McKenzie High School Baseball Team Celebrates Stellar Season with Banquet

McKENZIE (June 13) — McKenzie High School Baseball players, coaches, parents and other supporters gathered Friday evening at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church for a banquet to celebrate a fantastic season and a remarkable run by the team’s three seniors to reach four consecutive state tournaments.

Guests enjoyed a delicious meal catered by Hometown Hangout.

Head Coach Chris Wall spoke about the team’s journey. After starting the season with two wins, the Rebels struggled for a couple of weeks to fall to 3-9 before going on a 17-2 run to secure the regular season district title, district and region tournament championships and a sectional win, all for the fourth consecutive year. The team went 2-2 in the state tournament for a fourth-place finish.

Wall complimented seniors Craegen Travis, KD Cunningham and Tate Surber for helping build the program to what it is today. With a record of 97-45-1, the coach said, “a mark has been made on Rebel baseball, and they will be missed.”

He thanked a great many people for their contributions to the program.

Each player was presented a certificate denoting participation in the state tournament from the TSSAA as well as a certificate or letter from the coaches.

Besides the players on the team, Coach Wall recognized three “mainstay” younger kids who were embedded with the team all year. He expressed his hope to see Carver Holt, Jase Brown and Cord Wall become the “foundation of our team” in the future.

Awards were presented, beginning with Silver Slugger Awards for those that hit over .320 with at least 50 at-bats: Fletcher Holt (.324), Cooper Davidson (.325), Xander Johnsey (.326), Cole Brown (.356), Craegen Travis (.395) and Tate Surber (.396).

Gold Glove Award winners had a fielding percentage of at least .930: Lelan Gordon (.932), Craegen Travis (.945) and Cooper Davidson (.985).

All-District players were recognized: Craegen Travis, Fletcher Holt, Cole Brown, Xander Johnsey and District MVP Tate Surber.

The Most Improved Award went to Ace Brown.

Pitcher of the Year was Craegen Travis.

The Most Valuable Player (as voted by the team) was Tate Surber.

The PL Martin Team First Award went to KD Cunningham.

The Ricky Chism Most Inspired Play Award was presented to Avery Brown.

The Seth Foster Memorial Scholarship was presented in memory of the former Rebel baseball player and 2010 graduate who died in 2011 to seniors Tate Surber and Craegen Travis. Foster’s parents, Mike and Rachel, and brother, Matt, were in attendance.

Home Run Club President Lindsey Holt presented each senior with a photo album and a plaque. Each coach was also given a gift from the boosters.

The seniors then presented the coaches with plaques, and Craegen Travis thanked them for “teaching us to love the sport and to be good men.”

The banquet ended, but guests lingered for photographs and fellowship.

The 2025 MHS Rebels included seniors KD Cunningham, Craegen Travis and Tate Surber; juniors Fletcher Holt and Xander Johnsey; sophomores Ace Brown, Avery Brown, Cole Brown, Lelan Gordon and Ripken Thompson; freshmen Cooper Davidson, Maddox Shiell, Malaki Harris and Alex Hughes; Head Coach Chris Wall; and assistant coaches Kentrell Diggs, Josh Lamonte and Jake McDaniel.