Okotoks Dawgs Academy athlete Dryden Howse has been named Alberta’s Bantam AAA Player Of The Year by coaches from Baseball Alberta.

The award is handed out each year to a player who's shown good sportsmanship, a dedication to the game of baseball, and leadership qualities, while performing at a high level of play on the field.

Howse had a .448 batting average on 91 hits, stole 40 bases while hitting seven home runs, 10 triples, and 24 doubles, finishing the campaign with a slugging percentage of .754 with the Dawgs' black team.

In a release put out by the Dawgs organization Howse talks about this past season.

“I had the best year with my team and we had some great memories,” he said. “Our trips to Richmond and Atlanta were really good trips for me, those were exciting and I thought we all became very close there. My favourite memory had to be nationals, even though we didn't win it all that was the most fun I had all year with everyone.”

“Dryden is a great and quiet leader who leads on and off the field,” head coach of the Academy Allen Cox said. “He played shortstop for the provincial champions but is now starting to catch for us. He is getting some division one offers and has a visit in two weeks at the University of Washington Huskies. He reminds us with his abilities and quiet demeanour of the 2011 bantam player of the year, Matt Lloyd. He is a very big part of our future behind the plate and with the bat.”

Howse will receive the award at the Baseball Alberta Annual Awards Banquet, Nov. 25 in Edmonton.