Baseball’s Casale Named to Arizona Republic All-Arizona Team
The Arizona Republic announced that senior Johnny Casale was named to the All-Arizona team. The 12 players are finalists for Player of the Year, who will be named during the Sports Awards Show on June 17.
Benton Hickman and Jack Meissner were named to the honorable mention team.
Casale, who has signed with Loyola Marymount, posted an 8-2 record over 12 starts with a 1.82 ERA with 62 strikeouts. He hit .329 on the season with six doubles and nine RBI. He was also an All-Premier region first-team choice, earning AzBCA and AIA 6A Conference all-state first-team honors. He played in the AzBCA 6A Conference All-Star game on May 27, earning Most Valuable Player accolades after going 1-for-3 with 2 RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base. He struck three batters in one inning pitched out of the bullpen.
Hickman had a dominant season with a 4-0 record, and five saves over 13 appearances, and a 1.33 ERA out of the bullpen. He was named the Premier Region Defensive Player of the Year on the AzBCA first-team all-state team.
Meissner, a UCSB commit, was named to the AzBCA and AIA 6A Conference all-state second teams this season, earning all-state honors for the second time after being a first-team selection in 2023. Meissner was also an All-Premier Region first-team choice, ranking second on the team with a .398 average while leading the team in hits (39), runs (29), home runs (4), RBI (31) and stolen bases (8). He also played in the AzBCA 6A Conference All-Star game,
Brophy College Preparatory celebrated its 76th commencement on Saturday, May 18, at 9 a.m. in Robson Gymnasium. This graduation was significant for the Class of 2024, who began their high school journey remotely due to the pandemic.
The Class of 2024 demonstrated resilience and connection despite the challenges of starting their education online. Their unity and adaptability were evident throughout their time at Brophy, embodying their class theme: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Valedictorian Doer Leo He delivered a memorable speech, drawing parallels to the movie "Finding Nemo" and encouraging his classmates to persevere with the phrase, "Just keep swimming." President Bob Ryan and Principal Jim Bopp also spoke, highlighting the graduates' resilience and urging them to be agents of positive change.
The ceremony concluded with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment, celebrating the Class of 2024's journey from remote learning to a united and triumphant graduation.