VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: WAVERLY'S AULT NAMED 'BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR;' ATHENS' NOBLE, WHEELER, WAVERLY'S SHAW, McDUFFEE ALSO EARN ALL-VALLEY TOP HONORS (June 20, 2026)
Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Waverly senior
Ronin Ault was the driving force in the Wolverines' historic season. He is the 2026
Valley Sports Report All-Valley "
Baseball Player of the Year."
Athens freshman
Zeke Noble made an instant impact for the Wildcats and is the "
Newcomer of the Year," while Athens junior
Kam Wheeler stood out on both sides of the ball and is the "
Breakout Player of the Year," and Waverly senior
Hogan Shaw is the "
Defensive Player of the Year."
Longtime Waverly coach
Kyle McDuffee piloted the Wolverines to a Section IV title and is the "
Coach of the Year."
Ault was also named the "
Pitcher of the Year" and "
Offensive Player of the Year" after leading the Wolverines to the program's second Section IV title, and its first-ever postseason win.
Ault was 9-0 with one save, and a 0.96 ERA on the season.
Ault was 3-0 in the postseason, earning both wins in Waverly's 2-1 series win over M-E in the Class A Championship series, and the win in the state quarterfinals.
On the season, he fanned 73 and walked 25 in 58 1/3 innings, and allowed only 31 hits for a 0.96 WHIP. Opponents hit .152 against him.
Ault also hit .506 with 44 hits in 87 at-bats, and walked 14 times for a .569 on-base percentage. He had an .839 slugging percentage and a 1.408 OPS.
Ault had 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 37 RBI, 35 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.
Shaw displayed impressive range while roaming center field for the Wolverines. He had just one error, and one outfield assist.
Noble hit .420 (21 hits in 50 ABs) with three doubles, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases. He had a .517 on-base percentage and a .997 OPS.
Wheeler, who batted .260 as a sophomore, hit .413 (26 hits in 63 ABs) with one double, one triple, 13 RBI, 23 runs scored, and stole seven bases. He walked 16 times for a .549 on-base percentage, and had a 1.009 OPS.
On the mound, Wheeler was 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA. He struck out 30 and walked 15 in 26 1/3 innings, and opponents hit .170 against him.
In his 24th season, McDuffee led Waverly to a school-record 22 wins against just five losses. The Wolverines won the STAC Central Division title, and won the program's second Section IV title, and first Class A championship.
Waverly also won its first-ever state playoff game before falling by one run in the state quarterfinals.
———————
2026 All-Valley Baseball Player of the Year: Ronin Ault, Waverly
Offensive Player of the Year: Ronin Ault, Waverly
Defensive Player of the Year: Hogan Shaw, Waverly
Pitcher of the Year: Ronin Ault, Waverly
Newcomer of the Year: Zeke Noble, Athens
Breakout Player of the Year: Kam Wheeler, Athens
Coach of the Year: Kyle McDuffee, Waverly
—————————
2026 All-Valley Baseball Super 7
Ronin Ault, senior, Waverly: See above.
Brady Flynn, junior, Athens: Flynn hit .478 with (31 hits in 67 ABs) with five doubles, one triple, 13 RBI, six stolen bases, and 24 runs scored. He walked 12 times for a for a .560 on-base percentage, and had a 1.142 OPS.
On the mound, Flynn was 5-2 with a 3.41 ERA. He struck out 18 and walked 21 in 26 2/3 innings of work.
Nick Grazul, senior, Athens: Grazul hit .456 (31 hits in 68 ABs) with seven doubles, one home run, 14 RBI, 25 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He walked 12 times for a .548 on-base percentage, and had a 1.151 OPS. Opponents hit .250 against him.
On the mound, Grazul was 1-0 with a 2.33 ERA. He fanned 38 and walked 16 in 18 innings. Opponents hit .113 against him.
Jack Pipher, sophomore, Waverly: Pipher hit .342 (27 hits in 79 ABs) with five doubles, three triples, three home runs, 19 RBI, 34 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases.
He walked 16 times for a .475 on-base percentage, and logged a 1.070 OPS.
On the mound, Pipher was 1-1 with one save, and a 0.89 ERA. He fanned 19 and walked three in 15 2/3 innings, and opponents hit .232 against him.
Duncan Thetga, sophomore, Athens: Thetga was 6-1 with one save and a 2.08 ERA. He struck 34 and walked 20 in 47 innings, and opponents hit .238 against him.
Thetga hit .347 (17 hits in 49 ABs) with two doubles, 17 RBI, and 12 runs scored.
Axel Murray, freshman, Waverly: Murray hit .273 (21 hits in 77 ABs) with five doubles, one triple, 22 RBI, 15 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. He also walked 12 times for a .374 on-base percentage.
On the mound, Murray was 5-2 with a 1.97 ERA. He fanned 53 and walked 17 in 39 innings, and opponents hit .223 against him.
Kam Wheeler, junior, Athens: See above.
All-Valley SECOND SEVEN
Karter Green, senior, Sayre: Green was 2-4 with one save and a 3.27 ERA. He fanned 75 and walked 33 in 40 2/3 innings, while allowing 30 hits. Opponents hit .190 against him.
Green hit .250 (10 hits in 40 ABs) with 12 base on balls (also hit by pitches four times) for a .464 on-base percentage. He had three doubles, one triple, seven RBI, and five runs scored.
Porter Daddona, senior, Waverly: Daddona posted a 6-2 record with one save and a 2.01 ERA. He fanned 60 and walked 27 in 48 2/3 innings, and opponents hit .195 against him.
Daddona had just four plate appearances on the season, reaching all four times with a double, a single, and two base on balls. He scored two runs.
Cooper Dember, junior, Tioga: Dember hit .434 (23 hits in 53 ABs) with nine doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, 14 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. He also walked nine times, and was hit by pitches four times for a .537 on-base percentage to go with a .660 slugging percentage and a 1.138 OPS.
Josh Rought, sophomore, Tioga: Rought hit .378 (17 hits in 45 ABs) with six doubles, one triple, 10 RBI, 25 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases. He also walked 20 times for a .582 on-base percentage, and a 1.138 OPS.
His time on the mound was limited by an arm injury, but Rought was 0-1 with a 2.74 ERA. He fanned 16 and walked eight in 7 2/3 innings, and opponents hit .154 against him.
Shaine Strickland, junior, Sayre: Strickland hit .397 (23 hits in 58 ABs) with eight doubles, nine RBI, 11 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. He posted a .979 OPS, and was a Gold Glover for the Redskins.
Strickland was 1-2 with one save on the mound.
Brendan Cooke, junior, Athens: Cooke hit .265 (18 hits in 68 ABs) with four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 26 RBI, 22 runs scored and five stolen bases. He also walked 14 times and was hit by pitches four times for a .409 on-base percentage.
On the mound, Cooke was 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA. He fanned 11 and walked nine in 6 1/3 innings, and opponents hit .174 against him.
Max Paugh, senior, Tioga: Paugh hit .346 (16 hits in 47 ABs) with two doubles, one triple, eight RBI, and seven runs scored. He also walked 14 times for a .492 on-base percentage.
2026 All-Valley Newcomers
Zeke Noble, freshman, Athens: See above.
Shea Davidson, freshman, Athens: Shea Davidson hit .304 (14 hits in 46 ABs) with 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and three stolen bases.
Alex McQuay, junior, Athens: McQuay hit .325 (13 hits in 40 ABs) with four doubles, one triple, 10 RBI, and 11 runs scored.
Daltton Davis, senior, Waverly: Davis hit .310 (18 hits in 58 ABs) with one double, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. He also walked 18 times and was hit by pitches three times for a .494 on-base percentage.
Brendan Clark, junior, Tioga: Clark hit .200 (eight hits in 40 ABs) with one triple, five RBI, six runs scored, and eight stolen bases. He was also 1-0 on the mound with 16 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Anthony Powell, freshman, Tioga: Powell hit .273 (18 hits in 66 ABs) with four doubles, nine RBI, 16 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. He also earn one win in relief on the mound.
Jacob Guiles, sophomore, Tioga: Guiles hit .194 (seven hits in 36 ABs) with two RBI, four runs scored, and two RBI. He also walked nine times for a .370 on-base percentage. He had one win in relief on the mound.
All-Valley GOLD GLOVESHogan Shaw, senior, Waverly: See above.
Jacob Guiles, sophomore, Tioga
Eli Hobday, senior, Athens
Riley McGaughey, sophomore, Sayre
Ben Shaw, junior, Waverly
Shaine Strickland, junior, Sayre
Matthias Welles, junior, Waverly
Kam Wheeler, junior, Athens
Justin Koenig, junior, Waverly
Print Friendly Version
