Baseball season has started and the Bulldogs are 6-4. Their season started March 12.
This year the Dogs have played more difficult teams than they have faced in recent years.
“The hardest team talent-wise was probably Columbia. They were a solid all-around team and gave us a good game,” senior second baseman Ethan Golish said. “ We knew going into that game they were going to be good, but everyone came ready to play.
As a team, the players are very ambitious. Even when they are playing these harder teams, they try to keep each other uplifted.
“Our team goal is to get better every day. During a game we want to have clear mindsets and just go out there and play the game,” senior Dawson Griffith said.
Junior Brendan Bergan adds that his mindset is “We might not be able to win every day, but we can win today.”
A lot of these players have been playing with each other for a long time.
“A lot of us, especially the seniors, have been playing together since we were as young as seven,” Golish said. “I think we have great team chemistry.”
Another goal for the Dogs is to go far this season and maybe even make it to championships.
“This year we are pushing towards a state championship,” senior Noah Arnold said.
Coaching the baseball team is Jay Thompson. Thompson was recently recognized by IHSA as having the most wins at one school in the state of Illinois.
“Coach Thompson pushes us to be the best players and people we can be, which is the reason that makes him one of the best coaches in Illinois,” Arnold said.
Many of this year’s seniors will be going on to play baseball in college. Noah Arnold has signed with the Southeastern Illinois Falcons, Jack Ford with the Lincoln Land Loggers, and Ethan Golish with the Olney Central Blue Knights. Others have received letters but haven’t completed their official signing. Unofficially, Camron Ande will play for the Rend Lake Warriors, while Braden Burtis and Dawson Griffith will play for the Southeastern Illinois Falcons.
“College baseball will be a lot different because I won’t be playing with the people I played with my whole life,” Senior Jack Ford said.
Arnold shares Ford’s point of view.
“I will definitely miss being a part of a great baseball program, but I will also miss being around the team,” Arnold said.
Being a part of this team and growing up a Bulldog is special for most of these boys, and is something that they will miss very much.
“The thing I will miss the most is all of the kids that look up to you as a Bulldog. It’s the small things like this along with the entire town being behind you that really mean a lot and really take small-town pride to another level,” Golish said.
Next year will be a big adjustment as the team will lose seven seniors. The juniors and underclassmen must step up and take on this role.
“Every year is a new year because you lose leadership and some of your most valuable players,” Bergan said.
