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Walt Quattlebaum and Nick Tritapoe had never met, but it didn't take them long to strike up a conversation.

It was small talk -- about aluminum bats -- but it broke the ice. It should've been no surprise that they'd click because they have so much in common.

For instance, they both play shortstop. They both played for state championships this past season, and they are both Orangeburg Times and Democrat Baseball Players of the Year. Quattlebaum is the 2007 T&D SCISAA Baseball Player of the year, and Tritapoe the 2007 T&D S.C. High School League Player of the Year.

Of course, they both have another thing in common. Their teams lost state championship seasons this past year, and don't think for a second they're not still thinking about that.

"For me, it was disappointing," said Tritapoe. "That's the main goal all season, to win the state championship. When you don't get that it's disappointing. At the same time, I am so proud of our team and what they accomplished. We lost six starters and nobody expected us to be as good as we were. We accomplished a lot by making it as far as we did, and I am proud of our team."

Quattlebaum looked on as Tritapoe spook. The two were on the same wavelength.

"It's so disappointing," he said. "You put in all that hard work and practice ... to come up short. We did have a great season, though, and to get the opportunity to play in the state championship was great."

But, the state championship was one of the few times that Quattlebaum or Tritapoe didn't come out on top this season. Quattlebaum -- a North-South All-Star and member of the St. George American Legion Post 105 baseball team -- dominated the SCISAA ranks. At the plate, he hit .617 with five home runs, 41 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 11-1, his only loss coming in the state championship series against Richard Winn. He will play middle infield for Anderson College next season.

"He is an outstanding ball player," said DA head coach Joey Canady. "He is going to Anderson, and they are going to be getting a good player. He plays with a lot of heart and desire and gives everything on the field. He's everything you'd want in a ball player, and that shows on the field."

Despite suffering a separated shoulder, an injury which he was initially told would keep him from playing baseball again, Tritapoe -- a SCHSL North-South All-Star -- finished out the season for the Red Raiders with a .475 batting average, 48 hits, nine doubles, four triples and a home run. Tritapoe said he has received several offers from small colleges, but would like to attend Clemson University, where he plans to walk on to the baseball team.

"The best thing I can say about Nick is he has a lot of dedication," said B-E head coach David Horton. "You would be hard pressed to find anybody that works as hard as he does. He just loves baseball, and lots of times we had to run him off the field."

They were two great players on two very good teams, and because of that they are not alone on The T&D's All-Region first team. Tritapoe's Red Raiders have four more representatives -- catcher Brandon Bamberg, first baseman Dan UImer, outfielder Corey Brooks and pitcher Matt Chassereau -- on the first team. The quintet of players make up the largest contingent from any one school on the first team. Quattlebaum is joined by second baseman John Wilds on the first team.

Horton was selected as the SCHSL Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 25-12 record this past season and an appearance in the Class A state championship series.

"Losing as many people as we did last season, I didn't think we had the type of players coming back to have the type of season that we did," he said. "I told someone the other day that it took that group 'til midseason or after to realize that it took a team effort to win. And, when they did that, when they realized everyone had to play for us to win, everyone started to pull for everyone to play and be successful."

Cannady, in his first season as DA's head coach, is the SCISAA Coach of the Year after leading the Raiders to a 25-3 record and an appearance in the SCISAA Class AA state championship series.

"I am honored," he said. "I have to thank Danny Jackson (the previous DA head coach) because he did a lot of work to lay the foundation. I am just honored that I was able to pick up where he left off, and I am proud of the fellas."

Behind the plate, Bamberg -- an All-State selection -- hit .425 this past season with 45 hits, five doubles, a triple and a home run. Ulmer -- a North-South All-Star -- batted .415 with 44 hits, 45 RBIs, nine doubles and three home runs. At second base, Wilds batted .448 for DA this past season with four home runs and 20 RBIs. At third base, Edisto sophomore Seth Cooper batted .353 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. He was also impressive on the mound, posting a 4-1 record, and striking out 31 batters while compiling a 1.77 ERA.

In the outfield, B-E's Corey Brooks hit .368 with 46 hits, seven doubles, five triples and three home runs. He is joined by a pair of Orangeburg Prep players -- Austin Godwin and Brad Felder. Godwin batted .406 with three home runs, 19 RBIs and 20 runs scored. Felder batted .375 with three home runs, 19 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and 35 runs scored. The first-team designated hitter is Bethune-Bowman's Tyquan Mickens. During the regular season, Mickens caught and played shortstop for the Mohawks, batting .450 with 15 hits, four home runs and 11 RBIs. He had a .690 on-base percentage.

Joining Quattlebaum on the first-team mound, Chassereau posted an 8-2 record for B-E this past season.

"It's an honor to know that out of all the other players, you are the one that came out on top," said Quattlebaum. "It's taken a lot of hard work and practice to get here."

First team

Catcher -- Brandon Bamberg -- Bameberg-Ehrhardt

First Base -- Dan Ulmer -- Bamberg-Ehrhardt

Second Base -- John Wilds -- Dorchester Academy

Shortstop -- Nick Tritapoe -- Bamberg-Ehrhardt

Third Base -- Seth Cooper -- Edisto

Outfield -- Corey Brooks -- Bamberg-Ehrhardt

Outfield -- Austin Godwin -- Orangeburg Prep

Outfield -- Brad Felder -- Orangeburg Prep

Designated Hitter -- Tyquan Mickens -- Bethune-Bowman

Pitcher -- Walt Quattlebaum -- Dorchester Academy

Pitcher -- Matt Chassereau -- Bamberg-Ehrhardt

Second team

Catcher -- Trez Wienges -- Calhoun Acacdemy

First Base -- Jeffrey Collins -- Dorchester Academy

Second Base -- Ryan Salley -- Orangeburg Prep

Shortstop -- Mack Irick -- Calhoun Academy

Third Base -- Patrick Murray -- Dorchester Academy

Outfielder -- Brad McDaniel -- Edisto

Outfielder -- Jared Shider -- Dorchester Academy

Outfielder -- Shandon Kemmerlin -- Calhoun Academy

Designated Hitter -- Benji Kinsey -- Branchville

Pitcher -- Tyler Looper -- Branchville

Pitcher -- Josh Strock -- Edisto

SCHSL Player of the Year -- Nick Tritapoe

SCISAA Player of the Year -- Walt Quattlebaum

SCHSL Coach of the Year -- David Horton

SCISAA Coach of the Year -- Joey Canady

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