H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Cayuga players not daunted by new challenges

Local Sports

Discussion

May 23, 2012

H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Cayuga players not daunted by new challenges

By JUSTIN RAINS Palestine Herald-Press The Palestine Herald-Press Wed May 23, 2012, 05:30 PM CDT

BETHEL — The Cayuga baseball team didn’t get much time to celebrate its dramatic, walk-off win Friday against Overton, which propelled the fourth-ranked Wildcats into the regional semifinals.

In the ensuing celebration, Cayuga ace Jimmy Johnson hurt his foot. This week in practice, centerfielder Hunter Johnson hurt his wrist.

While this type of adversity isn’t ideal, it’s also not anything new to this group of players.

“The good thing is we’re playing and we’re one of the last 16 teams in the state,” CHS coach Greg Branch said. “The bad is we’re a little bit banged up...but for the past two seasons we’ve had a black cloud over us and we’ve had a lot of injuries. We had three kids out of the first two rounds last year.

“We’re used to this sort of thing. You’re going to have to have kids step up at this time, and everyone that’s been playing is going to have to play better.”

Jimmy Johnson is expected to play through his injury when the Wildcats take on the second-ranked Douglass Indians in Saturday’s one-game playoff at the University of Texas at Tyler (7 p.m.).

In fact, he’s expected to start on the mound.

How long he can go is another question, but Cayuga’s Chantz Holland said he’s ready to jump to the mound whenever his team needs him to.

“I’ve got to bring my A-game if Jimmy can’t go,” Holland said. “We’ve just got to go out and win this for them, those guys who aren’t out there.”

Holland is no stranger to adversity himself. The junior pitched through illness to earn the complete game victory Friday over Overton.

“Chantz has been real sharp for the last month,” Branch said. “I’ve used him in some playoff warm-up games in relief, and he’s been a little bit better in that role. So, he’s used to doing both.

“He’s got to be ready to start, ready to come in the second or come into the seventh.”

The only change that may occur will be that Branch may drop Johnson in the lineup, he said. If that happens, players like Holland and senior Bo Sharp will be expected to pick up the offensive slack, if there is any.

“We’ve got to go in prepared and not let it get to us,” Sharp said. “Losing them hurts us a lot, but we know we can build from that and get together and rally up from it.”

Sharp is also no stranger to personal adversity. The senior has had multiple facial surgeries after being hit in the face with a ball last season, and played the playoffs wearing a batting helmet in the field.

While Jimmy Johnson will play the same sort of role he’s played all season, that won’t be the case for Hunter Johnson.

The junior won’t play in the field for the Wildcats, but could run the bases if different scenarios present themselves.

“We’re going to miss Hunter because he’s been hot lately,” Branch said. “You never know...he might be able to do some things for us.”

In his place in centerfield will be Preston Anderson, known more for his exploits on the basketball court than his baseball skills.

But, Anderson was the team’s primary designated hitter during district play, and has played a corner outfield spot from time-to-time this year.

Now he’ll roam the expansive outfield at UT Tyler’s Irwin Field, and Branch thinks his long-range — the one that makes him so dangerous on the basketball court — will make him a perfect fit.

“He is so lengthy with his stride, with his ability to cover ground,” Branch said. “Playing in a big ballpark like UT Tyler, I think he’s the perfect substitute for Hunter Johnson to go track down baseballs. Hunter was so good at sacrificing his body, but Preston gives you another dimension because of his length and depth in the field.”

Anderson, who had one at-bat in the Overton series, said he knows his team needs him to make an impact both in the field and at the plate.

“I just have to play as hard as Hunter played, because he played 100 percent,” Anderson said. “At the plate, it’s just a confidence thing. Don’t guess at pitches, just stay back and do what coach Branch has taught us to do.”

Despite the injuries, Cayuga’s players and coaches know that a good team awaits them, and no excuse is a good one.

Anderson said the team has to keep the same attitude its had all season long, and rally around the injured players to extend the season at least one more week.

“It’s especially important to Jimmy, because it’s his senior year and I know how much he wants to play, is trying to play,” Anderson said. “It’s important to (Hunter) because he’s never been in this position before.

“We don’t want to give them that feeling of going home early.”

Text Only

Local Sports

H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Elkhart relying on experience during playoff run
After being pushed to the brink of elimination in each of its first two playoff series, the Elkhart baseball team took care of business with ease in the regional quarterfinals.
The Elks defeated Warren in the best-of-three series, 2-0, by a combined score of 11-1.
But, ironically, EHS coach John Adair credited being pushed to the brink in the first round with the team’s ability to pull it all together as the Elks’ playoff run keeps going.

May 22, 2013
H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Elkhart's Cheatham sets national triples record
Earlier in the postseason, Elkhart star third baseman Jacob Cheatham legged out his 17th triple of the 2013 season.
It was an important one.
With the hit, Cheatham passed Steve Kopepasah and Alex Ortiz for the national record for triples in a season, according to the National Federation of High School associations.

May 22, 2013
H.S. Athletics: Holden named new Cayuga ISD athletic director
It took just over a month for Cayuga ISD to find their new athletic director.
In a school board meeting Monday, the Cayuga school board hired current CHS assistant coach Russell Holden as its new athletic director and head football coach.
Holden, who has been on the staff at Cayuga for five years, will replace Greg Jenkins, who after three years at the helm is leaving for Tenaha.

May 21, 2013
Middle School Athletics: Palestine selects March, April 'Character Athletes'
The Palestine Junior High girls athletic program released their Character Athletes of the Month for both March and April recently.
Eighth graders Annalise Meyers (March) and Josie Soehnge (April), and seventh graders Madison Oliva (March) and Ashley Middleton were honored with the awards, which go to student athletes that lead not only on the field or court, but also in the classroom.

May 21, 2013
H.S. Softball Playoffs: Grapeland scores early and often in semifinal clincher
Just like in game one, the Grapeland Sandiettes jumped out to a big lead during Saturday's decisive Game 3 against the Joaquin.
The only difference is this time the Sandiettes never let off the gas on their way to a dominant 12-2 win over the Lady Rams in the do-or-die regional semifinal game.
With the win, Grapeland moves on to its third regional final in four years, where they will take on Beckville. It’s the third-straight year the teams will meet in the postseason.

May 20, 2013
H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Elkhart eases past Warren in Game 2
After needing three games to end its first two playoff series this postseason, the Elkhart baseball team made sure it didn’t happen a third time.
The Elks — who are seeking a second-straight trip to the state tournament — rolled past Warren Saturday, 6-0, at Lufkin’s Morris Franks Park. The win came a night after Elkhart topped the Warriors, 5-1, to open the series on Friday.

May 20, 2013
H.S. Softball Playoffs: Grapeland, Joaquin split games Friday
It was a tale of two games during Friday's Regional Semifinal between the Grapeland Sandiettes and Joaquin Lady Rams. The Sandiettes and Lady Rams combined for 22 runs in the Sandiettes 12-10 win in Game 1.

Game 2 was a much different as the teams wouldn't combine for 20 hits, or even 10 runs as the Lady Rams picked up a 4-2 win.

May 18, 2013
H.S. Football: Palestine's Owens leads strong class of area recruits
Palestine junior Jarrell Owens hasn’t ever played a significant down in a game for the Wildcats at linebacker in his football career.
Yet, the position is obviously where his future lies.
Owens is one of a handful of area juniors drawing significant college interest, and the Palestine running back/linebacker already holds an official offer from Texas Tech University.

May 17, 2013
H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Harleton shuts down Cayuga in regional quarterfinal
In an as-expected pitcher’s duel, it took only one off inning to cost Cayuga and ace Chantz Holland.
Holland gave up four hits and hit a batter in the top of the third inning, and Harleton turned that into four runs — the only runs of the game — as Harleton topped Cayuga, 4-0, here at the Lindale ISD Baseball and Softball Complex in regional quarterfinal action.

May 17, 2013
H.S. Baseball: Patchwork lineup still working for Cayuga
The Cayuga baseball team that will take the field tonight against Harleton in the regional quarterfinals doesn’t look a lot like the Cayuga team that rolled through district play earlier this season.
Injuries have hampered the look of the Wildcat lineup, but Cayuga still finds itself into the playoffs’ third round for yet another season.

May 15, 2013
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

H.S. Baseball Playoffs: Cayuga players not daunted by new challenges

Site Map

Contact Us