Caesar, Fanning earn top Class AA baseball honors

Posted 7/22/26

After leading the Cornwall Central High School baseball team to one of the most successful seasons in program history, sophomore Sage Caesar and head coach Tom Fanning have been recognized with the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Caesar, Fanning earn top Class AA baseball honors

Posted

After leading the Cornwall Central High School baseball team to one of the most successful seasons in program history, sophomore Sage Caesar and head coach Tom Fanning have been recognized with the top individual honors in Section 9.

The New York State Section 9 Baseball Coaches Association named Caesar the Class AA Player of the Year and Fanning the Class AA Coach of the Year following the Dragons’ remarkable 2026 campaign.

Cornwall finished 27-1 overall and posted a perfect 14-0 league record to capture the Section 9 Orange County II title. The Dragons went on to win the Section 9 Class AA championship and the regional championship before finishing as the New York State Class AA runner-up.

Caesar emerged as one of the area’s premier two-way players. The sophomore batted .452 with 33 hits and 28 RBIs while compiling a 4-0 record and a 0.86 earned run average on the mound.

His biggest performances came in the postseason. Caesar delivered the game-winning RBI single in Cornwall’s 2-1 victory over Goshen in the Section 9 Class AA championship game, scoring Tyler Maus with the decisive run. He also combined with junior Charles Rourke on a seven-inning no-hitter against Rye in the regional playoffs.

Fanning was honored after guiding Cornwall through a season that included a winning streak of more than 20 games and a run to the state championship game.

The Dragons’ success was fueled by a balanced lineup that featured several of the area’s top offensive performers.

Tyler Maus batted .491 with 31 hits, 26 RBIs and 30 runs scored.

Mason Lont hit an even .500 with 31 hits, 28 RBIs, 33 runs scored and seven triples.
Rich Roohan finished with a .447 batting average, collecting 34 hits, 34 RBIs, 34 runs scored and three home runs.

Aaden Hershberger batted .455 with 27 hits, 17 RBIs, 40 runs scored and 24 stolen bases, while Colin Steiner hit .463 with 28 hits, 38 runs scored and 18 RBIs.

Rourke anchored the pitching staff, throwing 39 2/3 innings with 54 strikeouts and a 0.28 ERA while allowing just one earned run all season. He also tossed a complete-game victory in the Section 9 championship game before teaming with Caesar for the regional no-hitter.

The awards cap a memorable season for Cornwall, which captured sectional and regional titles and came within one victory of a state championship while establishing itself as one of New York’s elite high school baseball programs.