Yesterday, we were the first to report the LBCA All-State Baseball Teams and in doing so, we said that the release of the teams marked the ‘unofficial ending’ to the 2023 baseball season.
We lied.
Because we have some awards we’d like to hand out, as well.
So today, we honor and recognize our first-annual By-U Sports Prep Baseball Awards, which are given after watching a full season of games.
It will be an awards-heavy week for us because we recognize that we didn’t hand out prep basketball awards yet, either. We will do that later in the week, as well.
So let’s roll.
2023 BY-U SPORTS GAME OF THE YEAR: Thibodaux vs. South Terrebonne – Game 2
The entire Thibodaux vs. South Terrebonne series was amazing, but there was just something special about Game 2 of that series. The teams went back and forth and traded blows with both teams enjoying big innings and making rallies at one another. At the end of the day, the Gators won the battle, but Thibodaux won the war, rebounding from an 8-7 defeat in the game to win the series later in the afternoon. But it was an amazing showcase of local talent, a great atmosphere and just an awesome day for local high school baseball. A close runner-up would have been the South Lafourche/Central Lafourche regular season game which went to extra innings and also was an absolute thriller.
BY-U SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR: Chad Menard, Vandebilt Catholic
Vandebilt Catholic won the State Championship in 2022 and I can argue that their season this spring was even more impressive, taking an inexperienced team back to Sulphur, winning a game while there and finishing as the State Runners-Up. Coach Chad Menard deserves a whole lot of credit for that. The work he did this past season is nothing short of incredible. To win a district championship in our area’s loaded 4A district is an amazing feat. To get to Sulphur again is even more so. Kudos, coach!
READERS CHOICE: BY-U SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR: Jayme Coddou, Assumption
Earlier this season, we did a Coach of the Year Poll and our readers picked Coddou as the local Coach of the Year, narrowly pushing past Shane Trosclair, picking up 68 more votes than the Tigers’ coach. That poll, by the way, got more than 4,000 votes, so kudos to all of the fans who pitched in, and congrats to Coach Coddou.
2023 BY-U SPORTS UNDERCLASSMAN PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Tyler Weimer, E.D. White
Weimer missed a short stretch of the season with an injury, but when he was out there, he was absolutely lights out, dominating opponents and pushing the Cardinals to victory after victory. Weimer is already a Nicholls State University commitment and he has all of the physical tools to really be an early-career impact player when he gets to Thibodaux. But first, he has one more season at the prep level to try and lead his team to another push.
2023 BY-U SPORTS UNDERCLASSMAN HITTER OF THE YEAR: Logan Mallard, South Terrebonne
Logan Mallard strikes fear into the minds of opponents every, single time he steps into a batters box and he’s done so since he was first getting on campus. He’s a big, powerful slugger who has home run power, but also great plate discipline and patience with the ability to work walks and push deep into counts. Mallard also hits the ball to all fields, which makes him a threat, as well. What a player and what a piece in the Gators’ lineup next spring.
BY-U SPORTS RISING STAR: Mason Canter, Central Lafourche
I feel bad labeling Mason as a ‘rising star,’ because I can make the argument that after his sophomore season in Mathews that he’s already well on his way, but he earns this award after a really consistent and solid season both on the infield and on the mound for the Trojans – a team that we think is going to be making a big leap forward in the upcoming season.
BY-U SPORTS SLUGGER OF THE YEAR: J.T. Teuton, CCA
J.T. Teuton is a big-time weapon in the batters box — one of the most feared hitters in the history of the CCA baseball program. Much like we said about Mallard, Teuton can use all fields, is a patient hitter and has big-time pop. He’s also a coach’s kid, so he knows the game, understands his role and is an excellent teammate. Kid is an easy choice as one of the top hitters in our area.
BY-U SPORTS HEART OF A CHAMPION AWARD: Peyton Picou, Vandebilt
No one that I’ve ever met in my entire career embodies the spirit of a champion more than Peyton Picou at Vandebilt Catholic. Picou has some physical challenges that don’t afford him the opportunity to play baseball, but he does everything in his power to be a member of the Terriers’ team. Check that. He’s more than a member of that team — he’s among the leaders of it. Picou is graduating and he will be hard to replace because of the love and support he had for his brothers over the years in that program.
BY-U SPORTS SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Brendan Gaubert, E.D. White
Gaubert could have been a nominee for Hitter of the Year, Slugger of the Year, Offensive MVP or Pitcher of the Year. So it’s only fitting that he wins SOMETHING, right? We give him our Swiss Army Knife Award because he helped E.D. White games in so many different ways — both as a pitcher and as a hitter. He is a true 5-tool player and he was a huge piece of E.D. White’s State Title run.
BY-U SPORTS OFFENSIVE MVP: Matthew Melancon, E.D. White
Speaking of 5-tool players: We give our Offensive MVP to Matthew Melancon, the E.D. White leadoff hitter who just was always on base and was always applying pressure to opponents this season. Melancon could hit for power gap-to-gap, but because he’s such a great athlete, he could also apply pressure to opponents hitting the baseball on the ground and/or by stealing bases. He’s a signee for football in Thibodaux, but something tells me that Coach Silva may be asking Coach Rebowe about sharing because he’s plenty good enough to play either at the next level.
BY-U SPORTS DEFENSIVE MVP: Branson Arceneaux, Thibodaux High
One of the most impressive things I’ve seen this entire season was the glove work of Branson Arceneaux in the State Playoffs. That kid handled his pitchers well, played outstanding defense behind the plate and has a hose. He kept Barbe’s running game under wraps — that’s not easy to do. We saw a lot of quality defense in our area this spring. But to me, Arceneaux stood out as the most impactful and the kid who saved the most runs.
BY-U SPORTS PITCHER OF THE YEAR: James Guidry, Vandebilt
Vandebilt pitcher James Guidry did absolutely everything asked of him in 2023 and more, helping to win big game after big game for the Terriers. He won the District Championship Game against Assumption, won several playoff games, beat the No. 1 team in the state in the semifinals and on and on. He was invaluable to that team and was a force on the mound. And only a sophomore? Goodness, what a luxury for the Terriers going forward.
BY-U SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR: E.D. White Baseball Team
How can it not be E.D. White? The Cardinals overcame the odds and won the Division II State Championship. E.D. White had an amazing offense, dominant pitching and just a total team effort that allowed them to outlast the competition and push to the title in Coach Matt Plitt’s first season with the team. What a showing and performance from that group.
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Congratulations to all!
And THANK YOU to all on your support in this season!