By Jacob Heid

Sports Editor

The WIAA baseball season ended with the state tournament in Grand Chute last week. 

That means state baseball awards recently got released, putting SPASH senior Josh Opiola (recently graduated) on the all-state honorable mention team for his pitching performances this season.

Opiola was mainly on the mound for SPASH during the WIAA season, but he also can play first base, as he is doing in the Wisconsin Legion baseball season this summer.

It’s the senior’s first all-state nod, ending his high school career on a high note.

Opiola had a perfect 10-0 record on the year, having a 1.91 season ERA (earned run average). He had a 1.60 ERA inside the Wisconsin Valley Conference, going 6-0 when he toed the rubber.   

He not only helped the Panthers to wins in the regular season, but Opiola got the start in the sectional semifinal and state quarterfinal victories as well.

Battling through some adversity, the recent SPASH graduate pitched a complete game in the sectional final and surrendered only four runs in four and two-thirds innings in the state quarterfinal. 

Some of his teammates join him on the north central all-district teams. Opiola is the lone Panther as a first-team selection. 

Seniors Deacan Koback, Ben Fonti and Jackson Fox landed on the all-district second team in the north-central district, while Carl Biechler and Benett Klish were honorable mentions. 

Junior Ty Rechner was also a second-team all-district player for SPASH. 

Amherst senior Wyatt Blaskowski and junior TJ Brandl were second-team and honorable-mention members, respectively, in the area.