SLIPPERY ROCK — Winning seems to follow Shane Thompson around.

The 2022 Slippery Rock High School graduate led the Rockets to the District 10 Class 5A baseball championship game this season. He is headed to Niagara County Community College in Sanborn, N.Y. — a team that reached the NJCAA Division III World Series finals with a school-record 49 wins this year — to continue his academic and baseball career.

And he was recently named the District 10, Region 2 Player and Pitcher of the Year for the 2022 high school season. Henry Shaffer of Saegerstown (Region 3) is the only other player in all of District 10 to receive both honors.

“I don’t know if it’s actually sunk in yet, getting both of those awards,” Thompson said. “I’ll probably read it in the paper at some point and think, ‘Wow! I actually did that,’” Thompson said.

As impressive and dominant as his season was, it was never about him — at least, not in his mind.

“That’s what I like about that kid,” first-year Slippery Rock baseball coach Derrick Wood said. “Shane was coming off being named Region Player of the Year last season. He was entering his senior season, knew he’d be playing college baseball ... a lot of kids like that make their final high school season about themselves.

“That’s not Shane. Whatever success he experienced this year, he wanted to take the entire team with him.”

Thompson hit fourth in the Rockets’ lineup last year, hitting .400. He was also 8-1 with a 1.20 earned run average on the mound. He made first team All-Region 2 at two positions. Mason Jones of Grove City was the only other player to do that.

After being honored last season, Thompson said he could still get better as a player.

And he did.

He allowed only five earned runs in 33 innings pitched this season, striking out 44 and walking 16. No other Slippery Rock pitcher had more than 20 strikeouts.

Thompson hit .474, striking out only four times in 67 plate appearances. He led the Rockets in batting average, on-base percentage (.530), hits (27) and was second on the team with 25 RBI. He also stole six bases in seven attempts.

“Shane hit third in our lineup all season,” Wood said. “He also played center field and did not commit an error in 24 chances. He was outstanding in every phase of the game.”

Thompson did not expect this season to be any different, though he was the returning Region Player of the Year.

“This was a new season, a clean slate,” he said. “I put the past behind me and our opponents treated the year the same way.”

The Rockets finished 17-6, losing to Cathedral Prep in the District 10 title game. It was Slippery Rock’s first appearance in the district championship game since 2017.

“Our hitting and fielding were our strengths,” Thompson said. “Our team came together at the right time and we made a nice run.”

Wood knew he had a great player coming back after he went over Thompson’s statistics from his junior season. He was unaware of the caliber of person he was inheriting on the roster.

“To see a kid with his kind of ability be such a great teammate was really special,” Wood said.

Niagara County Community College is coming off a 49-11 season, the best record in program history. The Thunderwolves had 39 players on the roster this season, including 36 freshmen.

That will make earning playing time a challenge for Thompson. He’s not worried about it.

“I play summer ball in Olean (N.Y.) and the Niagara coach saw me play,” he said. “It just worked out from there. They like me as a two-way player and are giving me a chance to do that. I want to hit well so I can continue doing that.

“I love pitching, being in control of the game. I like the game being in my hands. If I make a mistake, it’s on me.”

Thompson plans to major in sports management. After two years at Niagara CCC, he plans to transfer to a Division 1 school down south.

“That’s the goal,” he said. “Ultimately, I’d love to get drafted and get a shot at pro ball. If that doesn’t work, I’d like to work in college baseball somewhere. Either way, I want to stay in the game.”