The New Hope High School baseball team may be strongest up the middle.
Any coach will tell you that they like their squad’s chances if they have dependable players at catcher, pitcher, center field, and in the middle infield positions.
Coach Lee Boyd has that confidence this season thanks to an interchangeable lineup that has relied on the play of juniors Tee Payne (catcher) and Landon Boyd (pitcher) and sophomores Taylor Stafford (center fielder/pitcher) and Will Golsan (shortstop/pitcher).
Those four players have offered significant contributions in New Hope’s run to the Class 5A, Region 2, District 1 championship. All of the Trojans will look to take the next step when they play host to Lake Cormorant at 7 p.m. Thursday in game one of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North State second-round playoff series a Trojan Field.
“A couple of years ago, we were so set on keeping guys at one position that we had an injury in a game and we kind of had to throw guys in different spots and it kind of backfired on us,” Boyd said. “We have tried to make sure guys are versatile enough to play more than one positions.”
Game two of the series will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Lake Cormorant. An if-needed game three will be at 7 p.m. Saturday in Columbus.
While upperclassmen like Dusty Dyson, Thomas Woodruff, Austin Ogelsby, Peyton Lee, Joe Harvey, and Ben Veazey have provided valuable contributions in a number of roles and positions, the Trojans have been at their best when they have mixed and matched classes and responsibilities.
Boyd has tried to foster that versatility by using Golsan, who is capable of playing second and third base, at pitcher. He said Stafford could have been a starting pitcher, but he has enjoyed having the ambidextrous left-handed pitcher as his primary reliever for the past two seasons.
Landon Boyd, who is Lee Boyd’s younger brother, plays third base when he is not handling duties as the team’s No. 1 pitcher.
“Taylor is someone who is dependable late in the game,” Boyd said. “He has hit at the top of our order for the past two years.
“Landon has been dominant on the mound all season. He has thrown a bunch of complete games for us, and we hope that continues.”
Landon Boyd said the Trojans are building toward something but don’t want to put their title aspirations on hold. He said the close friendships on the team have helped the Trojans overcome some struggles earlier in the season.
Golsan agreed.
“What helps us the most is we are so close, and as we are close, it makes us a better team,” Golsan said. “Each day we are getting better.”
Payne, who also is a standout on the school’s football team, has seen most of his playing time at catcher. Boyd, Stafford, and Golsan have been more versatile, but all four have been equally important in the team’s success.
“Tee has come a long way,” Boyd said. “He is an athlete. He is all heart His heart is this big around (holding his arms shoulder length apart).”
Boyd calls pitches for the Trojans, but he said Payne has offered keen insight and has offered suggestions about what the team can do in situations. He said he has matured into a receiver all of the pitchers can count on to be a defensive standout.
“I am not going to say he has been a surprise, but he has done extremely well for us this season,” Boyd said.
Payne said he has relaxed and matured into the role of starting catcher. He said he was so worried about his role that he didn’t allow his skills to shine. These days, though, he said has “laid back” and “let his talent take over.”
This is the first time Boyd can remember any of his teams having a week off to prepare for the playoffs. New Hope (20-7, 7-2 district) has been off since a 13-5 victory against Saltillo on April 18. The Trojans had 15 hits in the win, and Boyd hopes they can keep those hot bats going for a few more weeks.
“They are ready to play somebody,” Boyd said. “We kind of broken out offensively the last game, and I hope that carries over because our pitching and our defense have really carried us the last half of the season. I hope we can put those two aspects together and carry it over to Thursday night.”
Stafford feels the team-first approach the Trojans have taken will allow them to be successful.
“Each game it is somebody different getting the job done,” Stafford said. “We don’t have a weak spot in our lineup.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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