CANNONSBURG Boyd County coach Frank Conley said Grant Slater isn’t a numbers guy.
Slater focused on one thing: getting the Lions back to the state tournament.
Boyd County accomplished that mission and eventually became one of the last four teams left competing for a state championship. Slater’s numbers were a big reason why.
The sophomore won his first eight starts of the year and entered the state tournament with a 0.00 ERA. He led the Lions with a .476 batting average and collected 40 hits, while only giving up six earned runs all season and recording 104 strikeouts. He was also named the 16th Region Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“There’s always pressure when you’re pitching,” Slater said. “You just have to go out there and do your thing and let your game speak for itself. I’m just trying to calm my nerves as best as I can.”
Conley said Slater’s emotions never derail the ace’s efforts on the mound. It has helped him thrive during the intense moments. It took the eventual state championship to put a minute dent in his armor.
Slater was named The Daily Independent’s All-Area Player of the Year. Conley led Boyd County to the state semifinals for the first time since 2005. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors.
“He keeps most of that on the inside,” Conley said of Slater. “He doesn’t show a lot of emotion one way or the other. When things are going good, you can’t really tell, or when they’re going bad, you can’t tell. It’s a mature thing and he’s always been that way. It will help him the older that he gets. In the Raceland game, he fielded a bunt and threw a guy out at home. He showed emotion then in that moment.”
Slater said the moment can never get too big when you have a stellar defense and teammates who always have your back playing behind you.
“We just had a great group of guys this year,” Slater said. “I love playing with them and winning a region title on your home field is always awesome.”
“I got to watch how hard they play for each other and how much of a team they were,” Conley added. “They all got along so well. They expected a lot from each other and they always pushed each other to get better. You didn’t know who was going to do it on a particular day, but you knew someone was going to step up and play well.”
Brody Biggs and Conner Davis joined Slater on the All-Area team. Both Lions also got their moment on the mound, but also had plenty in the field and at the dish.
“I’ve played with those guys since I was 7 years old,” Slater said. “We’ve come up together. It’s been cool to watch and experience and grow together.”
Davis batted .389 and led the team with 31 RBIs. Biggs had nine doubles and drove in 26 runs. Davis (0.60) and Biggs (0.80) also had ERAs under one and both sported 3-0 records. All three pitchers are sophomores.
“There’s competition between them, but it’s in a good way,” Conley said. “We always say that you can’t fill your own cup by dumping out someone else’s. They are always building each other up. They push each other to get to the same level.”
Raceland and Rowan County also joined Boyd County with three players on the All-Area team.
The Rams were led by Kadin Shore, the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association’s 16th Region Player of the Year and First Team All-State, on the mound and at the plate. The senior batted .424 and collected 36 hits and four home runs. Shore was 8-2 and held a 1.62 ERA.
Eli Lynd remained solid behind the plate in his catcher role. He drove in 28 runs, a team high, and hit 12 doubles. Parker Ison recorded a .389 average. The trio combined for 107 base hits.
The Vikings had 27 victories and advanced to the region finals with KHSBCA 16th Region Coach of the Year Scott Collins leading the way.
Jayson Ingles had six wins and a 2.30 ERA on the hill. Aaron Pennington (.390, 40 runs, 46 hits and two homers) and Will Richardson (.360, 51 runs, 40 RBIs, 17 extra-base hits, four long balls) were key to Rowan County’s postseason run.
The 15th Region became a two-way battle between heavyweights, Johnson Central and Lawrence County. The Golden Eagles defeated the Dawgs in the region final before both teams put two players on the All-Area roster.
Dawson Montgomery had 71 strikeouts and a 2.05 ERA for Johnson Central. Chase Preece had a .373 average, while belting nine home runs and knocking in 39 RBIs.
Eli Fletcher was a First Team All-State player for Lawrence County. A .484 hitter who tallied 46 hits and 27 RBIs along with six home runs. Gray Derifield had a .407 average as a freshman. He accounted for 39 runs and 43 stolen bases.
Kyle Mokas and Elijah Hankins gave Russell a pair of representatives on the team. Mokas had 77 strikeouts, eight wins and a 1.63 ERA. He also led the Red Devils at the plate with a .486 average, 51 hits and 34 RBIs. Hankins also batted over .400. He had 43 hits and drove in 22 runs.
Ashland’s Brady Marushi boasted a .510 average, hit five homers and collected 49 hits for the 63rd District champions. East Carter’s Colton McGuire hit .402, won nine games on the mound and struck out 77 batters. Both represented the 16th Region at the East-West All-Star game at Centre College.
West Carter’s Jake Carter (.547, 41 hits, 34 RBIs), Lewis County’s Kyran Ferguson (.397, five home runs), Greenup County’s Kasey Gammon (.312, 29 hits), Fairview’s Jace Manning (.341, 71 strikeouts, 1.91 ERA) and Morgan County’s Parker Trusty (.402, 37 runs, 33 hits) rounded out the All-Area team.
The team was comprised by coach’s vote. The Daily Independent sports staff selected Player and Coach of the Year.
2025 The Daily Independent All-Area Baseball Team
Brody Biggs (Boyd County)
Jake Carter (West Carter)
Conner Davis (Boyd County)
Gray Derifield (Lawrence County)
Kyran Ferguson (Lewis County)
Eli Fletcher (Lawrence County)
Kasey Gammon (Greenup County)
Elijah Hankins (Russell)
Jayson Ingles (Rowan County)
Parker Ison (Raceland)
Eli Lynd (Raceland)
Jace Manning (Fairview)
Brady Marushi (Ashland)
Colton McGuire (East Carter)
Kyle Mokas (Russell)
Dawson Montgomery (Johnson Central)
Aaron Pennington (Rowan County)
Chase Preece (Johnson Central)
Will Richardson (Rowan County)
Kadin Shore (Raceland)
Grant Slater (Boyd County)
Parker Trusty (Morgan County)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Grant Slater (Boyd County)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Frank Conley (Boyd County)
HONORABLE MENTION
Landon Bloss (Raceland), Brody Boggs (West Carter), Brayden Coleman (Boyd County), Preston Cropper (Fleming County), Brigham Davidson (Raceland), Ben Dehart (Rowan County), Jeffery Everetts (Fairview), Cam Ferris (Lewis County), Brayden Flatt (East Carter), Caleb Gray (Boyd County), Grayson Hampton (Morgan County), Brogan Jones (Boyd County), Drew Kelley (Ashland), Alex Kimbler (Bath County), Dixon Kincheloe (Paintsville), Xavien Kouns (Fairview), Anderson Lauffer (Paintsville), Ty Logan (Greenup County), Avery Lother (Russell), Boedy Maynard (Lawrene County), Zane McCarty (Bath County), Hayden McGuire (Russell), LJ Murphy (Ashland), Abram Norden (Rowan County), Conner Plank (Lewis County), Tanner Reihs (Fairview), Austin Robertson (Fleming County), Lincoln Rogers (Menifee County), Preston Roussos (Bath County), Gavin Roy (Greenup County), Brayden Shephard (Johnson Central), Parker Sills (Fleming County), Connor Thacker (Raceland), Logan Whisenant (Lawrence County), Jayden Willis (Morgan County).
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