute workhorse. Norris was a two-time All-Conference and All-District selection. This past season, he hit .362 with a .552 on-base percentage, 2 homeruns, and 20 RBI. Norris was also a member of the Steelville basketball team. He is currently undecided on where he will attend school but he is interested in playing baseball at the next level and studying occupational or sports therapy.

Josh Earney

Earney was a returning starter for the Steelville baseball team this spring and was one of the most athletic players in the program. He was a skilled player who could impact the game in a number of ways. Earney battled through some shoulder injuries throughout his career but was poised to make a return to the mound and have a big season this year. He had a live arm and was incredibly accurate with his pitches. Earney was a two-time All-Conference and one-time All-District selection. This past season, he hit .327 with a .426 on-base percentage and 20 RBI. Earney plans to attend Ozark Technical Community College where he will be working on general studies.

Trevor Bell

Bell was a returning player for the Cardinals baseball team this spring and was always a team favorite throughout his time at Steelville. He was a fun guy to be around and brought a positive attitude to the field every time out. Bell was a high-character individual who always worked hard at practice. He was the type of player who would do anything the team asked of him and they knew they could count on him. Bell also has an appetite for knowledge when it comes to the game of baseball. He is a student of the game and has aspirations of becoming a baseball scout in the future.

Interview with Former Steelville Head Coach – Josh Booker:

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Valle Catholic Warriors:
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Kyle Roth

Roth was a returning player for the Valle Catholic baseball team this spring and would have been a three-year starter at the catcher position. He was a leader for the team that when he spoke, people listened. Roth was the defensive leader for the baseball team behind the plate and was a cerebral-type player. He knew how to manage the pitching staff, how to attack hitters, and would have been able to call his own games this year. Roth was also a big-time power threat who was always in the middle of the order. He was a member of the Valle Catholic football team and was named the Class 1 Defensive Player of the Year at defensive end. Roth plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University to study sports management.

Kyle Gielow

Gielow was a returning player for the Warriors baseball team this spring and always brought a smile to the field. He was one of the team’s jokesters and always had a great attitude and a positive mindset. Gielow overcame adversity dealing with injuries early in his career but he worked hard to get back and had been one of the team’s top players in recent years. This past season, he hit .400 and provided a lot of big innings out of the bullpen as well. Gielow was also a member of the Warriors’ basketball team. He plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University where he will study business.

Owen Viox

Viox was a returning player for the Valle Catholic baseball team this spring and was the type of player that made everyone around him better. He brought other players up to his level and was a vocal leader for the team. Viox was a multi-year starter and made several miraculous defensive plays during the team’s 2018 state title run. He has a big heart and was also a very intelligent player on the diamond. Viox was also a member of the Valle Catholic football team. He plans to attend Ranken Technical College where he will study electrical automation and control systems.

Chase Dunlap

Dunlap was a returning player for the Warriors baseball team this spring after having taken his junior year off to focus on other sports. He was a light-hearted guy who had a great sense of humor and was fun to be around. Dunlap was the type of player who loved his teammates and did whatever he could for them. He was the quarterback of the Warriors’ football team and was also a member of the basketball team. Dunlap will be attending Mizzou where he will study business and marketing.

Collin Grass

Grass was a returning player for the Valle Catholic baseball team this spring and was a determined athlete. He never took anything for granted and was a leader who loved to see his teammates succeed. Grass put in a lot of time in the weight room and was one of the team’s hardest workers this offseason. He was an intelligent player and always knew the right play to make. Grass was also a leader of the defense for the Valle Catholic football team. He plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University in the fall to study environmental science.

Bryce Gegg

Gegg was a returning player for the Warriors baseball team this spring and was a selfless player who never stopped working. He was a great teammate and would do whatever it took to help the team win. Gegg was a coachable player who was always willing to work hard at practice. He was also a member of the Valle Catholic football and basketball teams. Gegg plans to attend Missouri S&T where he will study mechanical engineering.

Interview with Valle Catholic Head Coach – Nathan Gegg: