Independence’s Sam Crooks named Ohio’s Division VI Player of the Year

The Ohio High School Baseball Coaches’ Association released its 2025 All-Ohio Baseball Teams, headlined by Independence’s , who was named the Division VI Co-Player of the Year.

Crooks, who also received a first-team nod at pitcher, finished his senior season with an 8-0 record on the mound with a 0.63 earned run average. He posted four shutouts and struck out 76 batters in 44 2/3 innings of work.

Perry’s Owen McKoon was named first team in Division IV.

The Pirate catcher batted .410 with 33 runs scored, 28 runs batted in, seven doubles, six triples, and a staggering 31 stolen bases.

Teammate Luke Sivon earned second-team honors as an outfielder after batting .418 with 31 runs scored, 14 RBI, three doubles, two home runs, and 23 stolen bases.

Four Chagrin Valley Conference players earned All-Ohio honors in Division V.

Wickliffe’s Liam Widemire (.354, 22R, 35RBI, 10 doubles, 4 home runs) was a first-team selection at first base while Berkshire catcher Patrick Brancel and Chagrin Falls outfielder Henry Cimperman earned second-team honors.

Brancel batted .449 with 19 runs, 21 RBI, five doubles, one triple, and four home runs. Cimperman recorded a .425 batting average with 22 runs, 28 RBI, nine doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 18 stolen bases.

Beachwood pitcher Josh Rosenblitt was named honorable mention after going 4-4 on the mound with a 0.69 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings.

Crooks earned first-team honors in Division VI with Kirtland’s Ben DiFranco and Tyler Turk being named to the second team.

DiFranco batted .337 with 18 runs, 20 RBI, nine doubles, one triple, and 10 stolen bases. Turk hit .430 with 27 runs, 19 RBI, six doubles, two triples, and 18 stolen bases.

Independence’s was an honorable mention selection after hitting .492 with 27 runs, 29 RBI, eight doubles, and four homers.

 

 

 

Steve Hare
Steve Harehttp://www.ohiovarsity.com
Steve Hare is the Chagrin Valley Conference's Sports Information Director. He also created and publishes OhioVarsity.com, an online publication dedicated to providing hyperlocal coverage to area high school athletic programs. Hare began covering high school sports for the Lake County News Herald in 1997. Hare attended Willoughby South High School through the middle of his senior year, then graduated from Berkshire High School in Burton in 1986. He played football, wrestled and was an all-Geauga county baseball player (1986). He lives in Chardon with his wife Paulette and their children.

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