Dischler earns All-State honors
CROWLEY – The long list of accolades keeps piling up for Rayne High standout Tony Dischler.
After being named the Most Valuable Player in a very competitive District 5-AAA, the UL-Monroe signee has been selected to the Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association Class AAA All-State team for the first time in his four-year prep career.
Dischler did his part on the mound in 2008, helping lead the Wolves to a second-place finish in league play and a second-round appearance in the Class AAA playoffs.
On the year, Dischler went 7-2. He posted an earned run average of 1.86, giving up just 14 earned runs in 52 2/3 innings while striking out 54. He also issued just 14 walks, the lowest of anyone in the league.
Dischler’s abilities weren’t just limited to the mound, either. The lanky senior also produced some gaudy numbers at the plate.
He led the league in runs driven in with 38 and home runs with nine while tying for the top batting average with Crowley’s Mike Doughty at .500. He also recorded five doubles and two triples while scoring 24 runs for the Wolves.
Notre Dame sophomore Ryan Leonards and Crowley High senior Mike Doughty were the only other locals to earn honors, making the squad at honorable mention.
Leonards also had a remarkable year, coming in a close second to Dischler for district MVP honors.
On the mound, Leonards compiled a record of 4-2 overall, 3-1 in league play, earning victories over Crowley High and Rayne. He finished with an ERA of 4.83 and logged 37 strikeouts in 42 innings of work.
Like Dischler, Leonards was also quite handy with the bat. He led the league in hits (37), runs (31), and stolen bases (12) and was second in doubles (12). He hit .451 on the year with one home run and 19 RBI.
Doughty played catcher for the majority of the season, hitting .500 with 13 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 38 RBI.
Parkview’s Alex Byo earned the Most Valuable Player award after helping lead his Parkview Baptist Eagles to the Class AAA title with a one-hit shutout of Kaplan in the semifinals. He was also named the state tournament’s MVP.
Not only did Byo 9-1 on the year with a 1.58 ERA and four saves on the mound, but he also hit .473 with eight home runs and 52 RBIs.
Byo was one of five Parkview players on the All-State team, joining pitcher Joshua Janway (10-1, 1.72 ERA), outfielder Brant Legendre (.446, 29 RBIs) and Jonathan Thompson (.482, 44 RBIs) along with utility player Alex Edward (.512, 9 HRs, 60 RBIs).
Cecilia’s Jamie Calais earned the Coach of the Year award after leading his Bulldogs to a school record 25 victories in 2008.
His squad also shocked many by winning the outright District 6-AAA crown in a league that included three of the top six ranked clubs in the final coaches’ poll and earned a No. 3 seed in the playoff seeding system.