The only person that could have said it was Hahn
At Waynesboro High School, boring quotes aren’t the norm. Sure, a few Little Giant helmsmen (and women) keep a copy of the Coachspeak Dictionary on the back of the toilet.
But Steve Issacs will always tell you what’s what. Secrett Stubblefield is, well, Secrett Stubblefield. And baseball coach Jim Critzer—though his tongue is not as Tobasco-laced as it used to be—will still toss some chipotle your way every now and again.
After Thursday’s 10-8 win over Jefferson Forest to lock up a second straight Group AA berth, however, it was a player’s quote that stood out. Stood out so much, in fact, that it never made it into print. It took a few listens, a luxury not afforded on deadline.
It came from Jeremy Hahn, the only player who could have said it, really.
“When we keep our attitudes up, all of us are the same caliber ball players,“ the senior lefty said. “There’s not one all-star on this team.“
Terrell Thompson could have said it, but you wouldn’t have batted an eye and only gone back to wondering how the Little Giants’ leadoff man—hands-down the most valuable, and dangerous, player in the Southern Valley—was not the district’s player of the year.
Coming from Hahn, however, eased Giantdom’s mind a little bit. Because as goes Hahn, so go the Little Giants.
Whether the senior himself realizes it, or his skipper in desperate need of a new hat that’s not chewed up, wants to believe it or not, it’s the truth.
It was Hahn who picked up the bat Tuesday after another Critzer butt-chewing in the dugout, told the team he was going to get on base and they best follow his lead. They did, and a 2-0 deficit with six outs left in their season against William Byrd morphed into a 3-2 win a trip to the semifinals. It was Hahn, after giving up six runs in three innings, who lifted the first pitch he saw in the fourth over the fence in center. Eight batters later, the Giants had tied the game at six.
When Hahn swings in the other direction, putting his head down and sulking off to the outfield after a bad outing like he did against Fort Defiance, the rest of the Giants tilt with him.
So when Hahn, looking like he wanted to grab someone, anyone, and give them a hug, said this team needs to stay straight upstairs heading into the Group AA tournament and tonight’s Region III title game against Alleghany, it says something.
It says the Little Giants realize that they’re talented. The problem isn’t in the bats, it’s not in the gloves, it’s not wrapped in leather, twine and held together with red stitches. The only time there’s a problem with this team, it’s in the head.
And if Hahn realized it, you gotta believe the rest of them do too.
Because as goes Hahn, so to go the Little Giants and Hahn knows where he wants the team to go—back to the Group AA Final Four.
“But this year,“ he said, “I want to finish it.“
