DUFFEL BAG AREA PREP NEWS AND NOTES
AROUND THE AREA
State honor: Taylor Kerwin, who led Whitefish Bay to the Division 2 state girls soccer championship Saturday, is the Gatorade state player of the year. The Louisville recruit finished the season with 47 goals and 12 assists and led Bay to a 22-1-2 record.
The 5-foot-7 forward had one goal and two assists in a 3-1 victory over Oregon in the state semifinals and registered three goals and an assist in a 5-1 triumph over Wauwatosa East in the state final.
The Gatorade award considers an individual's play on the field as well as his or her performance in the classroom and contribution to the community. Kerwin carried a 3.34 grade point average and was a member of student council. She has volunteered with youth sports programs.
“Taylor Kerwin is a special, special player,” Cedarburg coach Robert Williams said in a news release. “She’s very dynamic on the ball and an excellent finisher. She reads the game so well, makes smart runs and doesn’t waste a lot of movement. She takes that team to another level.”
Academic award: Arrowhead’s boys golf team, which won the Division 1 state title earlier this month, also claimed the top academic team honor from the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin.
The GCAW’s team academic all-state award recognizes the teams with the top three highest grade point averages in each division. Any school with a 3.25 GPA or better received honorable mention. The five players who competed for the team in the regional are the five whose GPAs are considered.
Racine Horlick, Grafton and Cedarburg received honorable mention in Division 1. Catholic Memorial, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Palmyra-Eagle and Slinger received honorable mention in Division 2.
Offered: Dominican basketball standout Gacoby Jones received a scholarship offer from Division 2 Bemidji State.
Drafted: Two area products were selected in this year’s major-league baseball draft.
Evan Kruczynski, a 2013 Franklin graduate who just completed his season at East Carolina, was selected in the ninth round by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 274th pick overall. The left-handed pitcher finished with a 20-8 career record for the Pirates. He was a co-captain this season who went 4-3 with a 4.47 earned run average in 10 starts.
Kenosha Indian Trail senior pitcher Ryan Hoerter was taken in the 36th round by Pittsburgh. He, however, told the Kenosha News that he intends to honor his commitment to Auburn.