Amsterdam junior outfielder Julian Gallup, Fort Plain senior pitcher Marcus Failing and Johnstown senior pitcher/first baseman Joe Nellis were the area’s lone selections on the recently announced New York State Sportswriters Association all-state baseball team.
Gallup was selected as a sixth-team all-star in Class A, Nellis was chosen as a fourth-team all-star in Class B and Failing was selected as a third-team Class C all-star.
Gallup, who also was named a first-team Big 10 all-star hit .429 for the Rams finishing with 12 RBIs. Amsterdam finished the season with an 11-9 overall record.
Nellis was named a first-team Foothills Council all-star as both a pitcher and first baseman this season. He led the Sir Bills to the Section II Class B championship game and a 16-8 overall record.
Failing, who also was named the Western Athletic Conference North Division Most Valuable Player, posted a perfect season on the mound against Western Athletic Conference competition during the Hilltoppers’ 2013 WAC North Division championship season and posted two postseason pitching victories.
Failing went 7-0 in the league and 9-0 overall on the mound for Fort Plain, striking out 106 batters on the season, 86 in the WAC, while walking only 17 batters all year with a 1.04 ERA. At the plate, Failing recorded a .348 batting average with six triples, four doubles and two home runs en route to a .667 slugging percentage.
A total of 33 Section II players earned all-state honors.
In Class AA, Baldwinsville’s Dave Penafeather was named Coach of the Year, while Baldwinsville’s Scott Blewitt was named Player of the Year.
Shenendehowa’s Justin Yurchak was named a first-team all-star, while Columbia’s Kevin Smith was named to the second team. Saratoga Springs’ Alex Chandler (third team), Christian Brothers Academy’s Zach DeThomasis (fourth team), Columbia’s Travis Sowards (fifth team), Shenendehowa’s Matt Buckley (sixth team) and Columbia’s Ryan Henchey (seventh team) also earned all-state honors.
In Class A, Queensbury’s Charlie Peltz earned first-team honors.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Robbie Knightes (third team), Troy’s Christian Maldonado (fourth team) and Scotia-Glenville’s Mitch Forshey (seventh team) also earned all-state honors.
Bayport-Blue Point’s Jim Moccio was named Class A Coach of the Year, while Bayport-Blue Point’s Jack Piekos was named Player of the Year.
In Class B, Fredonia’s Vince Gullo and Nick Hart were named Coach of the Year and Player of the Year, respectively.
Hudson’s Darren Conte was named a first-team all-star, while Schalmont’s Jimmy Hamilton was named to the second team.
Catskill’s Tyler Bulich (fifth team), Schalmont’s Chris Amorosi (fifth team), Albany Academy’s Ben Brown (sixth team) and Corinth’s Nick Kelley (seventh team) also earned all-state honors.
In Class C, Voorheesville’s Nico Church was named a first-team all-star, while Greenwich’s John Barnes was named to the second team.
Also earning all-state honors in Class C were Voorheesville’s Michael Young (third team), Rensselaer’s Will Brooking (fourth team), Hoosic Valley’s John Rooney (fifth team), Hoosic Valley’s J.T. Sawyer (fifth team), Mechanicville’s Nico Dumas (sixth team) and Greenwich’s Cori Winch (seventh team).
Seton Catholic Central’s Jim Miller and Michael Korchak were named Coach of the Year and Player of the Year in Class C, respectively.
State and Section II champion Fort Ann was well represented on the all-state team as Dane Clark was named Coach of the Year and George Lehoisky was named Player of the Year.
Lehoisky also was named a first-team all-star along with teammate Joe Foran. Chris Jackson was named third-team all-state for Fort Ann.
Loudonville Christian’s Ryan Phelps (second team) and Ryan Paulsen (third team) also earned all-state honors in Class D.
2013 New York State Sportswriters Association
All-State Baseball Team
Section II Selections
CLASS AA
First Team
Justin Yurchak (Shenendehowa)
Second Team
Kevin Smith (Columbia)
Third Team
Alex Chandler (Saratoga Springs)
Fourth Team
Zach DeThomasis (CBA)
Fifth Team
Travis Sowards (Columbia)
Sixth Team
Matt Buckley (Shenendehowa)
Seventh Team
Ryan Henchey (Columbia)
CLASS A
First Team
Charlie Peltz (Queensbury)
Third Team
Robbie Knightes (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake)
Fourth Team
Christian Maldonado (Troy)
Sixth Team
Julian Gallup (Amsterdam)
Seventh Team
Mitch Forshey (Scotia-Glenville)
CLASS B
First Team
Darren Conte (Hudson)
Second Team
Jimmy Hamilton (Schalmont)
Fourth Team
Joe Nellis (Johnstown)
Fifth Team
Tyler Bulich (Catskill), Chris Amorosi (Schalmont)
Sixth Team
Ben Brown (Albany Academy)
Seventh Team
Nick Kelley (Corinth)
CLASS C
First Team
Nico Church (Voorheesville)
Second Team
John Barnes (Greenwich)
Third Team
Marcus Failing (Fort Plain)
Michael Young (Voorheesville)
Fourth Team
Will Brooking (Rensselaer)
Fifth Team
John Rooney (Hoosic Valley), J.T. Sawyer (Hoosic Valley)
Sixth Team
Nico Dumas (Mechanicville)
Seventh Team
Cori Winch (Greenwich)
CLASS D
Coach of the Year: Dane Clark (Fort Ann)
Player of the Year: George Lehoisky (Fort Ann)
First Team
George Lehoisky (Fort Ann), Joe Foran (Fort Ann)
Second Team
Ryan Phelps (Loudonville Christian)
Third Team
Chris Jackson (Fort Ann), Ryan Paulsen (Loudonville Christian)
