A’s Player of the Month: The Meadows School's Simon Tesfaye

The Meadows School shortstop Simon Tesfaye will play collegiately at Georgetown. He's also a star in the classroom and a part of the all-state academic team. Photo by: Ray Brewer

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Simon Tesfaye arrived at The Meadows School four years ago with a singular vision: pursuing educational excellence.

Despite baseball skills that would have made him a coveted piece for any Las Vegas program, Tesfaye’s family recognized something special in the academic rigor of the Summerlin private school. They believed it offered the ideal environment for their son’s development.

“Academics first, then baseball,” Tesfaye explains.

On the diamond, his impact was immediate. The freshman stepped into the shortstop position and the second slot in the batting order, helping guide the Mustangs to a state championship just months after his arrival.

As graduation approaches, Tesfaye’s legacy stands firmly established. His scholarly achievements — a GPA exceeding 4.0 and all-state academic honors — stand alongside athletic accomplishments that secured him a baseball scholarship to Georgetown.

Meadows coach Andy Concepcion doesn’t mince words: “He’s a dude. He’s legit. We feel he’s one the best players in the valley.”

Tesfaye recalls with clarity fierce rivalries against teams like Virgin Valley and Boulder City. The sting of last season’s state championship loss to Virgin Valley was partially healed when the Mustangs exacted revenge Wednesday with a 10-7 playoff win.

These battles come with logistical challenges — long bus journeys to remote Nevada outposts like Mesquite, where Virgin Valley makes its home. Players frequently miss afternoon classes for these road trips.

On the way to the game, it’s all about preparation for the opponent, Tesfaye said. On the way home, it’s cutting into two hours of nightly homework.

Though demanding, this balancing act serves as valuable preparation for what awaits at Georgetown, Tesfaye acknowledges.

“You have to take advantage of the (studying) time on the bus rides,” he said.

Tesfaye is batting .426 with three home runs and four triples in 18 games. He’s logged 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored. He’s made just three errors.

Despite being in a lower classification, The Meadows played a who’s who of the valley’s top teams in nonleague games.

Some of the games have been what you’d expect from a small-school team playing a large-school squad. Others, however, have been competitive in showing the skill set of players like Tesfaye.

Concepcion says his program has produced seven college players over the past few seasons. Tesfaye is the most notable, a player who time and again has proven himself, the coach said.

“I’ve always been under the radar,” he said. “But that doesn’t bother me. I put my head down and get to work.”

It’s a mantra he’ll carry to college — same with putting a priority on academics.