Words of champions:
“Unbelievable” — Levi Ashmore.
“Priceless” — Jarred Latta.
“Justified” — Corey Taylor.
“Satisfied” — Mason Coons.
“Great” — Dalton Smith.
“Fitting” — Clint Heffern.
“Unbelievable” — Drew Walden.
“Awesome” — Braden Larson.
“Perfect” — Jerrik Sigg.
No doubt those who were in Sabetha Sunday morning would echo all those words and add a few more. Heard from out of the crowd of parents, other relatives and fans — Amazing.
On a sun-drenched morning in the very friendly confines of Sabetha’s Somerset Park — a field of dreams for that community — Iola American Legion Post 15’s AA Indians realized their dream. The players and fans were ready to celebrate Saturday afternoon but Hays-TMP Monarchs still had something to say about which team was going to be the 2012 Kansas American Legion AA state champion.
So the party was put on hold for a few more hours.
One could see the Indian players were ready Sunday morning as they ran onto the new field turf of Somerset Park. They were relaxed but focused.
Most of these young men began their baseball career together on the recreation baseball fields in Iola. They banded together from age 8 and logged a lot of traveling miles over the years honing their skills on the diamond.
A lot of big games eluded them in some close, heartbreaking decisions over the years. But all that was put to rest Sunday when Jerrik Sigg settled in under a fly ball to center field by Hays’ Nick Zimmerman. Sigg waited as his teammates watched and the ball hit leather and Sigg snapped shut the glove.
Party on.
While talking to all the Iola players following the state championship game victory, they all pointed to the support they received from their family and fans. That’s not just at the state tournament last week or even to this season when the AA Indians went 40-4.
