The Championship moment. pic.twitter.com/3YTvIOpaMc
— Jesuit Athletics (@JesuitAthletics) June 11, 2016
The video above represents many accomplishments to the Jesuit Dallas community. To the players themselves, it represents the fruits of their hard work and dedication from when they walked in freshman year, and it represents the triumph over adversity, which had previously defeated them last year. To the coaches, it too represents the reward for their endless determination over their coaching careers. To the students, and particularly the Class of 2016, it represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that nobody will ever forget. To the overall Jesuit Dallas community, it represents the benefits that come from living the core values of brotherhood, commitment, and integrity instilled by the faculty.
Winning two fantastic games in the state tournament, the Jesuit Ranger baseball team completed its long and arduous playoff run by coming out on top. They brought home the school’s first UIL 6A baseball state championship, thirteen years after entering the UIL in 2003, and became the second program to win a UIL state championship after soccer in 2010. Also, The Rangers pulled out a gutsy win over Langham Creek 2-0 in the state semifinal and then confidently dominated San Antonio Johnson in the state championship 6-2. Pitching proved to be the difference-maker in the tournament, as Kyle Muller ’16 shutout Langham Creek, and Jacob Palisch ’17 pitched six strong innings before JJ Montenegro ’17 closed out the win. Here’s a closer look at the state tournament games:
On Friday, June 10th, the Rangers stepped onto Dell Diamond for the second consecutive year with revenge on their minds. Last year, Jesuit fell to Cypress Ranch in the state semifinal game, so the Rangers were looking to avenge last year’s loss and make a push to the final championship game.
The coaches decided to pitch Kyle Muller, with the reasoning that he did not pitch in the one-game series against Atascocita the week before. Coming into the game, Muller already had a lot on his mind. That Monday, he had been selected as the Gatorade Baseball National Player of the Year, and then Thursday night he was selected as the 44th pick overall by the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Draft.
However, in the game, Muller remained focused on the mound, striking out nine and only allowing three hits. Will Guzman ’17 opened up the scoring for the Rangers in the fourth inning with an RBI single that scored sophomore McCoy Lopez, followed by a sacrifice fly from Matt Horvath ’16 that scored fellow senior Jared Bond. Those two runs would be the only runs scored in the game, but those were enough to give the Rangers the win thanks to Muller’s fantastic pitching. Overcoming last year’s shortcomings, the Rangers now headed to their first state championship game ever.
Muller later talked about his pitching performance in that game, saying, “I feel good about it! I didn’t have my best of speed, but we kept runs of the board and got us the win to compete for the championship the next day.”
The Jesuit Ranger baseball team awoke early on Saturday, June 11th with only one game standing between them and a state championship. For the final, peremptory game of the 2016 season, Stanford commit Jacob Palisch stood on the mound for the Rangers, and he did not disappoint. The junior southpaw allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out six, not allowing a run up until the final inning. Palisch commented on his conquering of those state championship butterflies, stating, “I think it was just getting loose and having fun with my teammates. At the beginning, I was struggling a little bit and I realized I was playing a little tight, but I started joking with my team and just having fun with them and then things started going well.”
Going into the game, Coach Brian Jones told the team that “We can’t make this game any harder than any game in the past. We’ve been in four Game 3’s and our backs are against the wall, and it’s do or die, so we know what we have to go through.”
The Rangers got on the board early, as Purdue commit Bryce Bonner ’16 scored junior J.T. Mix in the 1st inning. However, the team really exploded in the second inning, beginning with Horvath scoring on a wild pitch, followed by a perfectly-executed suicide squeeze play by Mix that scored Jared Kengott ’16 and actually allowed Mix to reach first base due to an error. Talking about the pressure to execute a very difficult bunt, Mix commented, “When I stepped up to the plate in that situation, I had a feeling Coach Jones was going to call a squeeze and I was confident that I could get the job done, and it ended up working out perfectly. It’s a great feeling to have made a good contribution to the win on that stage, but there is no better feeling in the world than winning a state championship with my brothers.”
The second inning rally continued, with a bases loaded walk by Bonner that scored Mix, followed by RBI singles from Bond and Mark Ready ’17 that scored Muller and Pete Hamrick ’16, respectively. It’s definitely safe to say that every Ranger in the batting order contributed to the offensive explosion.
In the bottom of the sixth, with runners on the corners, shortstop Cameron Dobbs ’16 was given the opportunity to pinch run at 3rd base for Horvath. Although this substitution may seem insignificant, Dobbs’ entrance into the game caused the Jesuit Dallas fans to give him a standing ovation. Before the season began, Dobbs had injured his back, an injury that prevented him from ever taking part in the 2016 season. A three-year varsity veteran, Dobbs had the experience, hard work, and heart that his teammates envied, so the players wanted him to have a part in the state championship game. Dobbs later talked about the experience, saying, “It’s surreal. When you haven’t played in a live game in so long you forget what it’s like to be in between the lines. It felt really good to get those butterflies again.”
After the second inning, the Rangers wouldn’t score another run, but the rally was all they needed, as Palisch held down San Antonio Johnson up until the final inning when the opponent scored two runs. Sensing Palisch’s fatigue, Coach Brian Jones decided to relieve the starter with fellow junior J.J. Montenegro. With one out in the seventh inning and runners on, it was up to Montenegro to shut down Johnson once and for all. The reliever was able to get the second out thanks to a foul ball caught by Ready, and then, for the final out of the game, Montenegro struck out the opposing batter.
Smiling, yelling in delight, and throwing down his glove as his teammates dogpiled him, Montenegro had finally delivered on his promise to the team that they would win state since he came away from last year’s state semifinal game with an L. The winning pitcher noted, “Getting [too] close a state championship and getting dog piled after is a child hood dream. It’s an unbelievable feeling especially after coming so close to winning it last year.”
Coach Jones noted that “[he] was so proud of JJ because he was on the mound last year when we weren’t so successful. We wanted Jacob to get the finish, but for JJ to come in and get those last two outs was just a confidence-boost for him to say the least.”
Coaches hugged each other, and players were ecstatic over the victory. Each player beamed when Mr. Garrison placed the gold medal around his neck, and the team proudly wore shirts and hats that boasted “Texas Tested.” Pitcher Palisch was given the MVP award of the game for his strong performance on the mound. Overall, it was most definitely a great day to be a Ranger.
Coach Jones described the meaning of the state championship to the school, saying, “For the baseball program, obviously it’s huge. For the school, being the second (winner) in the UIL since soccer, I think that says that Jesuit belongs and can compete in the UIL at its highest level. To be there last year was a huge statement for us and then being able to go back next year, follow up and come back with the trophy and the win, its almost unspeakable. Again going back to back is hard enough, but to go back with a win, I couldn’t be prouder of the kids and the program and the community.”
School administrator Mr. Mark Knize expressed gratitude to the players, commenting, “Anytime you can see guys work so hard for this goal, getting to the final four last year and bouncing back, and end on a high note but doing it in such a classy way because they had a great season, and really represent the school well, I think it means a lot. It’s only one part of our profile, when you think about it, they really represent us well this year. It helps also when they’re winning because it gives more exposure about what good guys they are. It always helps to spread our mission even more.” Furthermore, he said “my biggest reaction was the joy expressed through the players. So when they went out to dogpile, watching their joy filled me with that same adrenaline rush. Even watching them receive their medals, the black t shirts, and praying The Code was emotional and fun.”
Director of Strength and Conditioning Jeremy Weeks applauded the players for their dedication, as he stated, “The key to success is about being fully committed to the team. That’s far more important than any single exercise or drill. It’s a commitment level that the athletes all have that allow them to be successful. The guys that we have here at Jesuit are extremely competitive, and I think the school support that is provided for them allows them to excel in all areas. But all we do is water the seed, and the guys explode and be great athletes. It’s just great to be associated with the team and working with the guys. I couldn’t imagine working with better people than what we have at Jesuit.”
Athletic Director Steve Koch also mentioned the hard work the players have had throughout the season and cited that as one of the reasons for the success, saying, “I’ve seen how hard they work, and a lot of people didn’t think that we could ever accomplish what we’ve done. These kids and these coaches have worked so hard it’s very rewarding to me to see all the hard work pay off and see them accomplish the goals that they set. All the coaches understand the Jesuit educational concept, and it’s not just in the classroom or on the athletic field, but it’s a balance of everything. These coaches push them hard on the athletic field, but they also push them hard to do well in the classroom. I think it’s a combination of understanding what these athletes are going through and really making them stick to their beliefs and goals have helped them accomplish these things. I don’t think any of them could have done it without the coaches and the alumni who have gone before them who taught them what it was like to be a champion. These alumni taught them great leadership qualities and I think each year they set the bar a little higher, just because the ones before them raise it high for them.”
Jesuit Dallas President Mr. Mike Earsing noted that the championship win is “a testament to our students, that they have the perseverance and the heart to be able to do anything they set their minds to. The guys that get up early in the morning and work hard all day, it shows heart and perseverance and dedication. We’re all in this together.”
Commenting on his favorite part of the season, Dobbs remembered, “The most special part for me was getting back to the 28 acres and seeing our field and knowing out of all the teams in the state we brought it home. I love getting the opportunity to represent Jesuit on such a publicized level and it’s awesome to see our great school in the spotlight!”
Muller agreed, noting, “It’s unbelievable there is no better way to end a high school career than being the best team in Texas.”
Now that the season is over and the seniors are gone, it will be up to the rising seniors to continue the legacy and tradition set forth by the 2016 season. Looking to next year, Mix noted, “I’m looking forward to getting back on the field with the guys as soon as possible and continuing the winning tradition we’ve built in our final season at Jesuit,” and Montenegro added on, saying, “We are all apart of history of Jesuit and that will always be embedded in us forever. We will always cherish that moment and play it over and over in our heads as time goes by. Next year we all hope we can make another run and make a repeat. But it all starts with us seniors leading the way and I think us (future) seniors will take on the job very prepared especially after having great leadership this past season to model our roles after for next year.”
With the fantastic state championship win, the 2016 baseball season comes to an end. From the opening spring tournaments to the summer playoff run, the Jesuit Ranger baseball team demonstrated immense prowess on the field, winning 36 games while only losing 8. More importantly, the team really came together as not just teammates, but brothers, which is what propelled them throughout the season. When they were faced with adversity, especially the win-or-go-home situations in the playoffs, they stuck together and relied on each other to play their hearts out, and as a result, they made Jesuit history.
Below are some selected media from various sources that showcase the team’s celebration:
And there they are… pic.twitter.com/S77UPePecF
— MARK KNIZE (@MKNIZE) June 11, 2016
This dude got his own seat on the bus! pic.twitter.com/kAUtdJ9Lvp
— Jesuit Baseball (@jcpbaseball) June 11, 2016
