HoCo Bears fans amped as baseball season approaches

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — In about two weeks, the high school baseball season will be upon us. The Houston County Bears, who peaked at 20th in the nation last season, will kick off the season against Lowndes in an eagerly anticipated showdown.

Lowndes, a class 7A team out of Valdosta, is currently ranked third in the state, according to ITGNext, and Houston County, the reigning 6A region champion, is currently ranked right above Lowndes at number two. On paper, the teams match up well, and it should be a great test for the Bears.

The Bears are returning 10 starters, so they are expecting big things for their program this season. After winning the state title in 2021, the Bears failed to advance in the GHSA playoffs last season. They were undefeated in region play (9-0), and many sportswriters picked them to go all the way and bring home back-to-back state titles — but their season ended early after losing to Buford at home.

Among the returning starters is All-State slugger Drew Burress, who signed his letter of intent to play ball at Georgia Tech a few months back. Burress, now a senior, led the state of Georgia in home runs, launching 17 dingers in his junior season. That mark was good enough for seventh in the nation, and he finished with 73 RBIs — one RBI short of the state record.

Andrew Dunford, an imposing figure on the mound, returns to the pitching lineup. The 6’7” senior signed with Mercer earlier this season, and he could have his best season yet. Ryker Chavis, another returning starter, is a left-handed pitcher with nasty stuff. Chavis signed with the University of Georgia a few months back, and he is another player to keep an eye on. The Bears have other pitchers — including Kai Decker, Brooks Willis and Camden Cunningham — looking to make their mark this season as well.

Following the team’s disappointing finish last season, they are hoping to come out and make a statement this year. The sting of defeat is still lingering, and the Bears are hungry — they have been putting in work this offseason. With a solid fielding core, dominant pitching and explosive bats, they have all of the pieces in place to make another title run.

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