Lutheran South Academy Spring Sports shine in 2022 seasons. Check out the Spring Wrap Below.
BASEBALL: Pioneers Reach TAPPS State Tournament
2022 LSA Baseball Team Members
THE PIONEERS HAD A STRONG SHOWING ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND IN 2022, GOING 27-10, FINISHING SECOND IN DISTRICT PLAY AND MAKING A SPIRITED RUN TO THE STATE SEMIFINALS.
Senior infielder/pitcher Deundre’ Jones was named as an all-state first team selection. Senior right- hander Garrett Coiner was named to the second team. Senior catcher Garrett Helpenstill was named as an honorable-mention pick.
Jones, Coiner, Helpenstill and junior pitcher/outfielder Blaine Birkelbach were named to the all-district first team. Senior infielder Tyler Helpenstill, senior utilityman Colt Powledge and senior pitcher/infielder Drew Stanaland were named to the all-district second team, while honorable mention all-district selections were freshman pitcher/infielder Victor Coronado, junior outfielder Matthew Savala, senior pitcher/outfielder Zach Brownlee, senior pitcher/infielder Garrison King and junior pitcher/ infielder Logan Schmidt.
Coiner, Garrett Helpenstill and Tyler Helpenstill were named to all-state academic team.
SOFTBALL: LSA Grabs District Crown, Reaches TAPPS Final Four
LSA WAS SIMPLY DOMINANT IN 2022, GOING 26-3, WINNING A DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP AND MAKING IT TO THE STATE SEMIFINALS.
Senior shortstop and team captain Evany Gonzalez was named to the all-state first team. Freshman catcher/infielder Briana Collazo joined her.
Senior third baseman and team captain Cayden Koster was named to the all-state second team.
Senior pitcher/infielder Hayley Calhoun was an all-state honorable mention selection.
Gonzalez, Koster, Collazo and Calhoun were first- team, all-district selections. Sophomore shortstop/ outfielder Kat Maldonado and sophomore Caroline Ledbetter were named to the second team.
Freshman utility player Lauren Brown was named an all-district honorable mention selection.
Gonzalez and Koster were also named to the all-state academic team.
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD: State Titles Won, Records Broken
LSA HAD A DOMINANT SHOWING ON THE TRACK AND IN THE FIELD IN 2022.
The Pioneer boys team took home the TAPPS 5A State Championship.
The boys also won the District and Regional team titles.
Joel Hutchins and the boys 4x400-meter relay took home gold at the State meet.
A slew of program records were also broken.
Hutchins established records in the 100 meters (10.67 seconds) and 200 meters (21.60). Marcus Gaitan set records in the 400 (49.60 seconds), 800 (1-minute, 59.96 seconds) and 1600-meter run (4-minutes, 29.32-seconds).
Also setting records were the 4x100 (Ethan Savell, Jaylin Lowery, John LeBlanc, Hutchins) with a time of 42.85 seconds, the 4x400 (Gaitan, Max McGee, Matthew Gaitan, Lowery) with a mark of 3:24.92, and the 4x800 (Matthew Gaitan, Layton Thacker, Elijah Ward, Marcus Gaitan) with a time of 8:21.72.
Kaden Harvey also set a record in the high jump with a mark of 6-feet, 5-inches.
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD: State Titles Won, Records Broken
LSA HAD A DOMINANT SHOWING ON THE TRACK AND IN THE FIELD IN 2022.
The Lady Pioneers finished third at District and Regionals. Ayana Mallard-Smith took home gold at the State meet.
A slew of program records were also broken.
Mallard- Smith set records in the 100 (11.75 seconds) and 200 meter dashes (25.05 seconds). She also set a record in the long jump with a mark of 19-feet, 1-inch.
The 4x100 (Makynna Robbins, Audrey Pfeiffer, Emily Adams, Smith) set a record with a mark of 50.01 seconds.
Rachel Bell set a record in the discuss with a throw of 122-1. Malorie McGee set a record in the triple jump with a mark of 37-feet, 1 1⁄2 inches.
GOLF: Bridges Stands Out for Pioneers
2022 LSA Golf Team Members
THE LSA GOLF TEAMS HELD THEIR OWN, AND THEN SOME, ON THE COURSE THIS SPRING.
The Pioneer boys finished fourth overall at the district tournament. The Pioneer girls finished second.
Hayden Bridges was the star Pioneer golfer in 2022. She placed eighth at the Regional Tournament to qualify for State, and then tied for 15th at State with a two-day score of 185.
TENNIS: LSA Boys, Girls Show Off At State
2022 LSA Tennis Team Members
THE LSA BOYS AND GIRLS TENNIS TEAMS FARED NICELY AT THE STATE TENNIS TOURNAMENT. EACH FINISHED FOURTH TO CAP OFF SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS.
Michael Barton and Chase Turley claimed as State Championship in doubles play. Cat Carpenter finished third at State.
Zach Chen and Derek Ying were also State qualifiers for the Pioneers.
Barton, Turley and Chen were all recognized as academic all-state selections.