MADISON – The ring fitter is coming early for a school day, a Friday even, but the Bob Jones High School baseball team will collectively be waiting.
No absences from the underclassmen. The seniors, done with classes, will darken the doors at least one more time.
The school has been waiting long enough, 50 years since the doors were first opened at the old site just blocks down Hughes Road. It’s seen lots of playoff games, final four berths and even appearances in the finals but never has its baseball team won a state championship.
But the wait is now over, compliments of those aforementioned Patriots, the newly-crowned Class 7A Alabama state champions.
Bob Jones defeated Central-Phenix City, ranked No. 1 in the nation by Baseball America, 12-5 in the third and deciding game of a best-of-three series Wednesday at Jacksonville State University’s Rudy Abbott Field.
“I told them the day before, ‘I said this is the last day you won’t be considered a state champion the rest of your life,'” nine-year Patriots head coach Jared Smith told 256 Today. “They proved me right.’’
The Patriots won just the second boys state championship in school history. Bob Jones won the Class 6A state basketball title in 2010.
Braden Booth, who signed with Mississippi State, was named 7A tournament Most Valuable Player and will be one of many Patriots who’ll long be remembered at the school.
“To have 28 guys on the same roster all pulling together, I think that’s what made this team special,’’ Smith said. “We’ve had talented teams and we’ve had really good teams, but everything just clicked with this team. I think you felt it in February, early March when we played in the Perfect Game tournament and we go down there (to Hoover) and beat the (then) number one team in the country – IMG Academy – to win that tournament.
“I think at that point, everybody knew this team could be special.”
The Central Red Devils were playing in their third straight 7A finals and finished runner-up in back-to-back seasons after winning it all in 2022. The Patriots were last in the championship series in 2019, losing a deciding third game 7-6 to McGill-Toolen.
Bob Jones wouldn’t be denied this time.
“Everybody just knew their role – players, coaches, parents,” Smith said. “I think it’s big when everybody’s on board and pulling on the same rope.”
The ring fitter is coming early. The seniors will be there first to design the rings. All the players will get one. They might wear it, put it on the mantle, hide it away for safekeeping and maybe even lose it but won’t matter.
“This group will forever be tied together,” Smith said, “and they’re legends in Bob Jones history.”
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