Sacred Heart makes mark on All-State Squad

It is no secret the 2014 Class 1A baseball world was stunned when the Trojans of Sacred Heart were sitting in the State Championship game in Sulphur. The Trojans had been stunning teams and the competition since the post-season had began. The Trojans had upset the top ranked team in the state, Ouachita Christian after not even winning their district. How did they do that? By playing together as a team and believing in their Head Coach Cody Vidrine.
When it was all said and done, there is no doubt the Trojans would take the state title any day before earning individual accolades. However, after taking the runner-up, several of the Trojans earned their names on the All-State roster.
Head Coach Cody Vidrine was tagged 1A Coach of the Year. For most, this was a no-brainer. Vidrine had pulled the team together mid-way through the season and found a way to get them to over achieve at every level. Vidrine had the group just one win away from a title the school had not seen in 21 years.
Earning first team honors at an outfield spot is junior Evan Mire. Mire, who will be a senior in 2015, was the team’s leadoff hitter and was known for his speed and connection with the bat. A center fielder, Mire hit .406 at the plate and ripped six doubles. He drove in 19 runs and roped a triple. His slugging percentage (multiple base hits per at bats) was .490 and he posted an on base percentage of .500. In 96 total at bats, Mire fanned just 11 times. He also swiped 11 bases.
Andy Lafleur, a senior, graduated at the end of the season. He was honored with a first team utility spot. Lafleur played multiple roles for the Trojans. From the pitcher’s mound to the outfield, Lafleur stood firm for the SHHS squad. He got the nod to be the hurler in the championship game and did a very impressive job. Lafleur posted a batting average of .398 and a slugging percentage of .481. One of his most impressive stats was his ratio of strikeouts to official at bats. Lafleur fanned just nine times in 108 at bats. He also drove in 34 runs, hit the team’s only home run and pushed home four doubles. On the hill, Lafleur was 7-3 overall and posted an earned run average of 1.87. He also struck out 63 batters throughout the season in 60 innings of work.
Earning Honorable Mention on the All-State squad is junior pitcher Philip Vidrine. Vidrine hurled 71 innings and went 9-2 on the season. Vidrine fanned 62 batters. Vidrine posted an ERA of 2.56 and is expected to be a big force on the hill for the Trojans in 2015. Vidrine also hit .254 at the plate for SHHS.
Brandon Hudspeth, a junior, also earned a position on the list of Honorable Mentions. Hudspeth played first base for the most part and did a superb job. At the plate, Hudspeth hit .351 and had a slugging percentage of .495. The hard worker also pushed home 19 runs and led the team in doubles with 12 total. He fanned just 12 times in 97 official at bats.
Class 1A is one of the most competitive classes there is. Unlike a lot of the others divisions, 10 or 12 teams could win the 1A State Championship any given year, so making the 1A squad is a monumental achievement. Congratulations go out to the hard working Trojans who received recognition on the 1A team.