Ben Landrum, Cold Springs — The Times' 2016 All-Area Baseball Coach of the Year

He’s already won pretty much every high school baseball award there is to win this offseason, so Owen Lovell’s latest should come as no surprise.

The Cullman sensation’s an All-State first-team outfielder, the Class 6A Player of the Year, a Super All-State selection by the ASWA and AL.com, Mr. Baseball, an ALL-USA second-teamer and a Louisville Slugger first-team All-American.

And now, he’s also The Times’ 2016 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, rightfully retaking the title after previously securing it following a phenomenal freshman season in 2014. Lovell’s accompanied in the upper echelon of this season’s All-Area Team by fellow Bearcats’ Kolby Robinson (Hitter of the Year) and Jacob Heatherly (Pitcher of the Year), as well as Cold Springs’ Ben Landrum (Coach of the Year).

All the accolades are nice, but their worth to Cullman’s humble giant is only measured by how much he helps his team in the process.

And boy, did Lovell help the Bearcats this spring en route to a Class 6A state runner-up result.

He tallied state-highs in home runs (14) and RBIs (64). He hit two homers and stole home for the game-winning run in a comeback against 7A Sparkman. He had a momentum-changing blast in the first game of Cullman’s regular season area series versus Hartselle and made a magnificent diving grab in the deciding tilt to preserve the area championship. He had a walk-off double during a first-round sweep of Muscle Shoals. He was the only pitcher to shut out Hartselle — and he did it twice, the latter to clinch the Black and Gold’s quarterfinal berth. There, he threw out a runner at home with an absolute laser from center field to stymie Oxford’s early mojo in a tight tiebreaker.

And that’s just scratching the surface of Lovell’s momentous moments in 2016.

Statistically, the junior batted .392, slugged .759 and had 65 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, 47 runs, 36 walks, 24 stolen bases and a .516 on-base percentage. He was 7-1 with 63 strikeouts, three shutouts and a 1.51 ERA on the mound and went error-free with eight assists in 76 total chances in the outfield.

But there’s more to the 6-4 Lovell than just stats and constant feats of strength on the baseball field, according to Brent Patterson.

“He looks like Tarzan, but he’d just as soon jump in the boat and go fishing with you and go ride four-wheelers. He’s just a normal country boy kid,” the Cullman coach said. “And he’s a great friend. He doesn’t have an ounce of arrogance about him. You would never know that this guy is a one-of-a-kind talent. The relationship he has with his teammates, there’s no animosity. He’s been getting all these accolades for years and years, and there’s never any animosity. They’re in awe of him. They want him to get extra cuts in BP because they enjoy watching it just as much as we do.

“I think that’s the way you really judge a kid is what do his peers say about him and how they feel about him — and his peers love him. He’s just one of the guys. He’s no different than anybody else, even though he’s that one-of-a-kind talent.”

That’s coming from a man who sees the star on a daily basis during the spring.

Fortunately for coach Kellen Greer, his Sparkman Senators don’t see Lovell near as much. That hasn’t stopped him, however, from drawing the same conclusions as Patterson.

“The way he handles himself and he carries himself, I think the world of him as a kid,” Greer said. “He carries himself with a confidence, but he doesn’t carry himself with an arrogance. It just seems like he’s genuinely grateful of the opportunity just to be out there playing, regardless of what happens to him. I know he wants to have success, but I think he just genuinely cares about his teammates and his team playing well and winning. I think that speaks volumes in today’s society.”

Added Patterson: “He really doesn’t care about statistics and awards and recognition. He really does see himself as one of the team. And I think it’s genuine. I really don’t think it’s false humility.”

Robinson isn’t your typical Hitter of the Year — the slick shortstop didn’t have a single home run — but he easily took care of the award’s main requirement. The Wallace State signee hit … and hit … and hit some more, leading Cullman in the category with 70 and also accumulating team-highs in batting average (.395) and runs (57).

Pitcher of the Year was by far the hardest prize to pick, with Heatherly and Bearcat teammate Will Morrison both drawing significant consideration. Morrison had better numbers, but Heatherly didn’t shy from his role as Cullman’s clear-cut ace. Aside from a shaky stretch early in the playoffs, the lefty Alabama commit was more than up for the myriad tough starts he received, going 5-3 with a save, a team-high 108 strikeouts, a no-hitter and a 2.18 ERA in 80 1/3 innings.

Landrum was a no-brainer for Coach of the Year. His infectious enthusiasm and endearing approach were instant hits in Cold Springs, which went 22-18-1 and snapped a 24-year playoff drought in Landrum’s first season at the helm.

Cullman topped the All-Area squad with seven first-team selections — Noah Fondren (infield), Will Morrison (pitcher), Kade Williams (pitcher), Levi Thomas (designated hitter), Carter Bowen (utility), Wheeler Eastman (catcher) and Caleb Lipsey (outfield).

West Point, this year’s county champion, had the next-highest amount with four first-team nods — Tanner Rusk (pitcher), Jaxson Garrison (infield), Levi Allred (infield) and Tanner Young (outfield).

Hanceville garnered three first-team picks — Isaac Weissend (infield), Mark Kubia (pitcher) and Branen Hurst (outfield).

Preston Moore (infield) and Ragan Ashley (catcher) made the cut for Fairview, as did Tyler Rice (utility) and Josh Freeman (outfield) for Cold Springs.

Vinemont, Good Hope, Holly Pond, St. Bernard and Addison were represented on the honorable mention list.

In between Player of the Year stints, Lovell was Hitter of the Year in 2015. Robinson was an All-Area first-teamer in 2014 and 2015. Fondren, Heatherly, Bowen, Weissend, Ashley and Rice were first-team repeats. Moore also made the top squad in 2014.

See below for the complete 2016 All-Area Baseball Team, which was handpicked by The Times’ sports staff.

The Times’ 2016 All-Area Baseball Team

Player of the Year: Owen Lovell, Cullman

Hitter of the Year: Kolby Robinson, Cullman

Pitcher of the Year: Jacob Heatherly, Cullman

Coach of the Year: Ben Landrum, Cold Springs

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First Team

Pitcher

Will Morrison, Cullman

Kade Williams, Cullman

Tanner Rusk, West Point

Mark Kubia, Hanceville

Catcher

Ragan Ashley, Fairview

Wheeler Eastman, Cullman

Infield

Noah Fondren, Cullman

Isaac Weissend, Hanceville

Preston Moore, Fairview

Jaxson Garrison, West Point

Levi Allred, West Point

Outfield

Josh Freeman, Cold Springs

Branen Hurst, Hanceville

Tanner Young, West Point

Caleb Lipsey, Cullman

Designated Hitter

Levi Thomas, Cullman

Utility

Tyler Rice, Cold Springs

Carter Bowen, Cullman

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Honorable Mention

Addison: Zack Anders, Jackson Seymore

Cold Springs: Jakob Ryer, Cody Anderson

Cullman: Trent Price

Fairview: Clay Lanier, Tyler Ball

Good Hope: Preston Calvert, Malachai Holt

Hanceville: Alex Campbell, Dalton Rice

Holly Pond: Zac Naler, Hunter Nelson

St. Bernard: Evan Aldridge, Jacob Grey

Vinemont: Cody Stewart, Corbin Barnett

West Point: Hunter Persall, Kolton Easterwood