Grapevine Faith baseball coach Steve Ford seemed to have all the components he needed in place.
A veteran team that reached the TAPPS 4A regional final last year and graduated just one senior. A challenging schedule. And the expectations that this year’s team would compete for a state title.
The results came together beautifully, as the Lions (23-10) finished the season with the state championship in hand after defeating Lubbock Christian (20-14), the 2007 state champs, by a 9-5 final in the title game in Belton on May 9.
"We really felt like if we kept going on the path we were on last year, that we had a good chance to go even further [this season]," said Ford, who completed his fourth season at the helm of Faith’s baseball program. "We went into district peaking, and we continued to ride that crest all the way for the last month and a half of the season."
Facing a very tough lineup of opponents during the non-district schedule, the Lions at one point lost six in a row to fall to 8-8 after playing public school playoff teams like Flower Mound, Jesuit and Rowlett.
However, Faith got on a roll and won 15 of its final 17 games. The final stretch included an impressive 20-1 victory over district opponent Pantego Christian, the team picked to win state this year, and a 13-5 win in the state semifinal last week over Waco Reicher, the 2006 champion. Against Reicher, the Lions trailed 5-0 before the offensive floodgates burst open and Faith ran away with it.
"We wanted to be the team that no one wanted to play, because we’d fistfight you every step of the way and put pressure on you throughout," Ford said. "If you ask any team that we played this season who they least looked forward to playing, I’d bet they’d say Faith Christian, because they’re the team that just keeps coming at you."
The Lions were led by senior Stephen Phillips (.485, 30 RBI, five home runs and 18 stolen base), Faith’s top offensive player, who Ford described as physically, mentally and spiritually mature as well as a 'big brother’ to the rest of the team. Brock Jameson (.458, 20 RBI, 27 stolen bases) was also a threat with the bat and on the basepaths.
Catcher Pierce Shivers was a fiery leader. Jacob Stone wasn’t near the top in batting average, but had a cool, calm demeanor that produced clutch hits and walks. Pitcher Daniel Ackerman (8-2) was the ace that made the team feel like it couldn’t lose when he was on the mound, and Josh O’Neal (6-2) was another solid pitcher, but it really was the effort of everyone on the team that made the Lions a success, Ford said.
"That’s why we won," he said. "It’s hard to pick out just one top player. We needed everybody."
Faith loses just four players, but all played key roles for the team this year. Landon Anderson and Phillips are both going to play Division I ball at Dallas Baptist, while Ackerman will decide between Mary Hardin Baylor and some other college options. Jameson, who Ford said could play at the college level, will likely focus on academics at Texas A&M. However, he could possibly try to walk on for a place on the Aggies’ roster.
With eight juniors coming back next year and some young talent coming up as well, Ford said that the powerhouse program he’s worked to assemble at Faith should be a team to reckon with for some time.
"I don’t see us going away anytime soon," Ford said. "We’re expecting to be there year after year."
Swimming
Nadadores Go Long
Eleven North Texas Nadadores (NTN) members qualified and competed in the Texas Senior Long Course Meet on April 25-27 at SMU.
Top performers included Wil Singley (first in 200 freestyle and 800 free, third in 100 free and 400 free, fourth in 200 IM and 400 IM), Drew Mays (second in 800 free, third in 200 back, fifth in 400 free and eighth in 200 free), Lisa Ginder (fourth in 200 fly, eighth in 400 free and 800 free), Claire Singley (fifth in 800 free, seventh in 400 free and eighth in 400 IM), Katie Meili (seventh in 100 breast) and Elizabeth Osterman (2:32.86 in 200 fly).
Sports Camps
Dragons Skills Camp
Carroll football will conduct the Dragons Skills Camp June 9-12 from 8:30-11:30 p.m. for grades 1-6.
The camp will be held inside the Performance Course Charlie Stalcup Indoor Complex, at the Carroll Senior High campus. A registration form is available on-line.
The Dragon Football Camp, set for Aug. 4-7 at the indoor complex, is open to grades 1-9.
For more information, contact coach Hal Wasson at 817-949-5921.
Mustang Baseball Camp
The Mustang Baseball Camp will take place at Grapevine High’s baseball field for two weeks in June.
Session I takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 16-19 and is for grades 7-9. Session II is from 8-9:45 a.m. June 23-26 for grades K-1. Session III is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 23-26 for grades 2-6.
Camp cost is $75 for Sessions I and III and $50 for Session II. There will be a $5 late fee for registration the day of camp. A camp T-shirt is included.
For more information or for a registration form, visit www.ghsmustangbaseball.org or call (817) 229-0500.