fred@mahometnews.com

Nolan Earley didn’t want the last-minute stress.

He wanted to avoid the uncertainty.

He was reluctant to procrastinate.

The St. Joseph-Ogden senior multi-sport athlete avoided one of the pitfalls that befall many high schoolers who postpone a decision about their athletic futures.

When the current school year began in August, Earley had the answers. He knew what he was doing and where he was going.

In another year.

He committed to Southwest Illinois College, a community college in Belleville, to play baseball for the next two years, beginning in the spring of 2026.

“I wanted to start my year with a clear mind and just be able to go out and enjoy everything my senior year has to offer,” Earley said. “I want to concentrate on making great memories with my friends, teammates and family before I head off to college in the summer.”

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound pitcher committed to SWIC on Aug. 16.

The connection that prompted Earley to plan to relocate to southern Illinois is the SWIC coach, David Garcia, who was among the youth coaches whom he worked with years ago.

Garcia is entering his sixth year as head coach at SWIC and has a career record of 142-97-1.

“At 14 and 15, my travel ball coach (David Garcia) for the Paign City Rox recognized my talent, competitiveness and bulldog mentality,” Earley said. “That was when I started envisioning that if I decided to take the college route, this could be in my future. 

“My parents (Ryan and Jill Earley) encouraged me to have fun, compete and the rest just fell into place.”  

Earley’s love for baseball was nurtured at a young age. In addition to the school teams he has played for, he was a member of four different travel teams since he was 9.

He had many influential role models in his life.

“A lot of mentors and coaches have developed me in different ways over the years and taught me a lot of things,” Earley said. “I think every single coach I had at one time, left an impression on me in some way.”

He was coached by Brandon McFarland while at Urbana Middle School.

During his 9-and-under and 10-and-under seasons with the Xpress Champaign, he was coached by Jake Buchanan.

Earley spent the next three travel seasons with the Champaign Dream, where Bryan Johnson, Mike Brazelton, Mike Orton and Joe Immke worked with him at various times.

Garcia was his coach during the 14-and-under and 15-and under seasons.

He was under the guidance of Bob Sears, Josh Miller and B.J. Burkhart during his 16-and-under and 17-and-under seasons with the Rawlings Tigers.

During high school ball at SJ-O, his coaches have been Josh Haley, Mitch Pruemer and Jayden Miller.

“Coach Haley at SJ-O and the coaching staff have made an impact by pushing me to be the best I can be, believing in me and pushing me to be a leader,” Earley said.

During his recruitment, Earley received interest from four-year schools as well as junior colleges. He kept his career path in mind as he narrowed down his list of options.

Besides SWIC, the other NJCAA Division II campus visits Earley made were to Danville Area Community College and Parkland College.

“I declined any visits with (four-year) universities as I knew that I was going to take the junior college route and chose that my sophomore year of high school,” Earley said. “For me, I felt like this was the better fit with the career field and trades I am interested in.

“At junior college levels, I would have more of a chance to play right out of high school and I am not sure I wanted to commit to four more years of school.”

As he contemplated the choices, one question was the determining factor.

“Settling into my choice was tough for only the reason of having to decide if I wanted to be three hours away from home vs. 30 minutes from home,” Earley said. “I wanted to be sure to visit the schools that were close to home, but deep down I knew SWIC was what I was always leaning towards.

“With the amazing offer of academics, living arrangements and having the personal connections to the SWIC coach who has believed in me early on, is what pulled all the weight. SWIC just feels like home. My parents have stood by me and have always said they want what I want, so I knew they would support me with whatever decision I made.”

Earley made his first visit to SWIC in December, 2023. He received a scholarship offer at that time.

“I was very lucky in the fact that I didn’t chase recruitment at all,” he said. “The schools who were interested in me came and watched me at high school games or over the summer.

“Some coaches found me by tweets on twitter of baseball stats that SJ-O was posting, or my travel team. At that point, they would contact me or my coaches.”

The difficulty for Earley came after hearing from the three coaches.

“All the texts, phone calls, emails and then the decision-making was stressful,” Earley said. “It felt like pressure.  Although I felt blessed, I got tired of thinking and talking about it.

“I think the hardest part of the process is letting the coaches know that I didn’t want to come to a visit or that I was going a different direction. They obviously saw something in me and took their time to make connections with me, so that was the hardest part.”

From the time Earley committed to SWIC, it would be about 18 months before he’d suit up for his first official collegiate game. That’s plenty of time to continue honing his skills and finding a niche.

“I see fitting in wherever the SWIC coaches see me benefiting my team the most,” Earley said. “My coach has told me to just keep striving for mental and physical growth. That is a big part of baseball.

“I feel like once I reach the college level, it will be a new beginning. It doesn’t matter what I have done in the past to get myself there, it will be the work I put in to grow and develop more.

“Not only on the field but also off the field. I feel like with my work ethic and competitive attitude, I won’t fall short. However, nothing is handed to you, so I will have to earn it. I am looking forward to working with my new teammates and coaches and being part of the SWIC program.”

SJ-O coach Josh Haley sees Earley as someone who will contribute at SWIC.

“Nolan has continued to improve each season on the mound and has grown into a top of the rotation pitcher,” Haley said. “Nolan is a competitor that expects to win and compete each time he takes the ball.

“Nolan has a tremendous opportunity to pitch at SWIC.  There have been several SJ-O players pitch in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) the past several years.  It is a competitive conference that offers players an opportunity to advance their academic and athletic careers.”

Establishing himself in college will be no different than what he had to do after enrolling in high school.

Earley moved from Urbana into the SJ-O district prior to the start of his freshman year.

“At that time, I knew I would have to prove myself being new,” he said. “Although I knew a lot of the kids from here and had already played travel baseball with some of them for years, I had to prove myself to the coaches who didn’t know me at all.

“The (high school) coaches had coached the kids throughout middle school and I would need to put the work in to show them. My whole freshman year I just had to be patient. I had to wait to be seen.”

When Earley’s sophomore year began, he was originally issued a JV jersey.

“After practicing with varsity, I earned a spot and never touched the JV field once,” he said. “I was a starter for all varsity games (primarily at third base and as part of the pitching rotation).”

He was the Spartans’ Gold Glove award winner for the 2023 season. After the 2024 season, Earley earned the team’s Pitcher of the Year award.

“I am really looking forward to my senior spring season,” he said. “We have a great group this upcoming year and I am excited to see how far we will go.

“I want to go out and be a leader, compete, have a good time, make memories with my friends and win.”

Though he plays football – and excels for the undefeated and state-ranked SJ-O football team – baseball has been Earley’s first love.

“I don’t even remember not playing baseball,” he said. “I started in T-Ball at the age you’re able to sign up and have been playing baseball ever since.”

Earley plans on majoring in Construction Management at SWIC, which was 37-21 last spring.

“In 10 years, I see myself working in the construction or trade fields and hopefully starting a family,” he said.

At SJ-O, he has played three sports, but gave up basketball after his freshman year to have a break between seasons and also to start training for baseball. He is also a member of the undefeated Spartan football team (10-0) that will play a second-round playoff game on Saturday (Nov. 9) at Tolono Unity (7-3). He is one of the team’s top three tacklers.

“Baseball has always been my true love and passion,” Earley said. “There was not another time that I favored another sport growing up.

“I really like football and have enjoyed playing it but I haven’t played football my whole life like baseball.  Football and baseball are completely different sports and provide different feelings of success. Baseball is what I can not live without.”

Some schools were interested in Earley for football.

“At first, I kind of thought that they must have done that for everyone, but he (coach Shawn Skinner) confirmed it was only on specific people that got requested,” Earley said. “Coach forwarded me the information to fill out, and I did not complete the link, and carried on.

“At that the end of my junior year season, I had coaches reaching out to me personally to play football collegiately at the NCAA Division III level. I did not want to commit to four years of school and knew that I was on a junior college path.”

The distance from home to Belleville is one of the adjustments that Earley will face as he embarks on his collegiate career.

“The transition will be tough not being with my parents and sister (2023 SJ-O graduate Katie) but I am sure I will be able to settle in,” he said. “I will know some teammates on my college team due to playing with them or against them over the years.

“I have an aunt and uncle that also only live about 45 minutes away in Missouri. My parents are great supporters and I know they will get to some games, so I know I won’t go too long without seeing them.”

As a junior at SJ-O, Earley had a 5-0 pitching record and a 2.11 earned run average. In 53 innings, he struck out 63 batters.

He was also a force at the plate for a 32-5 team. He batted .342 and compiled 12 multi-hit games.

As a sophomore on a 28-8 team, Earley was also 5-0 on the mound for the Spartans and had a 3.22 ERA. He fanned 40 batters in 32 innings. That year, he hit .268 with six multi-hit games.

The post St. Joseph-Ogden’s Nolan Earley Commits to SWIC Baseball, Eyes Senior Season with Clarity and Determination appeared first on .

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By FRED KRONER

Fred@mahometnews.com

St. Joseph-Ogden Baseball

Two St. Joseph-Ogden baseball players – seniors Luke Landrus and Braxton Waller – were among 24 high school athletes statewide chosen for the Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A All-State first team.

Landrus was primarily a pitcher and a catcher for a 32-5 SJ-O squad. Waller was both a catcher and a first baseman.

Fourteen of the Class 2A selections were seniors, eight were juniors and two were sophomores.

Waller hit .478 for the season and drove in a school-record 67 runs. He swatted 14 doubles, one triple and seven home runs. Waller stole nine bases.

Landrus compiled a .462 batting average. He hammered 15 doubles, five triples and four home runs. Landrus stole 22 bases. Landrus knocked in 52 runs.

On the mound, Landrus finished with an 8-1 record and 1.69 earned run average. He struck out 60 batters in 37 1/3 innings.

The post Luke Landrus and Braxton Waller Earn First-Team All-State Honors for St. Joseph-Ogden Baseball appeared first on .

fred@mahometnews.com

There is a select group of “can’t-miss” prospects scattered from coast to coast. They are the best in their sport and are on the radar of major college coaches everywhere.

Then, there’s everyone else.

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Caleb Ochs discovered that it’s important to have an agent in your corner when looking to continue playing beyond high school.

Yourself.

“The recruiting process was a little different than I expected,” the right-handed pitcher said. “There’s a lot more self-promotion that you have to do.

“Coaches will reach out, but sometimes it’s up to you to put yourself out there first, so it gives coaches an opportunity to see you.”

Before settling on Monmouth College as his collegiate home, Ochs had other options to consider.

He had offers from Parkland College and Iowa Lakes Community College and visited the St. Louis School of Medicine numerous times.

“What made Monmouth stand out from the rest was that they were a very small campus and coming from a small town, it just felt like home,” Ochs said. “In addition to that, after meeting all of the coaches and professors, it really felt like everyone wanted you to succeed.

“I felt that the players were a very tight-knit group of people and it really felt like a family. I also formed a great relationship with the coaches and felt at home there.”

A three-year varsity pitcher for SJ-O, Ochs might have had additional opportunities except his playing time was limited this spring as he recovers from a football injury sustained in a Week 7 game against Pontiac.

He suffered a torn labrum and underwent surgery in November, which sidelined him throughout the basketball season and limited his innings in baseball.

“I was still part of the basketball team, just not on the court, and have had to sit out a good portion of the baseball season,” Ochs said. “It has been very frustrating at times with this being my senior year.

“However, I have focused on what I can do for my team off the court and field and it has made me appreciate playing so much more. I’m so excited to finally be back in uniform and that my baseball career will continue at Monmouth.”

SJ-O coach Josh Haley recognized the potential in Ochs years ago.

“Caleb has been a staple in our pitching rotation for the past three seasons,” Haley said. “Unfortunately this season he had a delayed start from his injury from football, but he worked hard to rehab to put himself in position to help the team the last few weeks of the regular season and going into the postseason.

“Caleb has a great work ethic, competes and is a high character individual that will fit in perfectly with the Monmouth baseball program. Caleb is going to continue to work hard to put himself in position to succeed at the next level.”

As a sophomore on a 35-3 Spartan team, Ochs compiled a 6-0 record and a team-best 1.41 earned run average. He struck out 40 hitters in a team-leading 39 2/3 innings.

As a junior on a 28-8 squad, Ochs tied for first in pitching appearances (12) and fashioned a 4-2 record with a 3.58 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings.

As a senior, he was 0-0 in four appearances and struck out four batters in six innings for the 32-5 Spartans.

Ochs has enjoyed an up-close look at baseball from the time he was a toddler.

“I’ve played baseball since I was a little kid, 3 or 4 years old,” he said. “What prompted me to play the sport was that my dad (Jim Ochs) was a high school and junior high baseball coach at Armstrong-Potomac.

“I grew up going to all the games and sitting in the dugout with the players. That’s what initially started my love for the game.”

Pitching has always been his position of choice.

“I really enjoy being able to set up pitches and set the batter up with a plan,” Ochs said. “It feels like you’re in the driver’s seat of the game.

“As a pitcher, I feel like I’m very good at keeping my composure on the mound.” 

He has had a plethora of tutors throughout his career.

“There have been many people that have been key in my development,” Ochs said. “I’ve played summer travel baseball for the Decatur Commodores the last two summers and all of the coaches from that organization have helped me tremendously.

“My high school coaches have also helped out immensely in my development. I also go to Coach Ks Academy, in Bloomington, throughout the year and work with instructors on throwing mechanics and pitch design.

“In addition to that, my dad has been a huge part of me developing as a baseball player. He’s always been there for me and will help me work on things, or play catch, whenever I need him.”

The feedback Ochs has received from the Monmouth coaches centers on being prepared.

“Coming into it, the coaches have just said be ready to work hard,” Ochs said. “Most likely I will be looked at as pitching out of the bullpen next year.

“I just really want to join the team, have a lot of fun, and help out whenever and wherever I can.

“The goal would be to contribute next year, of course. As a freshman, contributing to the team would be awesome. I’m ready to work hard.

“With areas of development, I just want to focus on my mechanics. I want to make sure my upper half and lower half is rotating effectively and want to work on increasing velocity.”

Ochs plans on majoring in Exercise Science and Health Movement.

“With that degree, I want to further my education after Monmouth and study in a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at another university,” Ochs added. “Ideally, in 10 years, I would be a physical therapist, whether that’s in a clinical setting or private practice.”

The distance from St. Joseph to Monmouth (northwest of Peoria) is approximately 170 miles. Ochs is comfortable with that.

“I’m extremely close with my family,” Ochs said. “They’ve helped support me in any activity or avenue I’ve wanted to be involved in.

“I know they will support me in this next chapter of my career and schooling. In addition to that, Monmouth isn’t too far away, so I can always make it back home if I would need something.”

In addition to playing baseball four years at SJ-O, Ochs was involved with basketball four years and football for one.

Baseball was his go-to sport.

“It was always a goal for me to play college baseball,” he said. “I always wanted to play when I was younger, but the dream became more of a reality when I was getting older in travel baseball with more exposure to college coaches.”

Monmouth scouted him at a travel-ball tournament.

“The (pitching) coach (Ryan Jemar) had watched me at one of my tournaments and had reached out and texted me during the summer asking to see if I wanted to go to campus,” Ochs said. “We first initially started texting the summer after my junior year.”

Until then, though he was firm in his goal, Ochs was uncertain if it was realistic.

“As a little kid, everyone wanted to be a professional athlete, but when I was around 11 or 12 years old I really wanted to play college baseball,” Ochs said. “I worked hard but I didn’t really know if that was a possibility in my teen-age years.

“However, two summers ago after performing well at a few tournaments and showcases, I started talking to a few schools and that’s when the dream of college baseball turned from just a dream to reality.”

The post From High School to College Ball: St. Joseph-Ogden’s Caleb Ochs Takes Charge of His Baseball Future appeared first on .

Luke Landrus socked two hits, but the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team took a 7-3 loss to Maroa-Forsyth on Wednesday (May 22) in a semifinal game of the IHSA Class 2A sectional at Millikin University, in Decatur.

Landrus, Braxton Waller and Kodey McKinney delivered one RBI apiece for the Spartans. Tanner Jacob, Jared Altenbaumer and Garrett Denhart tallied the team’s runs.

Spartans with hits besides Landrus were Logan Rosenthal, Altenbaumer, Bryson Houchens, Will Haley and McKinney.

Houchen pitched the first 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and fanned two hitters.

Parker Fitch came in for 1 1/3 innings. He issued two walks and struck out three. Altenbaumer needed two pitches to get the last out.

Maroa-Forsyth carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning when the Trojans erupted for four runs.

SJ-O ends the season with a 32-5 record.

The Spartans’ seniors are Jacob, Denhart, Landrus, Waller and Caleb Ochs.

Seven SJ-O players compiled season batting averages over .300.

The team leaders were Waller (.478), Landrus (.462),  Altenbaumer (.360), McKinney (.352), Houchens (.351), Rosenthal (.347) and Earley (.342).

Waller set a school season record with 67 RBI. Landrus knocked in 52 runs and also surpassed the previous SJ-O season record.

Landrus (56), Jacob (50) and McKinney (39) were the leaders in runs scored.

Landrus and Waller each ended the year with 54 hits.

Landrus had a team-best 24 extra-base hits and also led in stolen bases (22). Waller poked 22 extra-base hits, including a team-leading seven home runs.

Jacob and McKinney each stole 20 bases.

Waller finished the year with 18 games of two, or more, hits. Landrus produced 16 multi-hit games.

Eight pitchers earned wins this spring. They were: Landrus (8-1), Houchens (6-1), Earley (5-0), Asher Pruemer (5-3), Trevor Ames (4-0), Altenbaumer (2-0), Fitch (1-0) and Kendrick Johnson (1-0).

Earley led SJ-O in innings pitched (53) and strikeouts (63). Landrus recorded 60 strikeouts and Houchens fanned 42 hitters.

The best earned run averages, for pitchers who worked at least 20 innings, were Ames (0.95), Altenbaumer (1.53), Houchens (1.63), Landrus (1.69), Pruemer (1.91) and Earley (2.11).

Altenbaumer led the Spartans in pitching appearances (13), followed by Earley (11 games) and Houchens (10 games).

The post Spartans Fall to Maroa-Forsyth in IHSA Class 2A Sectional Semifinal, Ending Stellar Season appeared first on .

Timera Backburn-Kelly fired a two-hitter on Saturday (May 18) as the St. Joseph-Ogden softball team topped visiting Tolono Unity, 5-1, in a Class 2A regional championship softball game at Randy Wolken Field.

Unity scored its run against Blackburn-Kelly in the opening inning, but left the bases loaded in the first. Blackburn-Kelly (14-1) struck out nine batters and walked three.

In her last 28 innings, she has allowed just one earned run.

The Spartans tied the game in the third inning on Addy Martinie’s sacrifice fly and took a 2-1 lead later in the inning on Halle Brazelton’s single into left field.

Grace Osterbur and Ellie Ward also drove in runs. Addison Frick and Ward tallied runs.

Emma McKinney had two of the SJ-O hits. Teammates with one hit apiece were Frick, Osterbur, Brazelton, Ellie Ward, Chayse Palmer and Choe Harper.

SJ-O has won 37 regional softball titles since the program was formed, but last captured one in 2019.

The Spartans (30-6) have won 14 games in a row. SJ-O will take on Effingham St. Anthony (25-3) in a sectional semifinal game on Tuesday (May 21) at 5 p.m. in Monticello.

That winner will face the winner of a semifinal game on Wednesday (May 22) between Marshall and Normal U-High.

The post Blackburn-Kelly Dominates as St. Joseph-Ogden Clinches Regional Softball Title with Victory Over Tolono Unity appeared first on .

The move up from Class 1A to Class 2A didn’t slow St. Joseph-Ogden senior pole-vaulter Payton Carter.

After placing twice in previous years in her specialty (eighth as a sophomore and third as a junior), Carter logged her top state finish on Saturday (May 18) when she captured the runner-up medal in Class 2A.

Carter cleared 11 feet, 8 inches on Saturday at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston.

In the preliminary round on Friday (May 17), Carter cleared 10 feet, 2 inches, the mandatory height to reach the finals.

SJ-O had one other individual state-meet competitor.

Savanna Franzen finished 18^th in the 1,600 meters (5:19.86), which had 33 competitors.

SJ-O scored eight points and tied for 35^th in the Class 2A team standings. Meet champion Normal University High accumulated 63 ½ points.

In all, 71 schools scored points at state.

The post Payton Carter Soars to New Heights with Runner-Up Finish in Class 2A Pole Vault at State Meet appeared first on .

Fred@mahometnews.com

Nolan Earley drove in Kodey McKinney with the walk-off winning run on Saturday (May 18) as St. Joseph-Ogden edged Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin, 4-3, in an IHSA Class 2A regional baseball championship game at Bismarck.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, and the bases loaded, Earley hit a ground ball to third base on the second pitch he faced from reliever Chaz Dubois and McKinney was able to score the decisive run.

SJ-O has won regional titles in 10 of the last 11 years in which a postseason series was conducted. Overall, the regional crown was the 16^th in school history for baseball.

Tanner Jacob, Luke Landrus and Asher Pruemer scored the other runs for the Spartans, who overcame a 2-0 fourth-inning deficit.

Landrus, Logan Rosenthal, Bryson Houchens, Will Haley and McKinney delivered hits for SJ-O.

The other RBI were by Landrus, Rosenthal and Haley.

Earley was the starting pitcher and threw 5 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out nine. Reliever Parker Fitch went the final 1 2/3 innings and picked up his first win of the season. He issued one walk and fanned two hitters.

SJ-O (32-4) returns to action on Wednesday (May 22) at 4:30 p.m. at Millikin University, in Decatur, against Maroa-Forsyth in a sectional semifinal game. B-H/R-A ends with a 24-7 record.

In the second semifinal game on Wednesday, Monticello will face Westville.

The post Earley’s Walk-Off Hit Clinches Regional Title for St. Joseph-Ogden in Nail-Biting Finish appeared first on .

fred@mahometnews.com

Recruiting is often viewed as a numbers’ game.

There are only a certain number of scholarships available for colleges to offer.

There are only a certain number of positions to be filled on a team.

There is also another part of the equation.

No matter how many scholarships an athlete has, ultimately the player can just wind up at one location.

Braxton Waller, the most prolific run-producer in the history of the storied St. Joseph-Ogden baseball program, had the exact number of offers that he needed.

One.

“Danville Area Community College was the only school that offered me any spot to come and play baseball,” Waller said. “They offered me a scholarship I could not pass up.

“DACC is home.”
Waller is learning first-hand about the latest dynamic that is changing the recruiting scene.

“College coaches were very busy looking at the transfer portal that some high school athletes were overlooked in the off-season,” he said. “I did not expect this, and it caused a very stressful time in my life.

“Me and my coaches worked very hard to contact coaches and we fell short many times.”

Waller was the person who originally jump-started his recruiting process.

“I sent emails to about seven or eight different community colleges in Illinois,” he said. “I had conversations with schools, but never got offered a visit or a chance to play.”
There was one noteworthy exception.

“Coach (Clayton) Hicks (at DACC) has been there since the beginning,” Waller said, “and was the first and only offer I received to take my talents to the next level.”

Hicks has just two returning position players for the 2025 season. He views Waller as someone who can help the Jaguars turn around a season that ended with a 21-30 overall record.

Waller is a catcher who can also play third base and first base or be utilized as a designated hitter.

“We hope he’ll be versatile enough that he never has to come out of the lineup,” Hicks said. “We’re looking for him to come in as a middle piece in our lineup as a 3-4-5-6 hitter.”
Waller has rewritten the single-season RBI record at SJ-O. He broke the previous mark of 49 with a two-run double in the third inning of a victory at Tolono Unity on May 2.

He enters the Saturday (May 18) Class 2A regional championship game at Bismarck with 66 RBI and is within one more RBI of moving into the state’s all-time top 20 list.

“I consider Braxton a professional hitter,” SJ-O head coach Josh Haley said. “He has a good approach at the plate and rarely is fooled or doesn’t swing on his pitch.

“This year, he has capitalized, particularly with runners in scoring position.”

Waller has a team-best .500 season batting average, his third straight varsity season at .300 or above. Twenty two of his 54 hits have gone for extra bases.

The records are something he can reflect on later in life.

“I am having a very fortunate senior year and I am having a lot of fun with my teammates,” Waller said. “It feels nice to have some records, but that is not the most important thing right now.

“I am enjoying playing with my hometown teammates and enjoying Spartan baseball for what I have left.” 

Waller’s quest to become a collegiate athlete was a goal long before he entered high school.

“I have always wanted to play a sport in college whether that be football or baseball,” he said. “This all probably started when I was in the sixth grade.

“I loved going to Illinois baseball and football games and I wanted to be out there.”

Although he had limited options for baseball, Waller did have other offers to consider.

“After the conclusion of my senior year football I received interest to play college football,” he said, “but it was not the right fit for me.

“I knew I always wanted to play college baseball and that was what I was going to pursue a career in.”

He started early on his baseball odyssey.

“I have had a bat and ball in my hand ever since I was able to walk,” Waller said. “I started playing tee ball when I was six years old and ever since then I have been in love.

“My dad and my uncles were big influencers on sports and have pushed me to be the athlete I am today. With so much support from my family – specifically my dad, grandpa, and uncles – I was always practicing and hitting balls in the yard.

“This prompted me to be developmentally better than others around me and excel at a very young age. I loved being on a team and playing with others besides myself.”

Waller began playing on travel-ball teams as an 8-year-old with the Champaign Dream. Three years later, he switched to the Danville-based Post 210 program, where he has remained.

“The key to my development was being able to take hard coaching and translate to a positive outcome,” Waller said. “Also, learning that people are only on you because they care about you and not because they are trying to put you down.

“My family and coaches have been a huge help along the way with endless support and encouragement as well as supplying help and input when needed to perfect my game.”

He looks forward to continuing to make progress when he joins DACC.

“I feel like I can improve once I reach college by staying positive no matter what is happening while playing the game I love,” Waller said. “I feel like I will become more independent and my work ethic will increase because of my competitiveness.

“I love the fact that I could be in position to help contribute, but I also understand that no spot is given to anyone. You work hard for what you want and it doesn’t come lightly. I am ready to do what it takes to step on the field next year for the Jaguars.”

Haley has no doubts that Waller can make an impact.

“Braxton’s leadership and energy he brings to the ballpark each day is unmatched,” Haley said. “He’s a great clubhouse player that understands team dynamics and being a good teammate. 

“Braxton Waller has had an outstanding career at SJ-O. He has produced at every level he’s played and will do very well at DACC.”

Waller is pleased to have a college destination that is less than 30 miles from his home.

“I think staying close to home was one of the best decisions for me,” he said. “I love spending time with my family and they are so supportive of me and everything I do.

“Specifically my grandparents, they never miss a game and are always there for me. Without them I don’t know where I would be in life and it means the world to me that I am close to home and they get to see me play.

“Additionally, my parents are also close to me and my biggest supporters. Seeing them at baseball games will help me perform better and relieve me of any stress or pressure because they are the reason I love the game.”

Waller’s family and extended family includes parents Shawna Waller and Steve Waller, uncles Phil Lindsey and Nick Lindsey, paternal grandfathers Bob and Jan Waller as well as maternal grandparents Dave and Debbie Douglas.

“DACC is very close to home, which means my family can come and watch me play home games,” Waller added.

He plans to major in construction management.

“I want to become a project manager at a construction company in the next 10 years,” said Waller, who hopes to continue living around his hometown.

The chance to keep playing baseball is one he will relish.

“The best thing about baseball is that you are playing with some of your best friends and it takes everyone in order to win ball games,” Waller said. “I would say my strengths are leadership, hitting, and baseball IQ.

“I tend to show my leadership skills by picking up teammates when they are in a slump and keeping the energy up in the dugout.

“I want to contribute to DACC baseball in any way possible, whether that be offensively, defensively, or just a team player who helps my teammates.”

Those traits are exactly what Hicks is looking for in his recruit.

“We like his character and leadership on and off the field,” Hicks said. “That’s what you want, a leader, behind the plate.

“We feel Braxton will be a big part of our team. We are confident in him as a person and a player and know he will put in the work.”

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Fred@mahometnews.com

Braxton Waller clubbed a two-run homer on Wednesday (May 15) as St. Joseph-Ogden started its postseason baseball journey with a 4-1 Class 2A regional semifinal victory at Bismarck-Henning over Oakwood.

Jared Altenbaumer had two hits for the Spartans. Teammates with one hit, besides Waller, were Tanner Jacob, Luke Landrus and Nolan Earley.

Jacob scored two runs. Landrus and Waller both tallied one run. Landrus also drove in a run.

Landrus pitched the first four innings and notched the win. He allowed two hits, two walks and struck out seven.

He was followed to the mound by Parker Fitch, who fanned three hitters in two innings, and Earley, whose one-inning stint included two strikeouts.

SJ-O (31-4) returns to action in the regional championship game on Saturday (May 18) against either Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin or Watseka.

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