It had been some tough times for Justin Pickett and the Morristown West baseball team coming into 2024.
The Trojans had won just four games in 2021, 13 games in 2022 and 11 in 2023. However, Pickett felt like the program was close and had the team in 2024 to make some noise in the district and region.
Pickett was correct.
The Trojans tied the school record for wins with 26, won the regular season district championship, the district tournament championship and won a region tournament game for the first time in 21 years. Because of that, Pickett has been named the 69制片厂制作传媒播 Lakeway Area Baseball Coach of the Year.
69制片厂制作传媒淚 knew it was going to be a grind for a couple of years starting and relying on freshmen but also knew it would pay off over time,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett said. 69制片厂制作传媒淲e had a lot of talent, they just needed the experience and maturity. From the baseball side of it, I knew we had a bright future.69制片厂制作传媒
While Pickett believed in his players from the beginning, Pickett69制片厂制作传媒檚 players also believed in him. That trust a coach has in his team goes a long way, and that was the case for the Morristown West team.
69制片厂制作传媒淭o be a great player, you have to have a coach to believe in you,69制片厂制作传媒 Paxton Seal said. 69制片厂制作传媒淐oach Pickett not only believes in me, but his team, and will do anything to make sure we succeed in any way possible on and off the field. Not only is he my coach, but also my mentor. Coach Pickett is the best coach I69制片厂制作传媒檝e played for so far.69制片厂制作传媒
Coming into the 2024 season, the Trojans were still a young team but that didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 seem to bother Pickett or his expectations for the group.
69制片厂制作传媒淎bsolutely,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett said about feeling the 2024 team had a chance to be special. 69制片厂制作传媒淗onestly I felt like we should have hosted the section game this year. Hats off to Sevier County, but I think we were the better team and just ran out of gas. With the two major arms we had with Malakhi Isom and Paxton Seal, I like my chances with any team in a best of three series.69制片厂制作传媒
The season started well for West, picking up wins in six of their first seven games. The Trojans then took a loss to Sevier County at home but bounced back the next day with a big win over the Smoky Bears on the road.
Following a 3-1 trip out to Alabama over Spring Break, West returned home and won 13-1 and 18-0 over rival Morristown East to improve to 4-2 in district play. The Trojans kept the winning ways going from there with wins over Lenoir City and Cocke County, heading into a battle at Smokies Stadium against Sevier County with confidence.
A win over the Smoky Bears would put the Trojans in the driver69制片厂制作传媒檚 seat in the district, but it wasn69制片厂制作传媒檛 going to be easy as Brady Scott took the mound for the Smoky Bears. Pickett countered with Isom, and he shut out Sevier County for a 2-0 win.
69制片厂制作传媒淭hat was such a fun game to be a part of,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚t was a straight up pitchers duel, then Charlie Dewald, 69制片厂制作传媒楳r. Clutch,69制片厂制作传媒 came through with a big two-RBI double in the 5th and that didn't give them a lot of outs remaining. I think the guys knew what they could accomplish if they just stayed the course and kept putting in the work. I know as a team they will have higher expectations going into the 2025 season.69制片厂制作传媒
From there, West won their next four games including a come-from-behind win over Jefferson County. West lost three games in a row to tough non-district opponents after the wins, but beat G-P twice before taking on Morristown East in their final game of the regular season.
The Trojans needed a win to grab the regular season district title and did that in walk off fashion.
It was exactly how we drew it up,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett joked about the win. 69制片厂制作传媒淣o, it was awesome. We had a lot of meaningful games this season that decided a lot, and I think after we beat Jefferson County the week prior the guys were not going to be denied the district title.69制片厂制作传媒
Using that momentum, West breezed through the District 2-4A Tournament with wins over East, Jefferson County and Sevier County. It was their first district championship in 11 years.
69制片厂制作传媒淚t was probably the most exciting game I69制片厂制作传媒檝e been a part of since I've been at Morristown West,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett said of the Sevier County game. 69制片厂制作传媒淏oth teams were playing with a lot of emotions and made it a very exciting and dramatic game. But then again, late heroics in 69制片厂制作传媒楳r. Clutch,69制片厂制作传媒 Charlie Dewald, coming through with a grand slam to take the lead. It was awesome to see all the hard work all year pay off.69制片厂制作传媒
West hosted the Region 1-4A Tournament after and picked up a win over Daniel Boone before dropping two contests to end their season.
Despite the loss, Pickett said it was a season he will never forget and a great building block for the younger guys.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e've got a lot of guys coming back, only losing two seniors, Malakhi Isom and Jordan Watson,69制片厂制作传媒 Pickett said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚 don't think I have to really say much to motivate the younger players. I'm sure the returning players will take care of that, but it helps when discussing team objectives and goals and where they see themselves progressing over the course of the season.69制片厂制作传媒
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