The decorated high school careers of Iola High standouts Trent Latta and Derrick Weir culminated this week with honors as all-league and all-state performers on the diamond.
Both were named to the first team All-Pioneer League squad. Both also were named first team all-state in Class 4A-II. Latta, in fact, was named the Class 4A-II Pitcher of the Year.
Meanwhile, two other Mustangs — junior Drew Faulhaber and freshman Ethan Scheibmeir — took home second-team All-Pioneer League recognition.
The honors were announced this week by IHS baseball coach Mark Percy.
Latta and Weir also were both chosen to participate in the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches All-Star Game Wednesday in Manhattan, where they played on a squad coached by Iola’s Mark Percy.
“It was an awesome experience,” Percy said. “I had a blast getting to work with the guys again.”
Percy was tapped to coach the all-star team in recognition of his being named Class 4A Coach of the Year in 2013.
LATTA, WHO has signed to play next season at Neosho County Community College, compiled a scintillating 7-1 record with a 0.68 ERA. In 51 1/3 innings, he struck out 94 batters and allowed just 31 hits. He limited opposing batters to a .165 batting average.
At the plate, Latta batted a whopping .424, with 28 hits in 66 at bats with 24 runs, 14 RBIs, two doubles and four triples. He also was successful in 14 of 16 stolen base attempts.
WEIR PLAYED mostly catcher, but was prodigious at the plate, earning all-state first team honors as a designated hitter. He batted a team-high .435 as a senior, with 30 hits in 81 at bats. He smacked four home runs and four doubles with 25 RBIs and 21 runs. Perhaps most remarkably, Weir struck out only one time in each his junior and senior years.
Weir also pitched for Iola, going 3-2 with a 3.88 ERA. He allowed 31 hits in 30 2/3 innings, striking out 30. Opposing batters hit .254 against Weir.
FAULHABER, the third and final returning starter for Iola from last season’s state runner-up team, earned second-team honors as a short stop and second baseman. He batted .371 with 23 hits in 62 at bats. He struck a team-high five doubles, while scoring a team-high 26 runs with 15 RBIs.
Scheibmeir, meanwhile, made IHS history in becoming the first freshman baseball player to ever receive all-league recognition.
