ShawneeDispatch.com

The combined Maranatha Academy/ Kansas City Christian baseball squad made an indelible impression on the Crossroads Conference in its first year of play this season, as evidenced by four Eagle players recently receiving All-Conference honors from league coaches.

Senior first baseman/catcher Tim Carson of KCC was named to the conference’s first team while sophomore pitcher/catcher Scott O’Leary of KCC, sophomore pitcher/shortstop Jeremy Van Kuelen of KCC and senior center fielder Zach Van Kuelen, also of KCC, were all given honorable mention recognition.

Carson was a rarity in the league as a left-handed catcher. The senior batted over .300 for the Eagles, but, according to Maranatha coach Marvin Feldman, it was when Carson was on base that he was really dangerous.

“Tim probably stole 18 or 19 bases for us,” Feldman said. “He was very fast and he was not afraid to get dirty. As a catcher, he was really good about picking up balls out of the dirt. As a base runner, he had the green light with me all year.”

O’Leary, the Eagles’ other backstop, earned team MVP honors after the season for his triple threat abilities. The Kansas City Christian sophomore showcased a strong arm from both behind the plate and on the hill. As a pitcher, O’Leary didn’t allow a single earned run in league play, while in the batter’s box he pounded out two home runs and batted .340.

“Scott is an all-around good kid,” Feldman said. “He really worked hard.”

Jeremy Van Kuelen earned his honorable mention nod after leading the Eagles with a batting average over .430. Van Kuelen was one of the combined squad’s leading pitchers as well and, against McLouth early in the season, was bringing a fastball that clocked in at the low-to-mid 80s. The KCC sophomore also provided a steady glove at short.

Zach Van Kuelen led the Eagles with more than 20 stolen bases despite missing several games due to other school commitments. The graduating KCC senior, who also won the team’s Christian Character award, still managed to bat over .300 and impress his head coach with a “sneaky speed.”

“I wish I had him another two years,” Feldman said. “He has a great head for baseball. He reminds me a little of Amos Otis in the way he kind of glides when he goes. Anything hit out his way, he pretty well corralled.”

Despite the loss of Carson and the elder Van Kuelen to graduation, Feldman is optimistic about the roster of players returning from Maranatha and Kansas City Christian’s first combined season. Besides O’Leary and Jeremy Van Kuelen, the Eagles will welcome back Maranatha’s Brady Beregerhoffer, a sophomore, and freshman Zach Johnson. Johnson, who won the squad’s Newcomer of the Year Award, will return after hitting over .310 and being featured as one of the Eagles’ starting pitchers.

“We do have a good, solid core returning,” Feldman said. “We had a successful year. We got accomplished what we wanted to do and everybody seemed to be happy.”

Comments