WHITEHOUSE, Texas — It's no secret what every baseball team in the state of Texas strives for all season long. The coveted trip to the state championship in Round Rock is only attainable by a very select handful of teams every year.
Of course, that's the goal for the Whitehouse Wildcats baseball team, as always. In fact, they haven't lost sight of that goal all year long. Why not? A picture of Dell Diamond in Round Rock, host site for the championship game, is taped up in their dugout.
The Wildcats are one of the top teams in all of 5A, with talent all over the diamond. The only thing that's stopped them this year has been some adversity, with the injury bug biting again this year.
"This is a veteran group, a group that has been together for a long, long time. We have battled a lot of adversity this year just like other teams do with injuries," said head coach Greg Branch. "But I'll tell you what, they break 'one, two, family' every day and they really mean it. This is a tight knit group and they're just really fun to be around."
Whitehouse relies on their senior leadership, who have been around through the playoff runs and all the other games, too. They provide that stability, and as seasoned members of the team, they also provide the skills it takes to be great.
They know just as well as anyone, an athlete can't have success without first establishing and practicing the fundamentals and core values of the team.
"It's definitely in our ability to work together. Our small ball game is really strong, and our team chemistry is really high," said senior Garrett Hayes. "I think the ability to play so well together is what makes us so good."
Hayes and the eight other seniors on the team have been working toward the same goals their entire careers. Now, as the playoffs get started this week in front of their huge and passionate home crowd, they're hoping that this year can be the year they finish the job.
"It would mean everything. The past four years, I've had a taste of the playoffs every year," said senior Michael Dudolski. "But this year, I want to win that ring."
The Wildcats get their playoff run started in a first round series against Huntsville. Game One is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. in Whitehouse, weather permitting.