On one of the very few nights with everybody in one room, Habersham Central High School’s baseball program honored its players on Thursday, May 16 with their end of year banquet at the high school.
“To me, the banquet is a family meal,” varsity head coach Chris Akridge said. “It’s a chance to get together, celebrate the successes, honor the seniors and their legacy, and cast vision for the future.”
Overall, among the three different levels – varsity, junior varsity and middle school – 11 players were lauded with awards, while varsity also named a pair of permanent team captains.
Varsity
At the varsity level, the Raiders finished with a 21-11 record, which tied the school record for wins in a season. The team was ranked in the Top 10 for four weeks in a row for the second time in school history (2006). They made the state playoffs for the fourth time in school history and made the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in school history, falling to eventual state champions Etowah High School.
When it came to awards, Akridge handed out eight of them and named two as permanent team captains.
Sophomore outfielder Maverick Chitwood was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the Raiders’ 2024 campaign.
Chitwood hit for a .351 average, had a .512 on-base percentage (OBP), scored 35 runs (R), walked 24 times and struck out eight times. The sophomore also led the team in steals with 19 this season.
The Defensive Player of the Year went to the team’s rock behind the plate, Spencer Frady. The junior catcher totaled 204 innings behind the plate with a near-perfect .981 fielding percentage.
Senior Kade Nicholson earned the Pitcher of the Year award for HCHS. The records Akridge has for the program are certain back to 2010 when he took over, but prior to that are incomplete. Nicholson set a program record with nine wins as a pitcher, at least back to 2010.
The senior tossed 65.1 innings, coming within five innings of the school record in that stat as well. His time on the mound consisted of only 1,060 pitches, averaging just 16 pitches per inning. He finished the year with 61 strikeouts and 26 walks, more than six strikeouts and less than three walks per seven innings pitched. He also had a 2.89 earned run average (ERA) and a 1.37 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).
The most improved award went to sophomore Hudson Gailey. Gailey started the season being hit for in the line up and spent time with the JV squad to get some at bats. His fielding, however, was never a doubt. The sophomore finished with a .905 fielding percentage, leading the infield on the team and highest among any third baseman, shortstop or second baseman in region play.
The Most Valuable Player award was earned by senior Konner Burrell, who played many positions for the Raiders including pitcher, first base and outfield.
At the plate, Burrell had a .289 average, a .438 OBP, led the team in runs batted in (RBI) with 38, had 19 RBIs during region play for the second highest among region players. He also led the team in doubles (8), tied for triples (2), and led in home runs (7). He finished his career with 10 total home runs, which is a program record – at least as far back as 2010.
On the mound, Burrell delivered 55 innings pitched, led the team in earned run average (2.16) and WHIP. He had 50 strikeouts and 19 walks on the bump.
Akridge hands out two special awards each year. The first of which is the Zach Brown Award for Commitment, Dedication and Service. The second is the Hadden Carswell Perseverance Award.
“In our program, we really try to emphasize not just the baseball side of things, but also other qualities that our players display that will extend far beyond the baseball field and will stay with them long after their playing days are done,” Akridge said. “That is really the purpose behind those two awards.
In describing the reason for awarding the Zach Brown Award for Commitment, Dedication and Service, Akridge said this:
“Zach is a 2015 Raider Baseball graduate who was injured for the duration of his senior season, yet he found a way to continue to contribute to our team by serving in various ways, so much so we named an award after him. Each year since then, we select a player who has demonstrated the quality of servant leadership to give this award to.”
The 2024 winner was Frady.
“There are many deserving candidates for this award this year, but Spencer stands out as a guy who was just constantly serving his team in various ways throughout the season,” Akridge said.
When describing the Hadden Carswell Perseverance Award, Akridge said this:
“Many local folks are familiar with Hadden’s car accident during his junior season in 2020 and his subsequent battle to learn to walk and talk again. He was actually able to battle back and play in his final game on Senior Night a year later during the 2021 season. To me, Hadden is just the epitome of perseverance – an attribute that many young people lack these days. Each year since 2021, we select a player who has demonstrated perseverance through some sort of adversity whether it be physical or just handling the ups and downs of being part of a team and staying true to your team through the ups and downs during the grid of a season and/or high school career.”
Senior Kaydon Bass was the recipient of the Hadden Carswell Perseverance Award this year.
“Kaydon has always been such a loyal Raider who always has had the mindset ‘Whatever the team needs me to do, Coach,’” Akridge said. “His role on our team has changed a few times and he’s had opportunities to give up and turn his back on his team, but he’s persevered, has been a great teammate and has really finished well.”
Akridge also names permanent team captains each season, which generally is awarded to a single player and is voted on by the team. This season, the vote was split between seniors Hayden Gailey and Kaleb Chastain.
Chastain was also named the Senior Academic Award winner.
Three different types of academic awards were given out on the night. Those honored were Burrell, Chitwood, Nicholson, Chastain, Frady, Bass, Hayden Gailey, Hudson Gailey, Kreed Barrett, Mason Witt, Carter Crane, Dalan James, and Kaden Smith.
All-Region
The Raiders had three First Team All-Region selections, three Second Team All-Region selections and an Honorable Mention All-Region selection for Region 8-AAAAAA. The selections are chosen and debated based on their stats within region play alone.
Chitwood was named as a First Team All-Region outfielder. The sophomore had a .407 average, .549 OBP and scored 19 runs in region play.
Hayden Gailey was a First Team All-Region infielder, hitting for a .418 average, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Nicholson was a First Team All-Region pitcher. He tossed 44 innings against region competition with a 5-2 record. He recorded 41 strikeouts and 17 walks while delivering a 2.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
Barrett was named as a Second Team All-Region outfielder. Barrett hit for a .306 average in region play.
Hudson Gailey made the Second Team All-Region squad as an infielder with a .300 average and a .981 fielding percentage, which was higher than any other infielder’s percentage other than first base.
Burrell was named as a Second Team All-Region pitcher with 29.2 innings pitched, a 2.30 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.
Chastain was an All-Region Honorable Mention with a .963 fielding percentage. He also leaves with the school record for career stolen bases at 49 in his four years in the program.
Junior varsity
Gage Teague was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the JV squad, while Carter Crane took home Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Middle school
The HCHS Award was earned by Chaz Johnson at the middle school level.
