I have said it several times.
Coming into this season, Creek Wood had a lot to replace, both on the mound and at the plate.
A senior class with names like Noah Christenson, Brandon Porter, and district Player of the Year Kaden Miner is no small task to replace.
Not to mention a senior catcher in Bailey Deason.
The Red Hawks have done it through three games in force.
We all knew Andrew Bruce would step up behind the plate.
We also knew now senior ace Aaron McCoy would be back on the mound.
What we did not know, was how good Tate Hinson and Jacob Stephens would be behind him, or what this team could do at the plate.
Hinson has combined for twelve plus strikeouts in his two appearances this season on the mound.
He is also batting better than .300 at the plate through three games.
Stephens used the same arm he did on the gridiron to dominate in his one appearance with more than five strikeouts of his own.
Now, that is four guys who can do so much for this team, but others will need to step forward.
They have.
Defensively, Creek Wood does not seem to be missing a beat from last year’s athletic nine who took the field daily.
Through three games they have allowed just four total runs, all of which to Sycamore in an extra-inning thriller.
Meanwhile, the Red Hawks have scored twenty-six runs through three games.
Now listen, I get it, they have not played the elite competition yet.
However, I do not care how bad the opposing team is.
A fifteen-piece is special. Winning on a walk-off in extras takes toughness and determination.
Going up five nothing in the first says we do our research on rival pitchers, and we see the ball well and adjust to it.
I don’t know how Creek Wood will fair the rest of the year, but their start is nothing short of spectacular.
