Baseball Player of the Year

Centennial senior Ben Winter came into this season with the nearly impossible task of living up to the standard set by another player. That player? Ben Winter, the junior.

In 2007, Winter batted .500 with 26 runs, 25 RBIs, seven doubles, six triples and two home runs and stole 15 bases. As a pitcher, he was 7-1 with a 1.33 ERA and 58 strikeouts. He hit a walk-off home run, completing the cycle, to win the regional championship. Tales of that game are still passed on in the Centennial hallways like mythology and likely will be for years to come. There was no contest when it came time to pick a player of the year.

Problem was, everyone expected Winter to do even more in his curtain call.

"There was a lot more pressure on me," Winter allows. "And also the added role of being the senior leader."

As a junior, Winter had the luxury of a decorated class of four-year starters to do the grunt work when it came to team leadership. All Winter had to do was throw the ball and hit the ball, which he did very well.

This year, coach Denis Ahearn pulled Winter aside and told him that he would be the big senior, and it was up to him to show the newcomers -- Centennial started five sophomores this season -- "what varsity baseball is all about."

Winter got Ahearn's seal of approval for his efforts.

"He was great. He remembers what it's like to be that freshman or sophomore," Ahearn said.

As the season progressed, Winter also realized that he did not have to shoulder the responsibility alone. Designated hitter Mike Ross, pitcher Shane Mattingly and shortstop James Cowan also became senior leaders.

The younger players "looked to any one of us" for leadership, Winter said.

As a pitcher -- a position that Winter is open about his indifference toward playing -- he threw two no-hitters in his first two starts and struck out 59 batters in 36 innings, finishing 6-2 with a 2.12 ERA.

Still, Winter struggled through an 0-for-15 batting slump in the middle of the season when he wasn't seeing many good pitches to hit.

An occasionally wide strike zone caused Winter to drop his shoulder and reach for some bad pitches, and he would loft the ball into left field for an easy out.

"He remedied those things very well," Ahearn said.

Winter finished this season with seven doubles, five triples, two homers, 22 RBIs, 26 runs, 16 stolen bases and a .400 batting average, numbers consistent with last year's totals.

"I just needed to get my confidence back in my swing and do what I knew I could do," Winter said.

With James Cowan (.424, six doubles) batting in front of him, and Joe Couch (.391, seven doubles, four home runs) behind him, teams eventually realized that they could no longer pitch around Winter.

Even then some teams decided that they would rather surrender one base to Winter than risk greater damage on an extra-base hit.

"This is the first (season) I've ever been intentionally walked. It's definitely flattering," Winter said. "I worked on my speed, getting better jumps (as a baserunner)."

In a state semifinal loss to Patapsco, Winter was walked twice -- once intentionally -- stole a base, advanced on a passed ball and scored a run.

In the last at-bat of his high school career, Winter waited back on a 2-1 pitch and smoked an RBI single through the middle of the infield to cut the Patapsco lead to three. It was a great final at-bat from one of the greatest hitters to ever come through Howard County. Next year, Winter will play outfield for Towson University.

Although he never had a moment this season as memorable as his 2007 regional championship heroics, which he calls his greatest high school memory, Winter did come close in an opening round, come-from-behind win over Bel Air. In that game he leapt horizontally three feet off the ground to catch a two-out line drive and keep his team within striking distance in the bottom of the seventh inning.

"We were down two runs, so I thought to myself, 'if that's my lasting memory of him, I'm fine with that,' " Ahearn said. "And then he hits the game-winning triple."

Named to the Columbia Flier/Howard County Times First Team All-County are:

Pitchers

Tim Blair, Marriotts Ridge junior. With a 10-1 record, Blair was the only double-digit winner in the county.

"You can't ask much more of a boy than that," coach Paul Eckert said. "Whenever we needed to win a big game, Timmy stepped up and won the game."

Blair was a workhorse, throwing 62 innings and six complete games, including a playoff no-hitter. He struck out 34 against 15 walks and had a 2.47 ERA. He was selected co-Pitcher of the Year by coaches.

Travis Clark, Hammond sophomore. Clark had one of the meanest fastballs in the county, leading the league with 70 strikeouts, four for every one he walked (17) in only his second season.

"How quickly he attacked the strike zone is what impressed me," coach Mike Lerner said.

Clark won six games with a 1.70 ERA, but what made him a player of the year candidate was his bat. He had the second best batting average in the league (.467) and his six home runs were also tied for second, with twin brother and battery mate Tyler.

Rob Medoff, Mt. Hebron senior. Medoff came into this season as the Vikings' possible No. 3 starter, but finished it as one of the county's aces, sporting a 1.39 ERA and 6-1 record. Medoff pitched to contact, striking out only 25, but he stayed out of trouble, giving up only nine earned runs.

"He was able to throw strikes and trust the defense behind him," coach Brian Culley said. "He just had a very consistent year."

Medoff, who drew 13 walks and drove in 13 runs, will try to walk on at the University of Maryland.

Steve Visnic, Glenelg senior. With a wicked curve ball that he could throw for strikes on any count, Visnic was unbeaten in the county. He was 6-0 with a 1.62 ERA, and struck out 60 batters against an amazingly low seven walks.

"When Steve pitched we were a very good team. When he got on the mound the boys rallied around him," coach Tom Thrasher said.

Visnic, who batted .320 with 20 RBIs and two homers, was selected co-pitcher of the year. He is looking to pitch for Mount St. Mary's next season.

Catcher

Tyler Clark, Hammond sophomore. The Clark brothers had very similar offensive numbers, with Tyler nearly matching Travis in runs (19), doubles (five) and RBIs (25) and equaling him with six home runs and 10 walks.

"It was great having them hit back to back, you couldn't pitch around them," Mike Lerner said. "Tyler is a more patient hitter, a little more disciplined."

Tyler played out of position this season as a catcher, but made only three errors and allowed only two passed balls.

Infield

Joe Couch, Centennial junior. Couch has been the Centennial first baseman for three years and was a calming presence for a young infield. But where he really made strides was at the plate and on the mound. He led the regional champion Eagles in home runs (four) and RBIs (25) while batting .391 with seven doubles and 20 runs. As a pitcher he owned the only sub-1 ERA (0.93) in the county, allowing only six earned runs in 45-plus innings.

"I knew that Joey could hit, I was surprised by his pitching," coach Denis Ahearn said. "It's relieving knowing I have him coming back next year."

Couch hit a three-run home run in a state semifinal loss to Patapsco.

Jared Christensen, Hammond sophomore. The third of the outstanding Hammond sophomore trio, Christensen -- the quick, slick fielding shortstop -- fit right in with the powerful Clark twins in terms of offensive output.

"He's probably the best overall athlete in the program," Mike Lerner said. "He's an exceptional hitter."

Christensen's eight home runs led the county, and his 24 runs, 24 hits (.414), five doubles, 25 RBIs, and 12 walks were all either tops or second best for the Bears.

James Cowan, Centennial senior. After batting ninth and playing second base last season, Cowan stepped into a much greater role as a senior, becoming the team's vocal leader, starting at shortstop and batting second. It would have been hard to imagine Cowan performing any better than he did.

"He was very much the catalyst for our team," Denis Ahearn said. "He's such a great athlete, there was a feeling of comfort knowing he was out there."

Cowan led the county in hits (36) and had at least one in every game. He stroked six doubles and three triples. He also used his speed to score 24 runs and steal 10 bases.

Tony Prescott, Howard senior. One of the county's best hitters over the past several years, Prescott finally takes his spot on the first team. The lefty improved over his already impressive 2007 numbers in almost every offensive category including average (.392), triples (two), doubles (seven), RBIs (21) and runs (18).

"He was my best hitter the entire season, his bat is what makes Tony who he is," coach Jay Morraye said.

Prescott will play for Mount St. Mary's next season.

Outfield

Bryson Cramer, Oakland Mills senior. The speedy Cramer has been the Scorpions leadoff man since he was a sophomore. This season he took a few less gambles on the base paths and did all the things any coach would want out of a table setter, batting .375 with seven doubles and two homers, all while drawing 15 walks, stealing 14 bases, and scoring 22 runs. He was also an athletic outfielder with a strong arm.

"He'd go through a wall to catch a ball no problem," coach Rod Clifford said. "He would dive for anything."

Cramer will play for Salisbury next season.

Jeff Crosswhite, River Hill junior. Crosswhite entered this season as one of the county's most effective pitchers, but he was also expected to contribute more with the bat. After a few early games when he did not hit in games that he pitched, coach Mike Krouse realized he could no longer keep Crosswhite out of the order.

"He was our MVP this year all around. Pitching, hitting. He plays a heck of an outfield, too," Krouse said.

Crosswhite had 21 hits in 44 at bats and led the Hawks in home runs (three) and RBIs (11). Swinging a bat didn't distract him from his first love of pitching either. Crosswhite struck out an astounding 13 batters for every one he walked (54:4), and allowed only seven earned runs in 33 innings (1.46 ERA).

Kevin Seker, Marriotts Ridge senior. By far the Mustangs' most decorated and versatile athlete since the school opened in 2005, Seker ended his career at Marriotts Ridge fittingly, batting .338 with eight doubles, a triple and five home runs, 20 runs and 23 RBIs.

"He's the kind of kid that when he steps on the field the other kids believe something good is going to happen, and usually something good does happen," Paul Eckert said.

An excellent fielder at shortstop or center field, Seker climbed a 10-foot wall at Arundel and nearly robbed a home run. He also hit two home runs against South Hagerstown.

Designated hitter

Josh Futter, Wilde Lake senior. Futter completed an excellent four-year varsity campaign with a player of the year caliber season. As a pitcher he threw two complete games with 55 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA. And as a batter he had five doubles, six triples (county best), three homers and a .463 batting average.

Futter will play for James Madison University next season.

"I told him if you use all the resources you have available to you at JMU, you should have no problem being drafted by senior year," coach Shawn Cudzilo said.

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