Kempner’s unlikely run enters next phase
Marc Jones has coached long enough to see almost everything there is to see on a high school baseball field.
He’s never seen anything quite like this.
When this season began the Kempner coaching staff thought its Cougars would do well to finish with a .500 record.
As the third round of the playoffs begin this week, though, Kempner is the last local team standing. Not bad for a squad with only three returning starters and a whole bunch of unproven varsity players.
The Cougars played their way to second place in District 23-6A and now square off against undefeated Deer Park.
“It has been kind of a whirlwind since all of this started,” Jones said. “I am totally surprised by where we sit right now.”
The surprises began on opening night when Kempner played Clements. The Cougars went to the seventh inning trailing by two runs and rallied to win on sophomore shortstop Alec Carr’s walk-off grand slam.
“From that point on I think our team felt like they were never going to be out of a game,” Jones said. “That determination has carried us through to where we are now.”
Returning players Jorge Gutierrez (Texas A&M signee), Jordan Jones and Josh Desoto have played key roles, but newcomers have been just as important. Carr is one of them, and fellow sophomore Simeon WoodsRichardson has been another.
WoodsRichardson was a tiny freshman last season but grew six inches and gained more than 30 pounds. Most noteworthy for the baseball team, he added 11 ticks to his fastball and now can touch 90 miles per hour.
What Jones thought would be a weakness has turned into the team’s biggest asset. It doesn’t matter what happens on the field, Kempner’s players do not get rattled. Young players often need time to reach that point. The Cougars had it right away.
The win over Clements in the season opener was a big deal, but the Cougars added to it four days later when they played to a 2-2 tie in extra innings with highly ranked Dallas Jesuit.
This week they’ll face the highest ranked team of all in Deer Park. The task is tall, but Jones said he will not be surprised if his Cougars find a way to advance again.
The teams will play a best-of-three series at alternating locations. Thursday’s opener is scheduled for 8 p.m. At Kempner. Friday’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m. At Deer Park. If a third game is necessary it will be played at 11 a.m. Saturday at the home field of the team that wins game one.
“I fully expect them to not be awed by this challenge either,” Jones said. “We want to be a tough out for anybody we play. Up to this point we have been exactly that.”
Stafford fundraiser
Stafford’s baseball team will host a charity game in honor of coach Michael Mesa, who died two weeks ago at the age of 26. The game will be played at 7 p.m. Saturday at Stafford’s baseball field.
It will feature the current Stafford team against alumni players. Admission is $5. All of the proceeds will go to the Stafford baseball program.