As the boys and their families made their way to the field, love and support filled the stands. Senior night, is a night of appreciation and excitement to celebrate what the seniors and their team achieved this season. 

Last Tuesday was the first ever baseball senior night. The coaches and the boys, along with the help of their parents started the tradition. 

“With everything ‘the first’ is always important so how hard you played, the traditions you start, I mean that goes into everything we’re about here at Johnson, creating everything new, traditions,” head coach Mark Durham said. “20, 30, 40, 50 years from now everyone will be doing the same thing and it will be because of us.” 

Senior night was also a milestone for parents as this was the last time they would be walking the field with their son. 

“As a parent, senior night is a wonderful way to bring everything back full circle,” senior parent Mindy Bailey said. “Some of these players have been playing since they were 5 years old.” 

Bailey went on to say that many of the boys are going to college to earn a degree and others are moving on to play baseball at the next level. 

“For parents, this last time of being on the field with their son, sums up all the emotions a parent can feel. They are no longer the little boy who fell in love with the game, they are young men moving into the next phase of life,” Bailey said.

 The night was not only emotional for parents, but also for the boys. They started at the school when it was only a two grade program and have created a bond that cannot be broken. 

“I will mostly miss the sense of belonging,” senior baseball player Cody Templeton said. “The whole team has been together longer than most high school teams so I feel we’ve grown a lot closer because of that.” 

Throughout the ups and downs of the game, the Jags played their hearts out. They left their mark on the field. 

“Our team put a ball in play almost every at bat,” senior baseball player Cole Garcia said. “That’s all you can do, is just give yourself a chance to get on.” 

Although they fell short to the Cougars, the boys and coaches found out that they would be going to playoffs. This is the first year that the team has made it to post district play. 

“I am really excited to be able to experience playoffs with all my teammates,” junior baseball player Ryan Garza said. “All of the adrenaline and the nerves of knowing if you don’t win you don’t move on, it’s just so much fun to play in games like that.”