BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Student-athletes from Bradford, Keystone Heights and Union County high schools were among the honorees with the release of the Gainesville Sun’s All-Area teams in baseball, softball and track and field.
Bradford’s Elijah Kellum was a track and field selection after winning a state championship in Class 2A, jumping 45-9.75 in the triple jump. He also placed fourth at state in the long jump with a distance of 22-7.75.
Kellum, who was the first track and field state champ for the Tornadoes in 20 years, was the District 3 champ in both events with distances of 44-3.5 in the triple jump and 21-11.75 in the long jump.
At the Region 2 meet, Kellum was the runner-up in both events. His triple jump distance was 44-2, while his long jump total was 22-6.5.
Bradford and Keystone each had two players earn second-team Gainesville Sun All-Area honors in Big-School softball.
The Tornadoes’ Rylie Blankenship made the team as a utility player, playing in the outfield and pitching. She led the team in batting average (.494), runs scored (24), hits (38), on-base percentage (.565), stolen bases (28), innings pitched (43) and strikeouts as a pitcher (27). She was third in slugging percentage at .545.
Bradford’s Addyson Hinds, a catcher, had a sophomore season that consisted of a team-leading 25 RBI and six homers (seventh most in all of Class 3A). Her .806 slugging percentage also led the team, while her on-base percentage of .500 was second. She was second on the team in batting average (.419) and doubles (6) and third in runs scored (17) and hits (26).
Keystone’s Ashley Nugent made the second team as an infielder, leading her team in batting average (.417), hits (35), RBI (23), home runs (4, tied with teammate Delia Johnson), on-base percentage (.427) and slugging percentage (.666). She was second in runs scored (22) and doubles (7).
The Indians’ Kadence Massey was a selection at pitcher. She made 19 appearances in 25 games and had a record of 7-6. She led the team in ERA (3.39), innings pitched (76.1) and strikeouts (74).
The Sun’s Big-School Baseball All-Area team included two from Keystone: outfielder Connor Guy and utility player Austin Musgrove.
Guy led the team in batting average (.506), RBI (26), hits (43), runs scored (38), doubles (9), triples (5), home runs (6), stolen bases (18), walks (20, tied with Musgrove), on-base percentage (.609) and slugging percentage (.941). His slugging percentage was third best in all of Class 3A, while he was fourth in the class in batting average, home runs and runs scored. Guy was 10th in 3A in on-base percentage and 11th in RBI.
Musgrove, an infielder and pitcher, batted .238 and was first on the team in walks (20, tied with Guy) and second in runs scored (21) and stolen bases (11). He was third in on-base percentage (.396) and slugging percentage (.417). Musgrove finished the season with 14 RBI, five doubles, two triples and two home runs.
As a pitcher, Musgrove had a 5-3 record, throwing a total of 53.1 innings. His ERA of 1.82 led the team, as did his 67 strikeouts.
Union’s Devin Diggs was a second-team selection to the Sun’s Small-School All-Area baseball team as an infielder. He batted .209 and led the team in triples (2), home runs (3) and slugging percentage (.432). Diggs was third on the team in runs scored (20) and RBI (18).
Diggs also pitched, making 14 appearances and throwing 28.1 innings (third most on the team). He went 1-2 with a 2.47 ERA, leading the team in strikeouts with 48.
No student-athletes from Bradford, Keystone or Union were selected for All-Area teams in boys tennis, girls tennis and girls track and field.
The Sun didn’t release an All-Area team in boys weightlifting.
