Seven senior baseball players at Blanco High School who were members of the 2019 state finalist team graduated May 29 with the other members of the class of 2020 who also lost sports seasons, prom, award ceremonies and time with classmates.

These seven seniors had their sights set on another deep run in the baseball playoffs, with the state tournament as the ultimate goal. The coronavirus, that we are all too familiar with, changed the course of the 2020 spring school semester.

“It was devastating to our kids, especially our seniors,” said Coach Bryan Wyatt. “I can’t think of anything worse than what happened to us in the spring. We had so much momentum going into this season, especially going as far as we did last year. I wish the best for the seven seniors and I hope the underclassmen will come out hungry to keep the momentum going these seniors helped to start.”

These 2020 graduates are moving ahead into their future plans. Walton Daves will attend Texas Lutheran University and play football. Daves played first base and pitched for Blanco. Griffin Johnson is going to Colorado Christian University and will play baseball. Johnson played shortstop and pitched for the Panthers. Kody Kohnen is headed to Blinn College and then to Texas A & M. Kohnen was an outfielder and pitcher for BHS. Tate Trammell will attend Texas A&M. Trammell played first base and pitched for Blanco. Austin Van Pelt is going into the United States Air Force. Van Pelt was an outfielder and pitcher for the Panthers. Brandt Wagner will attend Austin Community College. Wagner played third base and pitched for BHS. Plans for Hunter West include heading to Blinn College and then transferring to Texas A&M. West played outfield, infield and pitched for Blanco.

Three seniors were named to the academic all-state team. Trammell and West were second team and Kohnen received honorable mention.