Top 15 rising sophomores in Gibson County sports during the 2023-24 year
South Gibson’s Tommy Baker (27) scores a run against Tennessee High in the Class 3A baseball state tournament at Blackman High School on May 24, 2023.
We have looked back at the top seniors for the 2023-24 school year headed by Sout Gibson’s Cameron Clark and the top juniors headed by Humboldt’s Stephon Shivers.
So now we will look at underclassmen with the top 15 rising sophomores in Gibson County.
1. Tommy Baker (South Gibson; baseball and basketball) – Baker is a two-sport athlete for the Hornets and earned a starting position during his rookie season. He earned starts at second base for the baseball team that reached the Class 3A state tournament as he batted .321 with five doubles, three triples, 17 RBI and 35 runs. He also played quality minutes on the basketball team, earning starts as the season progressed, and running the offense from the point guard position.
2. Cade Allen (South Gibson; baseball, basketball and football) – Allen is primed to make an impact as a three-sport athlete for the Hornets. His best sport is baseball as he helped the Hornets reach the Class 3A state tournament as he went 5-1 on the mound with a 1.6 ERA and 81 strikeouts. He also plays as the second-string quarterback behind senior Heath Howe and is a member of the Hornets’ basketball team.
3. Karson Dunn (South Gibson; girls basketball) – Dunn played quality minutes for the Lady Hornets as they reached the Class 3A state semifinals and had her best game of the season against Dyer County in the state quarterfinals. In 15.5 minutes per game, she averaged 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
4. Macie Rowan (Peabody; softball) – Rowan came in an started at catcher, helping the Lady Tide finish third in District 14-1A. She batted .583 with eight doubles, three triples, 21 RBI 32 runs and 18 stolen bases.
5. Jonathan Lewis (South Gibson; boys cross country and soccer) – Lewis joined Bradford’s Cole Cates at the Class A-AA state cross country meet last year. He finished 24th in the Class A-AA state meet with a time of 17:31.36 after finishing 11th at the Region 7 A-AA meet with a time of 17:13.63. He also played quality minutes on the boys soccer team that won the District 14-AA regular season title.
6. Saniah Reaves (Gibson County; girls basketball, volleyball) – Reaves played a key role in the Lady Pioneers’ first-ever trip to the Class 1A state tournament in volleyball. She recorded 247 kills, 72 blocks and 26 digs. She also came in as a reserve on the basketball team as it reached the Class 2A state semifinals as she averaged 4.0 points and 4.7 rebounds.
7. A’Kira Riding (Gibson County; girls basketball) – Riding took to the court this past year earning more playing time at guard as the season progressed, helping the Lady Pioneers reach the Class 2A semifinals. She averaged 3.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals.
8. Cara Copous (Bradford; softball) – Copous finished her second season leading the Lady Red Devils in the circle and helping them finish third in District 13-1A. She struck out 96 batters while pitching and batted .220.
9. Kyle Bradberry (Gibson County; baseball) – Bradberry played well as a rookie and helped the Pioneers finish third in District 12-2A during the regular season. He batted .387 with a .967 fielding percentage.
10. Emmanuel Cannon (Peabody; boys basketball) – Cannon earned a starting role on the basketball team as he showed the ability to handle the ball and hit 3-pointers.
11. Mia Pearson (Milan; volleyball, softball) – Pearson became a key bat for the Lady Bulldogs last season as they finished third in the District 12-2A tournament. She batted .314 last season with 11 doubles, two triples, one home run, 17 RBI and 16 runs. She will also be one of the top attacking options for the volleyball team this season.
12. Jaydon Reed (South Gibson; football) – Reed’s number of carries as a running back increased as the season progressed, and he will again be one of the key backs for the Hornets as they try to reach the Class 4A quarterfinals. Last season, he rushed for 446 yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries.
13. Calley Graves (Bradford; softball) – Graves stepped in an became one of the top bats for the Lady Red Devils as they finished third in District 13-1A. She batted .456 with a .578 on-base percentage.
14. Jaydon Peete (Milan; football) – Through hard work, Peete earned a starting spot in the Bulldogs’ linebacking corps and held onto it through the end of the season. The entire group of linebackers returns with Peete set to play an integral role. He could also see some time at running back this fall.
15. Annie Whittemore (South Gibson; softball) – Whittemore was named the District 12-3A infielder of the year as a freshman. She worked hard in the field backing up her older sister, who was in the circle, and she is expected to make a big impact again this season.
