CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Hooks held their 19th South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet honoring baseball and softball players and coaches for their achievements last season and the Preseason All-Star Teams list.
Sinton 2011 graduate Anthony Banda was the featured athlete, honored as the South Texas Professional Player of the Year. He also won the award in 2015. This past season he won his first World Series with the LA Dodgers, and he played in all four of the games they won in the best-of-7 series that ended in five.
"It's a dream come true. It's everything that I've always strived for and worked for," Banda said. "Just never give up, be resilient and keep pushing. It's a long road. Everybody has a different road to where they want to get to. Whether it's all the ups and downs, being told you're not good enough or whatever it is. Just believe in yourself, trust yourself, bet on yourself and continue moving forward."
Hooks legend and two-time World Series champion with the Giants Hunter Pence was the headliner and guest speaker. The national sports broadcaster played 14 seasons as a Major League outfielder. Back in 2006 he helped the Hooks win the Texas League Championship. His 28 home runs are the Hooks single-season standard. Pence earned the nickname 'The Reverend'. He was a strong at-bat, but it was also his pre-game speeches that inspired his teammates.
"It's one day at a time. It's lock into the moment," Pence said. "There's going to be ups and there's going to be downs because even going back to that year (Hooks, 2006) we won the first half and made the playoffs. Second half we were not the top team. We brought it back, we locked in and we stayed together. I think you're stronger when you take it one day at a time and you get tighter. You become a family, you embrace the tough times and you learn from them."
The Hooks also announced their 4A-5A and Private-3A baseball and softball All-Star Teams.
2025 South Texas Preseason High School All-Star Team | 4A-5A Baseball Division
Pitcher
Collier Carroll - Calallen - Jr.
Blaine Elizalde - Gregory-Portland - Sr.
Jordan Garza - Veterans Memorial - Jr.
Sean Howell – Rockport-Fulton – Sr.
Drayton Mitchell - Calallen - Jr.
Catcher
Kason Kolle - Victoria East - Jr.
First Base
Kash Wood – Sinton – Sr.
Second Base
Trae Hernandez - Veterans Memorial – Jr.
Third Base
Max Lara - Tuloso-Midway – Sr.
Shortstop
Lucas Tinajero – Ray – Sr.
Outfield
Israel Benavides - Tuloso-Midway - Sr.
Chase Lynch - Calallen - Sr.
Ryan Steele - Victoria East - Jr.
Designated Hitter
Blake Quinn - Calallen - Jr.
Utility
Orlando Ruiz Jr. – Ray – Jr.
2025 South Texas Preseason High School All-Star Team | Private-3A Baseball Division
Pitchers
Cristian Chapa – Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco – So.
Adam Hinojosa – Santa Gertrudis – Sr.
Barrett Irwin – Goliad – So.
Ethan Ortega – London – Sr.
Catcher
Christian Olivares – London – Jr.
First Base
Andre Cisneros – Falfurrias – Jr.
Second Base
RJ Olivares – London – Sr.
Third Base
Derek Chavera – Falfurrias – Sr.
Shortstop
Aiden Salinas – London – So.
Outfield
Ryan Casas – San Diego – Sr.
Gabe Garcia – Bishop – Sr.
Zander Wills – Refugio – Jr.
Designated Hitter
Barrett Garcia – Goliad – Sr.
Eric Swisher – Odem – Sr.
Utility
DeMarcos Gonzalez – Premont – Sr.
2025 South Texas Preseason High School All-Star Team | 4A-5A Softball Division
Pitcher
Meredith Cavazos - Veterans Memorial - Sr.
Brooke Castillo – Alice – Sr.
Maddy Dykes – Rockport-Fulton – Jr.
Madison Gummelt – Tuloso-Midway – Jr.
Jordyn Thibodeaux - Calallen - Jr.
Catcher
Brookelynn Meador - Calallen - Sr.
First Base
Braelyn Bailey - Calallen - Jr.
Second Base
Parker Malone - Veterans Memorial - So.
Third Base
Addie Cervantez – Sinton – Sr.
Shortstop
Demiree Stafford – Tuloso-Midway – Sr.
Outfield
Carol Rodriguez – Ingleside – Sr.
Kayden Treviño - Calallen - Jr.
Jada Zepeda - Veterans Memorial - Sr.
Designated Player
Audrey Diercks – Gregory-Portland - Sr.
Kalia Flaherty – Rockport-Fulton – Sr.
Utility
Ameris Garcia – Carroll – Sr.
2025 South Texas Preseason High School All-Star Team | Private-3A Softball Division
Pitcher
Sidney Castillo – Woodsboro – Jr.
Natalia Escobedo – Santa Gertrudis – Jr.
Eva Gallegos – London – Sr.
Kadence Trevino – Hebbronville – Sr.
Catcher
K'Lee Bazan – Santa Gertrudis – Jr.
Clarissa Vela – Banquete – Sr.
First Base
Izzy De Los Santos – Santa Gertrudis – Sr.
Second Base
Kameron Bean – Incarnate Word – Jr.
Third Base
Jazaelynne Lewis – Refugio – Jr.
Shortstop
Aniya Zena – Woodsboro – So.
Outfield
Mattie Barnick – Incarnate Word – Sr.
Ayla Gonzales – Bishop – Sr.
Hannah Perales – Santa Gertrudis – Sr.
Designated Player
Addie Aleman – Incarnate Word – Jr.
Utility
Jasmine Ramirez – Bishop – Jr.
Calallen senior Chase Lynch also received the Matt Beveridge Award, given annually to a high school baseball senior student-athlete who exemplifies character, courage, leadership, and spirit.
Five coaches were honored for their record setting seasons last spring. Three in baseball and two in softball. Joe Luis Lopez and Steve Chapman of Calallen were 4A state finalists in 2024, ending their campaign with a (37-10) record. Falfurrias’ Gus Esquivel advanced to the fifth round for the first time since 2007. The Jerseys finished the year with a (28-9-1) record.
Calallen’s Teresa Lentz led the Wildcats to their second straight state championship in 2024. The Lady Cats tallied an impressive (34-2) record. Paula Salinas of Veterans Memorial engineered their longest playoff run in program history by advancing to the fourth round. They went (9-0) in UIL 29-5A to win their first district title.
Former Hooks President and American League All-Star pitcher Ken Schrom was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He dedicated 43 years of service to professional baseball, including a seven-year Major League career with the Blue Jays, Twins and Indians.
The Coastal Bend college awards went to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Monee Montilla and Isaac Webb and Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Lindsey Evans and Vincent Sanchez.
