By Don Ketchum

From the start of the 2011 baseball season, when there were patches of snow on the ground, Flagstaff Coconino’s Aaron Parks was one of the most consistent players in Class 4A Division II.

On Saturday (June 4), the pitcher-third baseman will put the finishing touches on his high school career when he plays for the North in the 4A-II North-South All-Star Game at Surprise Stadium. First pitch is at 4 p.m., and a contest between 4A-I All-Stars will follow at 7 p.m.

“It is an honor to be picked. It is pretty cool to have a chance to go against some of the best players, meet new players,’’ said Parks, who was the Grand Canyon Region’s MVP and a member of the All-Region Team.

Parks will be joined on the All-Star Team by teammate Brent James, an outfielder. The players helped Coconino post a 16-14 record under coach Ed Vesely, who will be one of the North coaches along with Buckeye’s Danny Rodriguez.

“We’ve had some good practices (at Glendale Apollo), so we should be ready,’’ Parks said.

The Coconino team usually is forced to begin its preseason practices indoors, working in a batting cage and taking grounders. This year was a little warmer than most.

The team struggled in the Coach Bob Invitational at Anthem Boulder Creek, but regained its footing and had a solid region season, splitting two games with perennial power Cottonwood Mingus. Coconino fell to Chandler Seton Catholic 17-13, in a first-round state tournament slugfest.

Parks started the season hitting well, cooled off a bit in the middle of the season and had a strong finish.

According to MaxPreps, he hit .461 with six home runs and 40 RBIs. As a pitcher, the 6-foot, 175-pound right-hander had a 7-1 record with one save, a 2.26 earned-run average and 83 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings.

Parks is looking forward to the All-Star Game, which will be played at the spring home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. Coconino also played at the spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, Salt River Field at Talking Stick, against El Mirage Dysart.

Next on his agenda will be setting up shop at Dordt, a small college in Iowa where he plans to study engineering.