Sports

State title game is nice, but ’Cats want it all

• One might think that just because Westwood Schooladvanced to their first state championship in 30 years, the Wildcats would simply be content, but instead they’re hungry — and looking for more.

Derek Barichello

CAMILLA — It was a good weekend to be a Westwood baseball player.

After clinching a spot in the GISA Class A state championship for the first time since 1988 with a 6-3 win against David Emanuel on Saturday in Game 3 of their best-of-three series, most Wildcats players spent the Memorial Day weekend at barbeques and senior parties enjoying not only the complimentary hot dogs or hamburgers but the celebrity status that went along with accomplishment.

“It was great,” said Wildcats ace pitcher Clark Phelps, who will be the starter in Game 1 of the championship series at Flint River Academy on Friday at 4 p.m. with Game 2 set for noon Saturday, followed by Game 3, if necessary. “Everyone wanted to talk to us. They asked us when the games were and talked about going to the games, and everyone said they were behind us and hoped we go all the way.”

That same positive sentiment was felt by Westwood coach Al Timmerman after his holiday weekend Tuesday at practice .

“I think we’ve created a buzz,” Timmerman said. “I received many calls over the weekend. It’s just great to see these kids make it to a state title. It’s really a special moment for them to relish.”

While Timmerman certainly feels his kids should enjoy the moment, a part of him also gets concerned with every congratulatory remark or every positive comment thrown at his players because he does not want his team to lose sight of its overall goal.

“We have two more games to go,” Timmerman said. “That was our original goal. It wasn’t to just make it to the state championship, we want to win it. We’re not content with just going up there and finishing runner-up — we want to bring home that gold trophy.”

In their first practice back on Tuesday, players received that reminder.

“Everyone was excited at the start,” Phelps said. “Then we settled down and we talked about how big the championship was but how we need to handle it, and how we can’t make it bigger than what it is and relax and play the way we have been.”

A LITTLE BULLETIN BOARD MATERIAL, ANYONE?

After Flint River Academy defeated Terrell Academy, 6-1, on Friday in Game 1 of the GISA Class A Final Four’s other bracket, Flint head coach Bobby Bishop remarked the winner of that series would go on to win the championship, calling that matchup in his own words, “the real championship.”

Even with that said, don’t count on Timmerman using it to fire up his Wildcats.

“We don’t need it,” Timmerman said. “We already know what’s at stake. Our guys realize it and that is enough motivation for us.”

Coincidentally, the same thing was said about the Wildcats’ series this past weekend against David Emanuel.

“Their coach remarked to me that he thought (our series against them) might’ve been the state championship,” Timmerman said. “It was a great series, it came down to two teams playing great in three games and I’m sure the Flint River coach felt the same way in his series that went down to three games. That must mean we are in for a good series this weekend.”

JACOBS STEPS UP

If the GISA A championship series is as good as Timmerman thinks it might be, that means No. 3 starter Lee Jacobs could get another call to the mound.

While much attention has been given to the six seniors who have led the Wildcats to the state championship, the junior Jacobs stepped up in Game 3 last Saturday.

After the Wildcats played an amazing 17 innings in a doubleheader to open the Final Four series, Jacobs pitched 3 1/3 innings to keep the Wildcats title hopes alive.

And Timmerman won’t forget it.

“I’ve always had confidence in him,” Timmerman said. “But I can't say enough for how important it was for us that he came in without throwing in a long time and in (Saturday’s) heat. It was only 3 1/3 innings but we needed every bit of it to make it to the championship.”

WILDCATS VS. WILDCATS?

It’s true, folks: The GISA Class A title game will be a matchup of Wildcats.

Westwood and Flint River share the same team mascot — the Wildcats — so The Herald will do its best to limit the confusion in the build up to this weekend’s title series.

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