State-bound Defiance and Tinora cleaned up while Wauseon also fared well on the All-Ohio baseball teams selected by the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association.
DHS senior pitcher and first baseman Rob Zeigler was named Player of the Year in Division II while Defiance's Tom Held was chosen Coach of the Year. Senior left-handed hurler Weston Rivers joined Zeigler on the D-II first team.
Tinora's Clay Pittman and Reid Renollet were each first team in Division IV, Pittman at catcher and Renollet in the outfield, while Wauseon's Ty Suntken was named first team Division II at shortstop. Suntken's teammate Josh Cales was second team at first base.
"Robbie was first team last year and able to repeat this year," Held said of Zeigler. "A lot of times when you reach that goal your junior year it's hard to back up those expectations your senior year, but he was able to do that. He has had just a tremendous season."
Zeigler has a team-best .457 average with five home runs, 36 RBIs, eight doubles and 30 runs scored in earning first-team honors at utility. On the hill the hard-throwing right-hander, who has signed with the University of Kentucky, is 9-0 with a 0.50 ERA, fanning 94 and walking 23 in 55 2/3 innings.
Rivers has also had a stellar year on the mound, with an unbelievable 0.23 ERA. The senior lefty, who has signed to play college ball at Lincoln Trail, is 9-0 with 72 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 61 2/3 innings.
"His numbers speak for themselves," Held noted about Rivers, who also plays first base for the Bulldogs. "He was Mr. Consistency all season long. We knew going into the season he was going to be our number two (pitcher), but I don't think anybody thought he'd have the season he's had. It all goes back to how hard he worked in the offseason."
As for being named the Coach of the Year in D-II, Held passed along the credit for a season in which the Bulldogs were ranked number one in the state and are currently 29-1 heading into the state semifinals on Thursday when Defiance takes on Akron Hoban on Thursday at 7 p.m.
"This is really a team award," Held said. "The coach gets the credit, but only if the team has a tremendous season. It's been a privilege to be able to coach them and everyone on the staff is part of being Coach of the Year."
Like Zeigler, Pittman is a repeat first-team selection from a year ago. The junior catcher and pitcher has had an outstanding season in helping the Rams to their third consecutive trip to the state tournament. Pittman is currently batting .506 on the season with three home runs, 24 RBIs, 12 doubles and 34 runs scored. On the mound Pittman is 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA.
"He was first team last year and very deserving of the honor again this year," Tinora coach Brent Renollet said of Pittman, who is expected to start at pitcher on Friday when the Rams play New Middletown Springfield at 1 p.m. in the state semifinals.
The mentor's son was named first team in a junior year in which he's hitting .465 with six doubles, four triples, 36 runs scored and 19 RBIs batting in the number two spot in the order.
"Reid's had a great year, even with his arm problems," his dad and head coach said, referring to arm issues that limited his innings on the mound to 18 this year (3-0, 1.56 ERA). "He's hitting well and playing good defense in the outfield. He's very deserving."
An outstanding junior year was rewarded for Suntken, who batted .446 with four home runs, eight doubles, 36 runs and 25 RBIs in helping the Indians to an 18-5 record and the NWOAL championship with a perfect 8-0 mark. Suntken was also 5-0 pitching with a 1.02 ERA, striking out 43 in 34 1/3 innings.
Cales, a senior headed to play baseball at the University of Toledo, also had a big season for Wauseon, hitting a team-high .519 with five doubles, two homers and 27 runs while driving in 27.
Tyler Zender of Ottawa-Glandorf was selected honorable mention in Division III while three players from the Putnam County League were named honorable mention in Division IV, Matt Jay and Trey Roney of Columbus Grove and Devin Mangas of Leipsic.
Adam Niemeyer of Minster was named Division IV Player of the Year and John Dorner of St. Henry Coach of the Year.
Cincinnati Madeira's Andrew Benintendi was Player of the Year in Division III and Ontario's Dan Gorbett Coach of the Year.
Top honors in Division I went to Andrew McDonald of Cincinnati Mason as Player of the Year and Stephen Gussler of Thomas Worthington as Coach of the Year.