If you’ve been anywhere near the school lately, you already know the Wildkat baseball team is basically taking over the playoffs. It feels like every time you blink, they’ve won another game, and the whole school is buzzing.
The team will face Tyler Legacy in a regional showdown on Thursday at Lufkin High School at 6 p.m. Game two is Friday at 6 p.m. If needed, the third game is scheduled for Saturday at noon. Tickets for game one can be purchased online.
At Friday’s 2-6 loss against Magnolia West, the student section was louder than ever. People were stomping on the bleachers, waving flags and yelling like they were trying to power the team with pure chaos. The Kats won the series with a 5-3 win on Saturday. combined with their 6-2 win on Thursday.
“Dude, it was insane,” sophomore Aithn Keo said. “I couldn’t believe what had happened at the game, but it was pure chaos and I loved it.”
The players say the energy is pushing them harder than ever. Sophomore shortstop Keaton Jeffcoat said the crowd makes every inning feel bigger.
“When you look up and see your friends screaming for you, it’s like, okay, we HAVE to win this,” Jeffcoat said. “It’s not just our team anymore. It’s the whole school.”
One of the biggest reasons for the Wildkats’ run is senior star pitcher Shey Holliday, who struck out 7 batters in his last game. He tried to play it cool afterward, but everyone knows he’s becoming a legend around the school.
“I’m just trying to stay focused,” Holliday said. “But yeah, hearing the crowd go crazy after every strikeout is pretty cool.”
Even students who don’t usually care about baseball are suddenly acting like experts.
“I literally Googled the rules during the game,” freshman Jamari Dawson said. “But whatever, I’m staying and having fun now.”
With the next round coming up, the team isn’t backing down. If anything, they seem even more confident. No one knows how far the Wildkats will go, but right now, it definitely feels like the playoffs belong to Willis.
“We know people are watching us,” sophomore Jafet Beltran said. “And honestly? The whole team loves it.”
