Latta’s Coach Daniel Little speaks with the Vikings after their game one win over St. Joseph’s in the Class A Baseball State Championship series. (Photo by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.)
Little, who has been with Latta for six seasons, announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Latta at the end of the season to move upstate with his wife, who took a job as a literary coach at Woodruff Primary School. Under his direction, the Vikings have been 80-41 with the 2013 season their best yet. The Vikings won the Region 8A title, the District VIII title, and the Lower State Championship before falling to St. Joseph’s Catholic 2-1 in the best-of-three state championship series.
On Monday, Little was named baseball coach at Landrum, where he will replace Ray McCallister, who resigned in March. Landrum moved up to Class 2A this season but made three state championship appearances in Class A from 2005 to 2007.
Little said he was proud of the way the Vikings performed this season and happy with the direction Latta’s baseball program was heading.
Two of Little’s players, Donell Stanley and Jeremy Jenkins were named Class A All-State players, along with Lake View’s Chris Ford and Nate Lewis.
St. Joseph’s had six players who made All-State, including Ryan Stamler, Alex Malsch, Nick Leonard, David Marable, Graham Roberts, and Angelo Pahila. Nick Leonard was named Class A Player of the Year.
Fox Creek, who finished as the runner up to St. Joseph’s in the Upper State championship game, had four players who made the list, including Michael Hill, Brent Lacy, Caleb Cox, and Gillespie.
Other players on the Class A All-State roster included East Clarendon’s William Ard; Carvers Bay’s Dylan Moore; Branchville’s Zach Bair; Lamar’s Alex Dorriety; Ridge Spring Monetta’s Jason Fallaw; Dixie’s Chandler Thompson; and Southside Christian’s Josh Laflam.
In Class 2A, state champion Chesnee had four players who made the All-State list and runner-up Bishop England had two. Chesnee’s Drew Fisher was named Player of the Year and Chesnee’s Coach Scott Wease was named Coach of the Year.
In Class 3A, Greenville’s Glenn Batson was named Player of the Year, and Eastside’s Scott Erwin was named Coach of the Year. In 4A, Lexington’s Nick Ciuffo was named Player of the Year and Blythewood’s Bary Mizzell was Coach of the Year.
Lexington’s Brian Hucks was named Coach of the Year for All Classifications.
