Lincoln teammates named Co-Players of the Year

Lincoln County High’s Cody Thornock and Hunter Wilkin were named as the 2017 All-State Baseball Co-Players of the Year and Lincoln’s Raymond Wadsworth was named as state 2A Coach of the Year. The school’s softball team had four named to the All State First Team, and both baseball and softball also had many players named to the state and regional all-star teams.

Thornock and Wilkin helped lead the Lynx (25-3) to a second consecutive NIAA 2A state baseball title and a fourth consecutive Southern league title. The team ran off a six-game sweep of this year’s regional and state playoffs, concluding the season with a 10-game win streak.

It is the second year for a Lincoln player to be named 2A state Player of the Year. McClain O’Connor received the award last year, and thus is Wadsworth’s second straight Coach of the Year honor. Since 2014, the Lynx under Wadsworth have compiled a record of 83-25, appeared in the state tournament each year, claiming the last two state titles. It marked the first time since 1992 and 1993 Lincoln won back-to-back state baseball championships.

Wadsworth said, “Cody and Hunter earned it. They deserved it for sure. They led our team all year with good attitudes and a solid work ethic.”

He said he could not take all the credit for earning a second straight Coach of the Year Award. “I have a really good staff with Del O’Connor, Ruben Rowe and Dane Bradfield who work really hard at helping the boys improve, setting expectations and goals and getting the tools to reach them. It’s an overall effort for sure.”

In softball, Cameron Lloyd, Drew Cardinal, Kia Phillips and Hannah Lytle were each named to the First Team All-State. Sadie Soderborg and Kailey Kelley were named to the Second Team.

Named to the baseball First Team All-State were Kobe Walker, Alex Vincent and McKinley O’Connor.

In honors for the 2A Southern League softball, Lloyd was named MVP and Sadie Soderborg was named Rookie of the Year. Lytle, Phillips, Cardinal and Kelley were named to the First Team. Kristal Jackson, Brynlee Wadsworth, Sadie Teel and Macy Howard were named to the Second Team, while Hannah Bleak and Kendra Mathews were given Honorable Mention.

In baseball’s 2A Southern honors, Laughlin’s Ken Abbott was Player of the Year and Ken Parker and Raymond Wadsworth were named as co-Coaches of the Year.

The Lynx placed five players on First Team and two on the Second Team. Named to the First Team squad are Cody Thornock, Hunter Wilkin, Kobe Walker, Alex Vincent and McKinley O’Connor.

The two Lynx players named on the Second Team were Kevin Mathews and Mason Thornock. Three other players, Dean Ottley, Kamden Lewis and Tristan Davis received Honorable Mention.