YOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY: Expectations high for Jeff, NA 11-12 baseball

BY GREG MENGELT
sports@newsandtribune.com

July 06, 2008 12:28 am

— With success comes expectations.
And the expectations are off the charts for New Albany and Jeffersonville in this year’s District V 11-12 All-Star tournament.
New Albany has won the District V championship eight straight years and in 14 of the last 15. It has advanced to the state finals in seven of those eight seasons, including last year when it won its first-ever state championship crown.
While New Albany’s 11-12 All-Star team was winning its title, Jeffersonville’s 11-year-olds — this year’s 11-12 team — were winning their own state championship. Two years ago, in the 9-10 age bracket, the same group went to the Final Four at the state tournament.
Jeff knocked off Decatur Central 8-2 to capture the crown, making it a co-favorite — with New Albany — to win this year’s prestigious District V championship.
So far, neither team has disappointed. Both are 2-0 and have won each of those contests with little trouble.
“So far, we’ve played pretty well,” New Albany coach Aaron Goad said. “But it’s a long tournament and District V is very tough.”
Jeff coach Derek Ellis is certainly aware of his team’s expectations, but he’s not looking forward to state titles. He hasn’t even considered his team’s last contest — a July 11 meeting with New Albany.
“A lot of people are talking about state and beyond and, to be honest with you, I wish it would stop,” Ellis said. “We need to think about district because anything can happen. A lot of people expect us to wn it — and I’ll be disappointed if we don’t — but we have to understand that there are five other good teams in this (district) tournament.”
This year’s New Albany team hasn’t accomplished anything yet, except wins over Highlander Youth Recreation and Charlestown.
Still, Goad believes his team has the potential to be at least as good as last year’s state titlists.
“Last year’s team was very fundamentally sound,” Goad said. “They were just machines. But I think we’re strong in some areas that they weren’t — like hitting for power. We have, I think, eight kids who can hit it out of the yard. As an overall group, I think we stack up pretty well against last year’s team.
“I think (New Albany’s past accomplishments) gives our kids the motivation to work hard. I know Jeff is real good, but so are we. If we do our jobs, you never know what can happen.”
“New Albany is strong,” Ellis admitted. “You can never discount their talent. It’s amazing what they’ve done over there. It will be hard to stop that streak. I think we have the team that can (end New Albany’s streak), but we have to get there first. I’m proud to be involved in a district that’s this tough. The competition is as good here as it is anywhere in the state, but that makes it much more difficult for us.”
Neither coach believes that his squad will succomb to the pressure that comes with past success.
“I don’t think pressure even enters their minds,” Ellis said. “The kids are pretty loose and relaxed.”
“I don’t know if it’s pressure,” Goad said. “I think it’s just a matter of how much hard work the kids are willing to put out.”
One thing New Albany’s run last year did was raise expectations to a new level for both teams.
“The best thing is that we now know it’s attainable,” Goad said. “We saw that last year. I think that helps us. We now have the idea that if we do things right, good things will happen.”
“The bar as been set at a very high level by the teams of the past,” Ellis said.

DISTRICT V STANDINGS
• 9-10 BASEBALL: Jeff/GRC 2-0, New Albany 2-0, HYR 1-0, Clarksville 0-1, Charlestown 0-1, Silver Creek 0-2.
• 11 BASEBALL: HYR 1-0, Charlestown 1-1, Jeff/GRC 1-1, Silver Creek 1-1, New Albany 0-1.
• 11-12 BASEBALL: Jeff/GRC 1-0, New Albany 1-0, HYR 1-1, Charlestown 1-2, Silver Creek 1-2, Clarksville 0-2.
• 13-14 BASEBALL: HYR 2-0, Jeff/GRC 1-0, Silver Creek 1-0, New Albany 1-1, Charlestown 0-2, Clarksville 0-2.
• 11-12 SOFTBALL: *HYR 3-1, Clarksville 2-1, Silver Creek 2-1, Jeff/GRC 2-2, Charlestown 0-4. (* — Clinched birth in championship game)

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