November 2, 2021

Jayhawk conference belongs to Canucks

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference looked a whole lot like the Canadian community college conference in 2021.

A total of 45 Canucks were on the rosters of 10 teams across the Wheat State.

The Colby Trojans led the way with 13 players, followed by the Cloud County Thunderbirds with nine.

Aside from the sheer number, many of them performed well enough to be recognized at seasons end.

LHP Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.) garnered All-Region VI and All-Conference West Division First Team selections for the Barton Community College Cougars. The southpaw appeared in 13 games, making 12 starts, with a 7-2 record and a 3.84 ERA. He struck out 65 over 63 1/3 innings, good for 9.24 K/9.

Colby 1B Tyler McWillie (Watrous, Sask.) and 3B John Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) were named to the All-Conference West Division second team. McWillie pulled double duty, hitting .375 with 12 home runs, 41 RBIs, a .492 on-base percentage and a .781 slugging percentage from the batters box. On the mound, he made 12 starts and went 4-3 with 51 punch outs over 53 1/3 innings. Vulcano also hit .375. He left the yard 13 times, drove in 43 with a .445 on-base percentage and a .713 slugging percentage.

Honourable mentions in the west went out to Colby INF Cleary Simpson (Red Deer, Alta.) and OF Brayden Cust (Edmonton, Alta.), along with Cloud County INF Williams Camacho-Soto (Burnaby, BC). Simpson played in 44 games, posting a .338 average with three home runs and 24 RBIs. In 51 games, Cust batted .368 with eight long balls, 41 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. His 74 hits led the Trojans. Camacho-Soto hit .338 with 46 RBIs in 47 games played for the T-Birds.

Jonah Weisner was an All-Conference Honourable Mention in the East Division. Weisner played in 43 of the Allen County Red Devils 51 games, hitting .345 with three home runs, 25 RBIs, a .457 on-base percentage, a .493 slugging percentage and 13 stolen bases.

The Region VI Gold Glove Team featured Colby’s Cust. He flashed the leather all season long, finishing with 104 putouts and a .991 fielding percentage.

And the rest of the Canadians in the KJCCC …

Allen County Community College: RHP Josh Fluet (White Rock, BC)

Barton Community College: C Jean-Luc Bussieres (Edmonton, Alta.) and OF Kendell Keller (Pilot Butte, Sask.)

INF Jaden Parsons (Vernon, BC), of the Cloud County T-Birds.

Cloud County Community College: RHP Liam Bates (Vancouver, BC), C Kayden Beauregard (Abbotsford, BC), LHP Haden Dow (St. John, NB), RHP Brady Kobitowich (Edmonton, Alta.), RHP Jarod Leroux (Vernon, BC), INF Jaden Parsons (Vernon, BC), C Ty Wevers (Lethbridge, Alta.) and LHP-INF Evan Wilde (Airdrie, Alta.).

Colby Community College: RHP Jared Arnold (Red Deer, Alta.) RHP Kyle Bloor (Lethbridge, Alta.), RHP-OF Matthew Dobberthien (Calgary, Alta.), RHP-INF Kyle Froelich (Nipawin, Sask.), RHP Joel McGrath (Kindersley, Sask.), OF Zach Olson (Red Deer, Alta.), INF Chad Picton (Winnipeg, Man.), RHP-OF AJ Yamaguchi (Vancouver, BC), and OF Tucker Zdunich (High River, Alta.).

Cowley County Community College: OF Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Blainville, Que.) and RHP Olivier Laroque (Quebec City, Que.)

Dodge City Community College: INF Udhay Bal (Brampton, Ont.), OF Ethan Baptie (Woodstock, Ont.) and RHP Dimitri Stamatopoulos (Toronto, Ont.).

Will Gardner (St. Albert, Alta.). batted .308 with four homers and 43 RBIs in 471 games.

Garden City Community College: INF Will Gardner (St. Albert, Alta.).

Highland Community College: OF-INF Jake Bucovetsky (Toronto, Ont,), INF-OF Justin Carinci (Toronto, Ont.), LHP Jacob Gajic (Hamilton, Ont.) and C Samuel Mitcham (Toronto, Ont.).

Johnson County Community College: RHP Bennett Moore (Goderich, Ont.) and RHP-INF Arlen Peters (Schanzenfeld, Man.).

Pratt Community College: LHP-OF Blake Pongracz (Saskatoon, Sask.), RHP Jacob Brault (Blainville, Que.), C Jake Carroll (Rawdon, Que.), RHP Ryan McFarland (Calgary, Alta.), RHP-INF Hugo Pepin (Boucherville, Que.) and RHP Quinn Tocheniuk (Okotoks, Alta.).

Jayhawk Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian Team members

Second Team

LHP Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.), Barton.

1B Tyler McWillie (Watrous, Sask.), Colby.

OF Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Blainville, Que.), Cowley County.

Third Team

2B Jaden Parsons (Vernon, BC) Cloud County Thunderbirds.

3B John Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) Colby Trojans.

OF Zach Olson (Red Deer, Alta.) Colby Trojans.

OF Brayden Cust (Edmonton, Alta.) Colby Trojans.

Honourable Mention

C Kayden Beauregard (Abbotsford, BC) Cloud County Thunderbirds.

2B Jonah Weisner (Misson, BC) Allen County Red Devils.

SS Cleary Simpson (Red Deer, Alta.) Colby Trojans.

OF Justin Carinci (Toronto, Ont.) Highland Scotties..

OF Justin Carinci (Toronto, Ont.) Highland Scotties..