Houston County High championship win all about the months of work, the players

There’s no strategic move, no key momentum swinging moment to break down and analyze. Houston County High baseball, coming off the first region championship season in school history, destroyed Loganville High in Game 3 Tuesday 12-0 in five innings to win its second state title in three years.

Key stat of note: the Bears and coach Jason Brett have not lost a state playoff series since the 2013 season ended.

What there is to talk about are the people and the work; the seniors like comeback kid Blake Dawson; the only starter from both 2014 and 2016 who wasn’t going to play on the diamond this spring; the championship seasons that begin – as far as games go – in February and last roughly four months into late May.

“That’s a lot of work,” said Brett. “A lot of time from a lot of people. It starts with the kids working in the weight room. We start in the fall as soon as we get in school. I’ve been known to work out on Day 1.

“The kids come ready to work. Some days they don’t like it. Some days it’s tough and you have to fight through it. They do. That mentality carries over. We come out here and we get after it.

“It’s a testament to the work ethic of these kids. They do a lot outside people don’t see. A lot of people think baseball season’s here and you show up. They work in the summer. How much they put into being great.”

Now, that ultimate achievement belongs to the Bears, the silver cup presented by the Georgia High School Association. Houston County High not only won Region 2-AAAAA over Greenbrier, but went the full three games of a playoff series three times out of five, including the finals with Loganville. They have a final record of 30-9.

There was a lot of jubilation on the field, but also a lot of exhausted players.

“This is a special group,” said Brett. “They love being around each other. They love the game. They play it the right way. They’ve been fun to coach. They’re fighters. We could be down four or five runs, and you better strap it on because we’re coming after you.”

This season and this championship meant so much to Dawson, who was asked about going out on top.

“It’s the best way possible,” said the outfielder Dawson. “Losing … has got to be one of the worst feelings no matter how far you’ve gotten. This is exactly how everybody wants to go out.”

Dawson was on the 2014 roster but not in the forefront with an outfield full of Josh Profit and Hunt Smith.

“(This) means so much more to me,” he said. “I’m so much closer to these guys. Being a legit part of it meant so much more.

“I missed all of last year. I just wanted to get the job done and have the best year I could have. I broke my ankle four days before baseball started (in 2015). I missed five months. I feel fine now.”

Dawson signed to play college baseball at Wallace State in Alabama. His goal is to maintain the level of baseball that made him successful as a high school senior, and with Wallace being a two-year program keep progressing to where he can transfer to a high Division I school.

“How far has that kid come?” asked Brett. He said he told players like Dawson coming into the season they would have to earn their spot. “He started off batting lower in the order. When he figured out he can put the ball on the ground and bunt, he really blossomed as a player.”

The whole senior class made its mark on this season. Two of the three main starting pitchers, Tony Locey and Tanner Hall, are graduating and also heading to college baseball. They got the wins in the championship series, Hall pitching his second straight one-hit shutout.

“Tony’s a fiery kid,” said Brett. “He’s the ultimate competitor. He challenges every one of our kids to get better.

“Tanner’s a cool customer. He’s been that way since he came in as a freshman. I know he can go compete, and he’s going to give us a chance to win that ball game.”

That middle infield change Brett made going into the playoffs – Dillon Strickland at second base and Tucker Garland at shortstop – both of those players are seniors who regained those starting jobs.

“What a credit to those guys,” said Brett. “They never put their head down. They showed up every day. Never complained. Just did their job and got better and better. When we get to the playoffs, ‘I need you to step up.’ They never came out (of the lineup). That solidified our baseball team right there.”

Then it comes down to role players. Ryan Milton has the at-bat that tied the game with Columbus in the seventh inning. It was an error that scored two runs, and the Bears won in eight to end the series. Tyler Flewellyn was quite the utility guy, both pitching and courtesy running.

Then there was the starting first baseman as a freshman in 2014 who supported the efforts of the senior class and was not the power hitting threat. Jake Fromm played both third and first this year, batted third in the order and had two home runs in the finals (though Loganville would still dispute the one Tuesday).

Brett already knows he will not have Fromm’s services in 2017 even though he is a junior. Fromm is expected to graduate early and enroll at the University of Georgia to get a jumpstart on his career as a college football quarterback.

“What an outstanding kid,” said Brett. “Jake wasn’t going to play at the beginning of the year. I told him to take a week off. I talked to him a week later and asked, ‘Do you miss it yet?’ He wasn’t ready to give baseball up. The energy he brings to our program … everybody has a part, and that was one of the great things about Jake.”

Fromm’s greatness extends beyond Houston County. As he finished his final postgame interview, there was a lad from Loganville anxious to meet one of the state’s prep stars.

“It’s just been incredible, from where we started to where we are now,” said Fromm. “We knew we had a lot of potential. The question was could we get our bats going. It’s just crazy to put up 12 in the final game.

“God, for whatever reason, decided to let me hit a home run. Then He let (the umpires) call it fair.

“This (championship) honestly is a little sweeter to me. I was a (freshman) role player and looking up to those guys. I grew up playing baseball with all these (2016) guys. To grow up together and win a championship together, it’s awesome.”

Fromm said it didn’t take much coaxing from Brett to get him back into baseball. He found himself on the bus the day after the conversation about the end of his “vacation” and just wanted to help any way he could.

Fromm has another vacation set up, then it’s all about the gridiron and chasing state records in a new stadium for Von Lassiter’s Bears.

“I think I have my classes set up where I can graduate early,” said Fromm. “I get to go to the beach, then to the Elite 11 (quarterback competition in Los Angeles in early June). Then that first game at Mercer when we play Mary Persons. It’s coming quick and I’m going to be ready for it.”

And he really believes there will be another Bear celebration in Atlanta in December.

HHJ News