As our votes for Shelby County Hitter of the Year and Pitcher of the Year showed, it’s pretty hard to get my colleagues and me to agree on much. Except for Coach of the Year, that is.
In a crowded field of three deserving candidates, including Thompson’s Frankie Perez and Briarwood Christian’s Chris Heaps, Spain Park’s Will Smith is now not only the Class 6A Coach of the Year, but the 2026 Shelby County Coach of the Year for baseball as well in a unanimous decision.
Smith’s Jags entered the season with plenty of offensive talent, including returning upperclassmen in Rhys Jones, Connor Greb, Evan Taylor and Joe Cross. Each of them more than held up their end of the bargain at the plate and in the field, resulting in four hitters going .349 or better at the plate. That quartet also each secured All-State First or Second Team honors…