By Keisha Swafford, exclusive to the Times
Lakeview baseball team had eight players
selected to the All-District Teams. Three players
were chosen for first team and five for second
team All-District. Two players, Joe Gallien
and Daniel Holland, were named Honorable
Mention.
Coach Daniel Gannon is highly dedicated to
his team because for the past three years he
has made a one hour commute from
Shreveport to Lakeview High to teach and
encourage them to be their very best. Gannon
said, “I do it for the kids. Whether it’s 30
degrees or 80 degrees, we are out there practicing
and throwing the ball around. They are
buying what I’m selling. These kids work
extremely hard at everything they do and I just
want them to get the recognition they
deserve.”
Coach’s goal is to make it to the second
round of the playoffs. If they do, they will
make school history because no Lakeview
baseball team has ever made it past the second
round.
The three players chosen for fir team were
Rafael Rosales, Tyler Sullivan and Kadon
Cook. Lakeview, Many, Red River and
Winnfield were the four schools included in
the All-District teams. The players were voted
on by a group of coaches based on their stats.
Some of the coaches’ decisions were a hands
down no questions asked vote, but some of
them were nearly neck and neck. The coaches
carefully selected the best candidates who they
felt had performed best on the field.
Rosales is a second season sophomore who
proved to be a versatile player for the Lakeview
Gators. He played various positions including
pitcher, shortstop and third baseman. He was
the leading hitter with a batting average of
.431.
Tyler Sullivan, a senior, was voted Team
MVP best offense and defense for the past two
years but lost to Rosales towards the end of the
season, fighting for the top spot. He has been a
chameleon for the Lakeview Gators as he
pitched, played third baseman and center field.
Graduating this year, losing Sullivan is going
to be a big loss for Lakeview.
Thankfully, Lakeview still has Kadon Cook,
a sophomore, who has been playing as a regular
starter for Gannon since eighth grade. He
was an amazing pitcher for Lakeview and was
able to help carry the Gators to the playoffs
this season. Unfortunately, they lost in the first
round. But Cook still believes that the team has
what it takes to make it past the first round.
Layton Friday, another graduating senior,
was Gannon’s pick for the first team, but
unfortunately, he fell short because a Many
player had a better batting average. Friday
made up for it by playing aggressive defense
and being resilient in tough games.
Also, three of the eight on first and second
team were chosen as nominees for Shreveport
Times Sports Award. These three players were
Rosales, Sullivan and Cook who will be selected
as First or Second Team All Area. Results
will be published in the Shreveport Times,
May 28.