Several Burnet baseball players named to all-district teams

The Burnet High School baseball team’s outstanding 2022 season was applauded by the other District 19-4A coaches when the all-district list was released May 16.

Four Bulldogs were named first team all-district. They are third baseman Dash Denton, catcher Tanner O’Hair, utility player Ralston Vance, and pitcher Clayton Zinz.

All three Burnet outfielders were named to the second team: Jackson Crawford, Will Johnson and Trenton Park.

Pitcher Kurt Kassner was named honorable mention.

“I think we’re very well represented,” head coach Russell Houston said. “I would have liked to have had one of our outfielders on the first team; it just didn’t work out that way. I felt very comfortable with the ones who got first team and all three outfielders got second team.”

Houston said coaches nominate their players and include statistics but aren’t able to vote for them. Those who won one of the five “superlative” awards — overall most valulable player, offensive and defensive most valuable players, and pitcher and newcomer of the year — are not up for consideration for first or second team all-district or honorable mention.

“Once they’re off the board, they won’t be nominated for first team,” he said. “When you (nominate) one or two, they split votes for first team. Some schools wanted this kid from that school.”

He noted that Ralston was deserving of being recognized for his pitching as well as his other defensive contributions. By being named as a utility player, that opened the door for other teammates to be recognized for their contributions, too, the coach said.

“The utility plays multiple positions,” he said. “This is a kid who is a well-rounded defensive player.”

He noted Kassner received votes for first team and second team but not enough to be placed on either.

“I’m super proud they received the recognition,” the coach said of the Bulldogs. “It was well deserved. We were very well represented as far as first team and several second teamers. I’m excited about that. It was a good way for kids to be recognized.”

Houston was named the district’s coach of the year.

“It’s given more to our kids,” he said. “It proves our kids did a great job. Other coaches recognized how much our kids improved. I look at it as how well our kids have improved and how much they’ve improved.”

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