Four local Franklin County baseball student-athletes were selected to the 2025 Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State baseball team, the association announced on Saturday.
Two players from Red Bay High School and one player each from Russellville High School and Belgreen High School were tapped as all-state performers.
From Red Bay, senior Ty Reynolds, who was a Second Team All-State selection last season, and junior Jeremiah Thorne were picked from RBHS.
Reynolds, selected as a Class 2A First Team infielder, ended his final season with a remarkable .515 batting average, drove in 41 runs, came across to score 27 runs, and ended the campaign with seven home runs.
While Reynolds was selected to the ASWA All-State team as an infielder, he was also crucial to the Tigers on the mound, as well, tossing 50 and two-thirds innings. His final record was 5-2, he picked up three saves, struck out 73 batters, and he finished with a 1.93 ERA, allowing just 14 earned runs off 34 hits.
"Ty is obviously a special player, and he's been that way the four years that I've been here," Red Bay head coach Donovan Hand said. "He's a great teammate. He signed with Northwest Shoals (Community College), and he had 15, 18 teammates that he's played with over the years there for him, so that just shows what he's meant to this program.
"He's had four tremendous years with the last two being really standout years. This year he's had...one of the best years I've seen, not just at the plate but also on the mound," Hand added. "It's a big honor for him and I'm really proud of him."
Thorne, tapped as a Class 2A Honorable Mention pitcher, ended his junior campaign with 46 and one-third innings pitched, 47 strikeouts, 15 earned runs allowed off 31 hits, and a 2.27 ERA. He ended the year with a team-best 7-2 record.
"He pitched in just about every big game we had, and he came away with some really big wins for us," Hand said of Thorne. "He's a big-game guy, and that's who you want on the mound in game three.
"He's another one of those guys that's been here since day one. I thought he should've been an all-state guy last year, and he's finally getting recognized for the success he's had and the work he's put in," Hand added.
"It was a great 2025, and those two guys being honored really solidified that. And I hope it shows that we're turning into a baseball program, not just a baseball team."
Russellville's lone All-State selection was freshman outfielder Brayden Entrekin, who earned a spot on the Class 5A All-State Second Team.
For the Golden Tigers in 2025, Entrekin, in 121 at-bats, had 51 hits for a .421 average and finished the year with a .510 on-base percentage. Entrekin's 51 knocks consisted of nine doubles, three triples, and a home run; he drove in 27 runs, came around to score 31 times, and he swiped 22 bases in 23 attempts.
Entrekin was also a big arm for the Golden Tigers on the mound. The freshman tossed 63 and two-thirds innings and allowed just 15 earned runs all season. He punched out 78 batters and ended 2025 with a 6-4 record and a 1.60 ERA.
"Seeing what he did this year as a ninth-grader on the mound and at the plate, I thought he could've been a First Team selection at either position," Russellville head coach Jess Smith said. "We knew he was special as an eighth-grader, and it's been tremendous to see what he was able to do as a freshman.
"Most people don't see the work that he puts in to make this all-state selection come to fruition. He's the type of guy that's, before practice, in the (batting) cages and after practice in the cages," he added. "There was never a situation that was presented to Brayden where he didn't rise to the occasion—and that's on his own; that's how badly he wants to be successful.
"I think he's just embarking on a career of extreme success, and I'm really proud that he was honored with all-state selection," Smith said. "(Entrekin) was so happy to be selected all-state this year, but if I know Brayden I know it's only going to motivate him even further, and I can't wait to see what happens for him going forward."
Rounding out Franklin County's All-State selections is Belgreen freshman Colton Ashton, who was named a Class 2A Honorable Mention.
The Bulldog outfielder, at the dish, closed the season with a .437 batting average, a .556 OBP, 18 RBIs and 33 runs scored. Ashton was also a menace on the base paths, stealing 30 bags in 31 attempts.
"Colton had a great year this year," Belgreen coach Nathan Vincent said. "He led us in about every statistical category offensively this year. He batted leadoff for us and set the tone for us offensively because he was on base quite a bit to start off every game.
"This is the second year in a row Belgreen has had an all-state player, and it's also very special with him being a ninth-grader and selected to the all-state team.
"I'm proud of him, and he's got a bright future ahead," he added.
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