It'd been over a year since Randy Devlin played in VA Peninsula, and he came back strong. Although he missed a good portion of the season, Devlin made an impact for the Clockers and helped lead them to their best season in years. As a charger, Randy is extremely quick and utilizes his low center of gravity (polite way of saying he's short) to scoop up balls and fire them to first base for outs. On offense, he's a speed denom at the top of the order who is almost automatic when he gets his bunt down. Although not asked to often due to his spot at the top of the order, Devlin can kick away as well. All in all, it was good to have Randy back in the league this season (except for when he was throwing me out on my bunts).
Roger Jackson once again encroached his way onto the All-Peninsula team. I joke that he encroached, because it's a common complaint of opponents who face Jackson. Perhaps no catcher is as quick as Jackson, and he has a motor that never stops running, so it just seems like he is encroaching all the time. At least once a game, if not more, Roger will pull a crazy diving catch or wicked spin throw out of his ass to rob a kicker of a would be single. His consistently stellar play behind the plate is one of the main reasons Lick It was so successful this year.
Kate Barcus made her debut on the Peninsula in the Fall 2010 season, playing with Victorious Secret and had a great year. Shortly before the following spring season was scheduled to kick off, Barcus injured her ankle badly and needed surgery. Surgery which caused her to miss several months of kickball. She trained hard and rehabbed her ankle all spring and summer to return this Fall. Joining the defending champion VD squad, she contributed on both sides of the ball with great defense and consistent bunting. The veteran kickballer, who was a member of the 2008 Founders Cup World Champions Frosty Balls, even played first base for Vicious & Delicious in the End of Season tournament when the team was shorthanded. On the whole Kate is just a competitive person who drives for success on the field, and she certainly deserves the honor of making the 2nd Team after her hiatus.
Nikki LeBlanc is a warrior. One of the most competitive women to play the game, she is a vocal leader (very vocal, just ask Wes McClain) out in the field for JFK. As a co-captain of Just For Kicks she helped create the lineups and defensive alignments for the team that lead the league in runs scored and least runs allowed. A true kickball junkie, Nikki plays in multiple leagues and travel tournaments across the country. And much like she does Wednesday nights, she constantly impresses. LeBlanc is a skillful bunter and a good kicker. Perhaps what stands out most is her ability to patrol the outfield and make great running catches. Nikki is just an all around great superstar.
Nicole "Pure" Plesha is probably the kickballer who has most improved her game. She made her debut last Fall for Victorious Secret and was considered an average female player, at best. But since then, after moving to Battlestar Ballsacktica in the spring, has continued to work hard and has developed into a fine kickballer. With above average speed and good foot skills, Plesha is a threat to get on base anytime she comes up to the plate.
Maybe the only thing better than Jill Simms' on the kickball field is Jill Simms behind the mic at karaoke (seriously, she sounded just like Gwen Stefani when she sang "I'm Just A Girl"). As a part-time yoga instructor, few players in the league are more athletic than Jill. Throughout the season, she laid perfect bunts down the lines and made life difficult for opposing defenses.
One of the more underrated players in the league is Justin Arrington of the Jagernauts, probably due to his laid back nature. If you were observe him in a typical game, you'd see him, hands in his pockets aimlessly strolling the outfield (or in his words, manicuring the grass). You wonder if he's even paying attention at all. That is until someone tries to test him and kicks away. Arrington is all over it, running down balls and making outs. Offensively, Arrington is a solid contributor down in the Jager order. Kicking near the end of the Jager lineup, Justin got on base nearly two thirds of the time (0.647 avg) and drove in 6 runs. Yet despite his production and the multiple complaints to the league office about his playing time, Arrington continues to kick deep in the order. When will Justin Littell come to his sense?!?
As far as personalities go the pair of 2nd team outfielders couldn't be any different. While Arrington is laid back and cool, Chris "Bundy" LeBlanc is intense and emotional. Bundy loves the game of kickball and plays the game with all of his heart and soul. He's a guy who consistently rips low, hard line drives and lays down excellent bunts down. VD scored a lot of runs this season and Bundy was a big part of that success.
The speedy Dan Moore is one of the premiere lead off kickers in VA Peninsula. According to Jagernaut captain Justin Littell, Moore kicked 0.786 and scored an eye-popping 17 runs. His production is a big reason why the Jagernauts averaged a franchise record 5.36 runs per game. On the defensive side, Dan rotated among several positions. First base, outfield, even some charger and pitcher. He's a jack of all trades.
This veteran kickballer has been playing since some of the earliest seasons of the league, and he only continues to get better and better. Allen Walker has one of the most powerful swings in Peninsula and kicked in the heart of the high powered Clocker offense. With the efficient top of the order, Walker came up with runners in scoring position often and he made teams pay. He lead the Clockers with 12 runs driven in. Two of those runs came under the most critical of situations. On November 16th, the Kickheads held a 1-0 lead over the Clockers with 2 outs in the 5th inning. Allen came up to kick, one runner on base, and a lot on the line. An NKotB win would've dropped the Clockers from the #2 seed to the #4 seed... So with the pressure on, Walker unleashed a bomb to deep left center that cleared the outfielders. He came all the way around the bases to score on the walk off home run. Clutch.
Death from above. Standing in at 6'7'', this sky scraping hurler is one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the league. He grips the ball with his big hands and winds up high, getting plenty of power and torque behind every pitch. Shaw simply overpowers kickers and forces a lot of poor kicks... Early in his kickball career Shaw struggled at the plate. With his size 29 shoes (approximate), it was a challenge to control the ball. But with lots of hard work and coaching, he's become a weapon on offense. Able to paint the lines with crisp bunts or kick away with power. Daniel Shaw is a well rounded kickballer, and his peers have taken notice, naming him to his first All-Peninsula team.
The 1st Team Nominees will be posted later this weekend! Who will be named to the top honor in kickball?
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