Adeyeye pulling double duty
Sophomore running bases, track for Woonsocket
WOONSOCKET – As an incoming freshman 19 months ago, Hezekiah Adeyeye knew he wanted to try out for the Woonsocket High soccer and baseball teams, but wasn’t quite sure how he would fare against older, more seasoned upperclassmen.
He nevertheless made and played key roles for both varsity squads, and – in his spring debut on the diamond – batted about .270 while helping out the Villa Novans as a reliever.
As a sophomore last fall on the soccer pitch, head coach Andrew Rao and assistant Al Prestly gave Adeyeye more pressing assignments as an attacking/midfielder, and he flourished.
The Villa Novan talent figured he would take the winter off to train for baseball, though one day around Thanksgiving, he spoke with a couple of indoor track and field mainstays – Jared Briere and Marissa Henley – who suggested he mull over competing for their team.
“Jared pulled me aside in the locker room and told me I should do indoor,” Adeyeye stated during a break of his baseball practice in the WHS gymnasium on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon. “Marissa texted me saying the same thing. At first, my response was, ‘No, I’m not interested,’ but then I talked to my mom (Melissa) about it.
“She thought it would be a really good idea because it would get me in better shape for baseball,” he added, “so I figured, ‘Why not?’ In a way, it’s almost by mistake I discovered track and field, but I’m glad I did.”
During the indoor campaign, Adeyeye found himself quite successful in the sprinting and relay events for the Villa Novans. In fact, during the Northern Division Championships at the Providence Career & Technical Academy field house in February, he placed second in the 300 meters (37.54), fifth at the R.I. Class A meet (37.85) and seventh at the state competition, a fraction behind his PR.
He also achieved important, championship-meet points as a member of the 4x100 and 4x400 relays
“After indoor, Jared said I should stick with it,” Adeyeye admitted. “He said I had done so well in the sprints, why not do outdoor? Josh Correia told me the same thing. I love baseball a lot, but I thought about doing both.”
Adeyeye previously never dreamed he’d try such a “double,” but now is doing something this spring few student-athletes around Rhode Island even attempt – represent two teams in the same season. It comes as no surprise he’s excelling at both.
On the diamond, the thin but masterful righty has manufactured a 2-1 record on the mound, and also is one of the team leaders at the plate, batting over .400 with four stolen bases through games played in April. When he’s not on the hill, he plays a mean right field.
As for his track exploits so far this spring, he has yet to lose a 400-meter competition. In fact, during a Northern Division meet at rival Cumberland, he hustled to a phenomenal early-season clocking of 51.1. That happens to be a scant twotenths of a tick shy of the WHS record of 50.90, held by Jalen Evans (now a University of Rhode Island standout) since 2013.
“I looked at both the baseball and track schedules earlier this year, and I figured I could do both; there were only a couple of instances where the dates interfered with each other,” he noted. “I think it’s pretty cool. If I have a track meet one day, I’ll be sprinting, and that should help me on the basepaths. And, if I have a game and I’m in the outfield, when somebody hits a flyball to the gap, I have to get a good start to track it down.
“It helps me in both.” **
When asked how and where he got his athletic ability, Adeyeye (pronounced ad-uh-Yea-yee) merely shrugged.
“I know my dad played soccer at a high level in (his native) Nigeria, and my mom played basketball here at Woonsocket (High),” he mentioned. “I know they both were very good, so I guess it’s genetic, but they also helped me when I was younger. They’d go outside with me and practice.”
When asked how he attained such natural speed, he laughed, “I don’t know, but I’m glad I have it.”
Varsity baseball skipper Paul Murphy indicated he first caught a glimpse into Adeyeye’s ability when he was at Woonsocket Middle School.
“I teach physical education there, and he was a really good athlete,” said Murphy, whose team currently is 3-5 in Division II action (3-7 overall). “We had a shortage of outfielders last year, but I knew I’d have a kid I could put out there who’d do a good job.
“I knew he was a very good soccer player, too,” he continued. “I believe all of these kids should be playing multiple sports because it’s only going to help them. I don’t like it when some decide to specialize in one.
“He’s an Astudent, an honors student, and he had two hits (in a loss to) Scituate the other day. The kid can also fly. Because of soccer, it’s not just a distance but a sprint thing. He’s a rare breed – a nice kid, extremely versatile and very smart.
“A perfect example was the game against St. Ray’s (on April 17). He was on third base after hitting a triple. We had one out, and the next kid grounded out to the pitcher, he knows he’s not supposed to go on the play. But when he saw the pitcher lob it over to first, he broke for the plate and scored. He knew he’d have time.”
There’s also some involved, Murphy stated.
“When you have a great athlete like that, you have to be concerned,” he said. “When he’s at a track meet, what if he pulls a hamstring or sprains an ankle? What if he gets hurt? I’d lose not only one of my top pitchers and outfielders, but also the guy who bats third in our lineup. That would be tough.
“On the other hand, you don’t want to keep the kid from doing what he wants. He could develop into a divisional or state (400) champion.”
Veteran track head coach George worry Briggs offered the same thoughts.
“You’re always afraid he’ll get injured, but he’s so good at a variety of sports, you don’t want to stop him,” he said. “The first time he came out for indoor, the Monday after Thanksgiving, I really didn’t know who he was except he was a great soccer and baseball player. I didn’t even know how to pronounce his name.
“The first time I saw him, he seemed really quick and very selfconfident,” he added. “It’s strange, because – before his first track meet inside – I thought I’d ease him into it, but what did he do? He won the 300 and the 4x400 relay, which are, like, back-to-back events, and ran the 55 dash. He also tried the high jump and long jump.
“That’s when I found out this kid is something special, not only really confident, but an incredible competitor. We’ve had kids double up in the past, and it didn’t always work out due to conflicts with schedules, game or meets on the same day. With Hezzie, that hasn’t been a problem.
“During Holy Week (before Easter), he had a track meet on Monday, a game on Tuesday, another meet on Wednesday and a game on Thursday, but he was there for them all – and did a great job.”
When asked what makes him so special, Briggs explained, “He’s only a sophomore, so he’s got the whole world ahead of him. He gets along with everybody, is very team-oriented. He’ll do anything for his teammates, but he’s also a fierce competitor. That’s something you can’t teach or coach.
“His thought process when he’s racing is, ‘I’m going to win.’ He’s got to think the same way when he’s playing baseball.”
Adeyeye just grins when asked his ultimate goals this spring.
“In baseball, I’d really like for our team to make the playoffs,” he indicated. “We didn’t last year, so that’s something we all want. In track, I’d love to go out and be the state 400 champion and break the school record.
“I know I’m not really used to track yet, but it’s coming.”