Always a Champion

Well baseball is over, and with mixed emotions. It would have been amazing to go with either of the boys to regionals next week, however, it's not to be. I have to say since we can't do that I am sooo excited to be done. No more daily, sometimes twice daily trips into town for practices. They never coordinate. No more weekends spent at tournaments.

Shade at bat

Carter and Shade both went undefeated in their pools for the All-Star State Tournament. They went into tournament play on Saturday in 1st position. They both played at 9:00 am Saturday morning. Carter's team struggled, but still held them to a score of 1-1, then in the 4th inning coach changed pitchers and the other team (Nampa) scored 6 runs. We just couldn't catch up and the boys lost. Still they played some great ball at the tournament, I am very proud of Carter. Watch out next year.

Shade won his game against East Boise. East Boise got ahead in the 2nd inning 5-3, but our boys fought back and won 11-7. Then they played in the championship game at 2:00 pm. It was so hot 100+ with not even a breeze. The spectators got a shade canopy but the boys were right out in it. They were playing a team from Northern Idaho called Bayview. This team had done great all weekend and we knew we were in for a tough one. Our boys were playing awesome. Our boys were up 5-0 in the 4th inning. Then they switched pitchers and started hitting our pitcher. They ended up winning 9-6 in a heart breaker. I felt so bad for the kids, as a parent you just wish they could win all the time. Having been in that position a few times in sports growing up, I know how hard it is. All you can think of is the if onlys. If we had only done this or that. One of the coaches said, "At least Shade gets to keep his hair!" He has been growing it out all summer, and the deal was if they won the boys got to shave his head. I told him if that was the case they might want to wait until after regionals since it seemed to bring him luck. This is the last year this team gets to play at State level as 15 year old is the oldest age. Shade could play next year because he is only 14, but all of the rest of them are done. I think that made the loss even harder. Even with the losses both boys will always be champions to me.

Shade & Coach Day

Spencer Ward, Cameron Erikson, Shade Boice, Keaton Smalls

(Back) Coach Rod Erickson, Cody Klingler, Landon Day, Keaton Smalls, Cameron Erikson, Coach Smalls, Coach David Day.
(Front) Tyler Winegar, Tyson Drake, Nathan Park, Spencer Ward, Hayden Erickson