Consistent with the Nansemond River High School baseball team’s tremendous success in the Ironclad Conference this year, the Warriors received substantial recognition when the 2015 conference awards were distributed.

NR senior Robert Fitzwater was named Player of the Year and received two of his team’s seven all-conference first-team selections, while Warriors coach Mark Stuffel repeated as Coach of the Year.

“I was really surprised, to be honest,” Fitzwater said of his Player of the Year honor. “I had no idea I was getting it.”

Stuffel said he thought there were two players on his roster worthy of the award — Fitzwater and senior Kieton Rivers. Rivers won the honor last year.

When Fitzwater emerged as the honoree this year, “I wasn’t surprised; I was happy,” Stuffel said.

The decision among the other five coaches in the conference was unanimous.

“I think everybody voted for Robert just because Robert did it on the mound, and he did it at the plate and defensively,” Stuffel said.

During the regular season, he went 6-1 on the mound, threw 58 strikeouts and had an earned run average of 0.81. At the plate, he had a .498 batting average, with 21 runs batted in and three home runs. On defense, where he spent time at first, second and third base, he had only one error.

“Robert is doing exactly what we anticipated him doing,” Stuffel said.

Fitzwater was named to the all-conference first team as a pitcher and as a utility player. This is his second straight year being a first-team selection.

This is also the second consecutive year Stuffel has won the conference Coach of the Year award for baseball.

“It’s a nice honor, but I’ve been blessed with really good players the last few years,” he said.

The Warriors have gone 40-8 overall in the last two seasons. This year, they went 9-1 in the conference during the regular season and repeated as the Ironclad Conference tournament champions.

Stuffel credited Tom Lowe, Brian Elms and Jason Reed for their help with the team.

“I’ve got other coaches on the coaching staff that do a phenomenal job,” he said. “I always see (the award) as a thing for the whole coaching staff more than just me.”

Warriors making the all-conference first team in addition to Fitzwater included junior Matt Holt, who was selected as both a first baseman and a pitcher; senior shortstop Kieton Rivers; senior catcher Greg Parker; and junior outfielder Dion Jordan.

King’s Fork High School players making the first team included senior outfielder Duke Santora and sophomore designated hitter Andrew Riddick.

Bulldogs making the all-conference second team included senior Cal Bailey, as both a pitcher and a utility player; sophomore first baseman Blake Sargent; junior third baseman Josh Bush; sophomore catcher Tim Gromkoski; senior outfielder Bryce Jones; and sophomore outfielder Tristen DeGuzman.

Warriors making the second team included sophomore second baseman Jarrid Johnson and junior outfielder Corey Fago.

Lakeland High School senior Blake Harris and Nansemond River senior Corbin Townsend received honorable mention.