Berkery says Starkville Academy seniors will be remembered for strong work ethic

There was one thing evident to baseball coach Thomas Berkery in his first two seasons with the Starkville Academy Volunteers.

Berkery knew he had a team filled with hard workers.

The main reason for that was the approach of this year’s senior class of Sam Clark, Garrett Lewis, Lane Long, Adler Morgan, Justin Rook, Kamden Upchurch and Mike Winfield.

“This group was one that had some blue-collar kids in it that got after it whatever it did,” Berkery said. “It also had some kids that were finally getting a chance to play regular, have some success and earn that through that hard work.”

The Vols were off to a 7-2 start to the season and were coming off a successful spring break trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast before the circumstances surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic cut it short.

“It’s tough to see guys like Mike Winfield that finally broke into the lineup regular and was finally having some success,” Berkery said. “Sam Clark moved from a nice piece to a key cog. The two boys that transferred over from the high school in Justin Rook and Kamden Upchurch again finally getting full time playing. For them, we really never got a chance to see what it would look like over the course of 32 to 40 games.

“Garrett Lewis, a guy who was key on the mound for us, and certainly would have put up more good numbers to finish out his career. There were a couple of other guys there that kind of waited their turn and if the season had progressed, you just never know given a chance what might have presented itself. It’s the unknown of what might have been.”

There are plans in the next couple of weeks or so to still have a senior day to honor the 2020 class.

Berkery looks forward to that day to share one final moment with the seniors that meant so much to Starkville Academy.

“Hopefully we can do a little intersquad in conjunction with that and give them one last time to get out there,” Berkery said. “We’re waiting to see the next steps to see what kind of window we have and when to set stuff up.”

Berkery is excited about the junior group that’s coming up and will be the future of the Vols.

He sees the work ethic of the seniors already showing up in the players coming in behind them.

“Our rising 11th graders is a grinding group, but I think if there is any question that hard work pays off, the senior class has showed that,” Berkery said. “Even though they may not be the most naturally talented, gifted kids, but had worked their way into very serviceable players.”