Chilton County High School baseball player Sawyer Cahalane drew interest from colleges around the country but decided on McHenry County College in Illinois.

“When he met the coach and players, he said, ‘That’s where I’m going,’” Sawyer’s father, Tim Cahalane, said about his son’s decision.

Sawyer Cahalane made his decision public with a ceremony Tuesday at Jack Hayes Field in Clanton.

Cahalane batted .423 with 12 doubles and six home runs last season as a junior at Isabella.

He transferred to CCHS and has played several positions this year, including catcher, which could be his best opportunity for playing time at MCC.

“The coaches told him there are no returning starters at catcher and that he’d had a good shot of playing there next year,” Tim Cahalane said.

Sawyer Cahalane began playing at the varsity level during his eighth grade season. Former IHS coach Clay Shearer tried him at catcher during his sophomore season.

Cahalane can also play first base, third base and outfield, and pitch.

He attended a baseball camp in the Dominican Republic, participated in the American Legion league and was chosen to join a fall travel team coached by former CCHS star Jared Patterson and based at Patterson’s Diamond Club School of Baseball in Birmingham.

Patterson’s squad gave Cahalane the opportunity to play at venues including historic Rickwood Field, UAB and the East Cobb complex in Georgia.

Cahalane also received offers from Odessa College (Texas), Eastern Iowa Community College, Fort Scott Community College (Kansas), Dodge City Community College (Kansas), the Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville (Maryland) and Danville Community College (Virginia).

Tim Cahalane said Sawyer felt comfortable with the players and coaches from McHenry.

“This, to him, seemed like the best fit,” Tim Cahalane said.