skip navigation
Pitcher Kyle Johnston

Jaguar Pitcher Named Player of the Year

By Jaguar, 06/18/14, 10:15PM CDT

Share

Kyle Johnston Receives All-Area Honors from Dallas Morning News

June 18, 2014: Pitcher Kyle Johnston of Flower Mound has been named The SportsDay Dallas Morning News 2014 Baseball All-Area Player of the Year. Johnston's record was 11-2 during the 2014 season. He will be playing for the University of Texas in Austin in the fall. 

(The article below is compliments of The Dallas Morning News)

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/high-schools/baseball-news/headlines/20140618-kyle-johnston-player-of-the-year-flower-mound-ace-was-untouchable-in-playoffs.ece

Corbett Smith, Staff Writer

Published: 18 June 2014 05:10 PM

Updated: 18 June 2014 07:00 PM

Kyle Johnston, Player of the Year: Flower Mound ace was untouchable in playoffs

For the second straight season, Flower Mound was paired with Hurst L.D. Bell — a team known for being giant killers — in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Flower Mound senior Kyle Johnston felt its sting the year before, roughed up for five runs in relief of a 10-4 bi-district loss in Game 3 that sent the 2013 District 5-5A champions packing.

Johnston and his teammates wanted redemption.

“We were trying to show everyone that this was a totally different ballclub,” he said. “That we have each other’s backs … by being there for each other, finding ways to score, playing sound defense, having great pitching ... putting it all together.”

The SportsDayHS player of the year did that, and much more. He orchestrated a phenomenal postseason run, grabbing opening-game wins in five consecutive weekends as Flower Mound claimed the Class 5A title.

After posting a no-decision in a Game 1 loss to L.D. Bell, Johnston — a Texas signee — didn’t take another misstep. He closed out the L.D. Bell series with a save and got on a roll, going 5-0 with a 0.68 ERA, 60 strikeouts and just eight walks.

His season totals were equally astounding. Using a low-90s fastball, a curveball and changeup, Johnston went 10-2 with four saves, 129 strikeouts, a 0.57 ERA and 0.58 WHIP.

“Right as we beat [Bell], we started gaining momentum, thinking ‘We can do this, nothing’s impossible,’ ” Johnston said.

To prove his point, the 5-11 senior tossed a perfect game against South Grand Prairie to start the area round, striking out 16.

And when Flower Mound faced cross-town rival Flower Mound Marcus in the Region I final, Johnston was again untouchable, throwing a five-inning no-hitter. He sent Flower Mound to the state final with another masterful performance in the 5A semifinals, allowing a run and four hits to Pearland in a complete-game win.

“I couldn’t imagine any better way to end a senior season, going out with a bang like that,” he said.

Recent winners

Year

Player

School

2009

Colton Cain

Waxahachie

2010

Jovan Hernandez

Rockwall-Heath

2011

Josh Bell

Jesuit

2012

Jake Thompson

Rockwall-Heath

2013

Billy McKinney

Plano West