Baseball players from Polytechnic, Maranatha High School and La Salle earned Cal-Hi Sports All-State recognition recently.
Matthew Queen, Marco Martinez and Ethan Patrick each made one of the All-State teams selected by Cal-Hi Sports, an online publication that covers the top teams and athletes in California.
Queen, who earned a spot on the All-CIF Southern Section Division 6 first team, made the second team as a multipurpose player in the small schools division. He led the Panthers with .517 and drove in 18 runs, and was just as stellar on the mound with a 6-1 record, 1.22 ERA and 39 strikeouts. Queen was essential to Poly’s bounce-back season in which the team recaptured the Prep League championship.
“Matt had an amazing year in centerfield, on the mound and at the plate,” Poly head coach and athletic director Steve Beerman said in an email after the season ended. “His arm strength, speed and athleticism allow him to play at a high level.”
Martinez, who was an All-CIF Division 4 first-team selection, made the small schools first team as an infielder and was also selected to the All-State second team for underclassmen. The junior split time at third base and shortstop and hit .438, scored 23 runs, had 25 RBIs and belted seven doubles and a team-high two home runs.
“Marco is special and will be here next year as a senior,” Maranatha head coach Matt Shupper said when the All-CIF teams were announced. “He’s already committed to USC, and we anticipate him to get drafted [by a Major League Baseball] team.”
La Salle standout Ethan Patrick, who made the All-CIF Division 3 first team, was on Cal-Hi Sports’ medium schools second team as an infielder. He was the Lancers’ best hitter with an average of .422, 42 hits, 20 RBIs, 21 runs, 12 doubles, seven triples and two home runs.