Cecchini Named Gatorade Player of the Year

“I had committed to LSU at the beginning of my sophomore season, but after Garin (a LSU signee who signed with the Boston Red Sox after being chosen in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft) signed, they stopped sending me letters and inviting me to games, so I decommitted."

The Gatorade Player of the Year program began in 1985 and recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.

Cecchini is the third Barbe winner of the baseball award, joining Carmen Angelini (2007) and Joe Lawrence (1996). Cecchini batted .548 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in leading the Bucs (24-9) to the Class 5A quarterfinals. He was a first team selection for the Class 5A all state and American Press All Southwest Louisiana teams.
“It is a heck of an award to get and something I never expected to get as a junior,” said Cecchini.
“It is really special and a big accomplishment to be just the third winner for Barbe with all of the great players that have come through the program, players like Carmen and Joe Lawrence, Austin Nagle and my brother Garin.”

Gavin has helped the Bucs to three consecutive trips to the state tournament. The Bucs reached the semifinals in 2009 and 2010 before losing 2-1 to eventual state champion Jesuit in the quarterfinals this season. “My main goal next year is to win a state championship, and hopefully make Team USA,” he said.

Cecchini will be leaving for Team USA tryouts next week at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. If he is chosen for the 18-and-under team, he will play in the Pan American games in Cartagena, Colombia in September.

Cecchini has switched his college commitment from LSU to Ole Miss.
“I had committed to LSU at the beginning of my sophomore season, but after Garin (a LSU signee who signed with the Boston Red Sox after being chosen in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft) signed, they stopped sending me letters and inviting me to games, so I decommitted. Ole Miss is a great place and (head coach Mike) Bianco is great. They have great fans and Coach (Carl) Lafferty is doing a great job of recruiting coordinator. We might have the number one class in the country. (Former Barbe outfielder) Tanner Mathis is there and he loves it.”

Cecchini has volunteered locally on behalf of an area homeless shelter, as an elementary school motivational guest speaker and as part of multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program began in 1985 and recognizes outstanding athletic excellence and high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.



Sorry, no link. It's an American Press article in today's paper.