Victoria East players named to 5A second-team all-state

Published 4:30 pm Friday, August 1, 2025

By Mike Forman | Special to the Advocate

Victoria East’s Kason Kolle (Victoria Advocate file photo)

Kason Kolle and Ryan Steele played an important role in Victoria East capturing a share of the District 22-5A championship.

Kolle, a junior catcher, and Steele, a junior outfielder, helped the Titans advance to the area playoffs before finishing the season with a 30-7 record.

Kolle’s and Steele’s performance led to their selection on the second team of the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A all-state baseball team released Friday.

Kolle, a TCU commit, hit .419 with six doubles, three triples, five home runs and 37 RBIs. Kolle was also a member of the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state team.

Steele hit .404 with 12 doubles, seven triples, two home runs and 21 RBIs. Steele scored 58 runs and had 29 stolen bases. Steele was also a member of the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state team.

East junior third baseman Bentley Blinka, and senior outfielder Grayson Youngblood earned honorable mention.

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    • Grapevine freshman outfielder Luke Esquivel was selected as the player of the year, and Grapevine’s Jimmy Webster was named coach of the year.

    BLUE BELL/TEXAS SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION CLASS 5A ALL-STATE TEAM 

    FIRST TEAM

    Pitchers – Devin Miller, Aledo, sr.; Nolan Moore, New Braunfels, sr.; Benjamin Chen, Grapevine, sr.

    Relief pitcher – (tie) Turner Corey, Frisco Wakeland, sr.; Luke Sandefur, Aledo, jr.

    Catcher – Carter Rutenbar, Midlothian Heritage, sr. 

    First baseman – Tye Briscoe, Abilene Wylie, sr.

    Second baseman – Mateo A. Garcia, La Joya Palmview, sr. 

    Shortstop – Ben Reed, Whitehouse, jr.

    Third baseman – King Hatley, South Oak Cliff, sr.

    Outfielders – Luke Esquivel, Grapevine, fr.; Brooks Perez, Boerne, sr.; Dylan Perez, Boerne, sr.

    Designated hitter – Lucas Nawrocki, Aledo, jr.

    Player of the year – Esquivel, Grapevine

    Coach of the year – Jimmy Webster, Grapevine

    SECOND TEAM

    Pitchers – Zeke Alexander, Frisco Wakeland, sr.; Korey Alston, SA MacArthur, sr.; Javier Garcia, James Nikki Rowe, sr.

    Relief pitcher – Owen Kuhl, Boerne Champion, soph.

    Catcher – Kason Kolle, Victoria East, jr. 

    First baseman – (tie) Edwin Chavez, Dallas Sunset, sr.; Garrett Hutchins, Lovejoy, sr.

    Second baseman – (tie) Daren Garcia, PSJA North, sr.; Jojo Adams, Whitehouse, soph.

    Shortstop – Trae Hernandez, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, jr.

    Third baseman – Easton Autrey, Corsicana, jr.

    Outfielders – Ryan Steele, Victoria East, jr.; Aidan Ortiz, Corpus Christi Ray, sr.; Logan Corley, Lovejoy, jr.

    Designated hitter – Jaedyn Yamaguchi, Boerne Champion, jr.

    THIRD TEAM

    Pitchers – Jordan Garza, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, jr.; Zachary Hampton, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, sr.; Brooks Nelson, McKinney North, jr. 

    Relief pitcher – Cooper Gibson, Smithson Valley, soph. 

    Catcher – (tie) Carson Sharp, Liberty Hill, jr.; Clayton Namken, New Braunfels, sr.

    First baseman – (tie) Jarett Boswell, Grapevine, sr.; Erik Herrera, PSJA North, sr.

    Second baseman – (tie) Landon Barnes, Aledo, jr.; Brett Holmes, Keller Fossil Ridge, sr.  

    Shortstop – Cayden Campbell, Midlothian Heritage, sr. 

    Third baseman – Romeo Castillo, San Antonio Southwest, sr. 

    Outfielders – Antonio D’Amore, Melissa, sr.; Cole Haisler, Belton, sr.; Juan Aranda, Dallas Woodrow Wilson, sr.

    Designated hitter – (tie) Drake Bentke, Brenham, jr.; Joshua Viars, Prosper Walnut Grove, jr.

    HONORABLE MENTION

    Pitchers – George Ferguson, Abilene, soph.; AJ Grizzaffi, Boerne Champion, sr.; Aundre Guadarrama, Harlingen South, sr.; Winn Harriss, Whitehouse, sr.; Brandon Holley, Lake Belton, sr.;  Joseph Perillo, New Caney Porter, sr.;  Jobe Reed, Colleyville Heritage, jr.; Aiden Verette, Smithson Valley, jr.; Max Vetkoetter, Frisco Wakeland, soph.; Jordan Andrews, Liberty Hill, jr.; Isaac Arrieta, El Paso Americas, sr.

    Relief pitchers – Caden Whitworth, Montgomery Lake Creek, jr.

    Catchers – Gianni Corral, Grapevine, jr.; Caleb Eagar, Arlington Heights, sr.; Jonny Meza, Mansfield Timberview, sr.; Reese Ogden, Lovejoy, sr.; Dane Perry, Friendswood, sr.; Brady Shelton, McKinney North, sr.; Bryce Wells, Smithson Valley, sr. 

    First basemen – Andrew Bonilla, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, soph.; Grayson Chancellor, Saginaw, sr.; David Fluitt, Georgetown, sr.; Gavin Massey, Joshua, sr.; Max Satterwhite, Austin McCallum, jr.; Aidan Smith, Boerne Champion, sr.; Cole Taylor, Pflugerville, jr. 

    Second basemen – Christian Caro, Leander Rouse, jr.; Bryce Davis, Lake Belton, sr.; Hector Arrieta Granados, Galena Park, sr.; Jimmy Mowles, Dallas White, sr.; Jesse Orozco, Fort Worth Brewer, jr.; Nick Smith, Mansfield Timberview, jr.; James Tidwell, New Caney Porter, sr.; Matt Turrubiartez, Waco University, sr. 

    Shortstops – Gavin Barker, Frisco Reedy, sr.; Marco Barrera, Corpus Christi King, sr.; Cade Corcoran, College Station, sr.; Connor Comeau, Austin Anderson, jr.; Gus Cook, Lubbock Cooper, sr.; Gray Emerson, Argyle, jr.; Bryan Garcia, El Paso Del Valle, jr.; Garrin Graves, Azle, sr.; Dalton Hart, Brenham, jr.;Denim Harris, Mansfield Timberview, sr.; Ian Melendez, Canutillo, sr.; Jimmy Mowles, WT White, sr.; Connor Ray, Grapevine, soph.;  Fabrizio Salinas, Sharyland, sr.; Jeziel Serrano, Nederland, sr.; Dunn Smith, Hallsville, sr.; Garland Whitehead, Boerne Champion, jr. 

    Third basemen – Bentley Blinka, Victoria East, jr.; Lale Esquivel, jr.; Adriano Fernandez, Buda Hays, sr.; Jake Qualia, Lubbock Cooper, sr.; Orlando Ruiz, Corpus Christi Ray, jr.; Diego Villalobos, El Paso Del Valle, jr.

    Outfielders – Matthew Eben, Rosenberg Terry, jr.; Marcus Finney, Frisco Reedy, sr.; Blake Heckman, Kingwood Park, sr.; Grant Hoogland, Corpus Christi King, soph.; Grey Johnson, Wichita Falls Memorial, sr.; Victoria Ryder McLeod, Port Neches-Groves, soph.; Ethan Miller, Hallsville, sr.; Austin Sluder, Amarillo, jr.; Connor Thompson, Leander Rouse, sr.; Luke Trager, Aledo, sr.; Grayson Youngblood, Victoria East, sr.

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