meet the wildcats

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PAGE 24 ■ SPORTS

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013

MEET THE WILDCATS A closer look at the 20 Jasper players who’ve helped the Wildcats make their 14th state finals appearance 19 Mark Giesler

16 Nick Gobert Class: senior Position: first baseman/ pitcher Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Austin Alles plays Pokemon and listens to Taylor Swift; easy target for pranks Funniest moment on the team this season? putting Austin Alles’ underwear on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Ben Moore; dry sense of humor, very

2 Andy Knust

funny What are your pregame necessities? never eat or listen to music on bus rides for road game Favorite former Wildcat player? Sam Linette Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Kent Murphy (YouTube sensation) Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? pinstripes

Class: senior Position: pitcher/infield/ catcher Nicknames: Gobes, Porter Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles — most random sayings and comebacks. Mark Giesler — complete sarcasm in everything he says. What are your pregame necessities? visit my sister Sarah’s grave, hit off tee, Rolen drill Favorite former Wildcat players? Scott Kluesner, Scott Rolen, Matt Mauck, Phil Kendall Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Aroldis Chapman Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? my pitching Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? the tradition; working harder than every program in the state; high expectations

field thing”) Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Jose Reyes Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? I bunted well Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? winning

4 Seth Hollinden

11 Nathan Leibering

24 Craig Schneider

Class: senior Position: first base Nickname: Puddin Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? “Babe Ruth is dead” Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Nick Gobert; he does impresions of other people Funniest moment on the team this season? hanging Austin Alles’ clothes on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Landon Ball; he is very sarcastic What are your pregame necessities? A pizza sub from Subway. A must! Favorite former Wildcat player? all of them Favorite pro baseball team? Boston Red Sox Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? David Ortiz Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? hit a walk-off RBI single against Evansville North Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? playing on the greatest baseball field in Indiana

Class: senior Position: third base/first base Nicknames: Beef, Beefy Funniest moment on the team this season? Devon Traylor eating the dirt while doing warm-ups before practice Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles, because he’s huge but acts like a 2-year-old! What are your pregame necessities? I have my grandpa’s initials (R.R.R.) and make the sign of the cross in the infield prior to each game Favorite former Wildcat player? Sam Linette Favorite pro baseball team? Cincinnati Reds Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Brandon Phillips Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? always keep a positive attitude, and bust it every day Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? It is respected around the state, and we become brothers through this program.

Class: senior Position: pitcher/infield Nicknames: Surge, Steve, Ohlendorf Funniest moment on the team this season? the Jasper baseball flag was

hung upside-down Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles; you feel like you’re at a kiddy fun park What are your pregame necessities? get dressed (wearing the same clothes, cleaned), walk up the hill and get mentally ready for the game Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? Cincinnati Reds Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Nolan Ryan Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? went 5-0 as a pitcher; give the team an energy boost Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? tradition and wearing Jasper on my chest

Class: senior Position: left field Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he sang the “days of the week” song Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor; he is a crazy man Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles; he acts like a kid What are your pregame necessities? Pop-Tarts. Slick back the hair (“out-

6 Devon Traylor

3 Brayden Betz

25 Landon Ball

10 Courtland Betz

Class: senior Position: center field Nickname: D-Tray Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? jokingly yelling at Caleb Lehman last year for being late Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Scott Stallwood; long and random conversations about the stupidest stuff Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles; you just can’t explain why! Favorite former Wildcat player? Logan Sermersheim Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Mike Trout Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? run down a ball in center that saved a couple runs against Silver Creek Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? growing and learning as a person, and winning as a team and becoming a family

Class: junior Position: outfield Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he dove away from a foul ball Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor, because he is crazy Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles, because he’s dumb What are your pregame necessities? Pop-Tarts Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Jacob Seibert Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? pinch-running Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? having a lot of fans at the games

Class: junior Position: pitcher/ infield Nicknames: 18-Wheeler, Ballski, Weaksauce Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor Funniest moment on the team this season? when Austin Alles’ clothes were hung on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles, because he’s a muffin top Favorite former Wildcat player? Dustin Bradley Favorite pro baseball team? New York Yankees Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Prince Fielder Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? catch the bullpen Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? winning, and the coaching staff

Class: junior Position: infield Nickname: C-Mankey Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor; interesting and hilarious talks Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles, because of how childish he is and his funny sayings Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go oneon-one against? Kent Murphy (YouTube sensation) Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? going hard every day, keeping energy in the dugout, practicing hard and having a positive attitude Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? team unity and all the pride everyone has in the program. And winning.

THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013

SPORTS ■ PAGE 25

20 Spencer Otto

1 Jacob Seibert Class: junior Position: right field Nicknames: Minus, Spazz Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? a foul ball was hit right at him and he had to dive out of the way Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles and Ben Moore. Very smart

9 Scott Stallwood Class: junior Position: outfield Nickname: Seebo Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he was yelling the “days of the week” song at Levi Eckert Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor; he’s a funny guy and makes jokes Funniest moment on the team this season? when Austin Alles’ clothes got

but also very dumb. What are your pregame necessities? slicking back hair under hat (outfield thing). Devon Traylor and I have to be the second-to-last group to throw on the line. Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Tim Wakefield Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? hitting a three-run home run in semistate Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? being with the team every day of the week, and winning

hung on the flag pole Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles; he is a little kid What are your pregame necessities? eating Pop-Tarts Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Brayden Betz Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? keeping the pitching chart and pinch-running Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? the atmosphere

Class: junior Position: catcher Nickname: Scooter Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? “Stop watching cartoons and get up to practice.” Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor; crazy conversations Funniest moment on the team this season? hanging Austin Alles’ clothes on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles What are your pregame necessities? same socks. Puddin (Nathan Leibering) and I shake hands. Favorite former Wildcat player? Ian Boone Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Jason Motte Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? catching most games and helping out my pitchers as much as possible Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? the effort we put in every day and the great group of guys. And all the fun we have.

18 Austin Alles

8 Tyler Begle

12 Rhiley Eckert

Class: sophomore Position: third base/first base Nicknames: Chocolate Thunder, Baby Huey Favorite Coach Gobert moment? responding “hey player” when addressed “hey coach” Funniest moment on the team this season? Ben Moore shooting an imaginary arrow on second base Which teammate cracks you up? (student manager) Austin Hopf; he has bad jokes What are your pregame necessities? cheese dogs Favorite former Wildcat player? Michael Alles Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Nick Gobert Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? helping Nick Gobert pitch better Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? winning

Class: sophomore Position: infield Nickname: Begs Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he had to dive and roll away from a baseball when he was coaching third base Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Landon Ball Funniest moment on the team this season? putting Austin Alles’ clothes on the flagpole on senior night Which teammate cracks you up? Ben Moore because of his sacrastic sayings What are your pregame necessities? same undershirt for every game Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Ben Moore Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? worked hard in practice Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? You have to work for a position. It is not given to you.

7 Tyler Haskins

15 Ben Moore

Class: sophomore Position: outfield Nickname: T-Hask Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Devon Traylor, because he’s loud and funny Funniest moment on the team this season? putting up Austin Alles’ clothing on a flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles, because everyone always makes fun of him What are your pregame necessities? praying before every game Favorite pro baseball team? Atlanta Braves Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Ben Moore Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? running bases during practice Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? we work hard and have (good relationships) with each other

Class: sophomore Position: outfield/DH Nickname: Benny Mo Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he sang the “days of the week” song Who on your team spices up long bus rides? Austin Alles with his Pokemon knowledge Which teammate cracks you up? Landon Ball and his random sayings Favorite former Wildcat player? Broc Litherland Favorite pro baseball team? Miami Marlins Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Giancarlo Stanton Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? stealing three bases in semistate Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? being around tradition and a community that cares

Class: sophomore Position: pitcher Nickname: Driz Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? when he started singing the “days of the week” song Who on your team spices up long bus rides?

Hopfy (manager Austin Hopf) Funniest moment on the team this season? quoting coach Kent Murphy (YouTube sensation) Which teammate cracks you up? Ben Moore or Austin Alles. Maybe Landon Ball. What are your pregame necessities? eat cheese dogs Favorite former Wildcat player? Logan Sermersheim Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-on-one against? Kent Murphy Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? helping the team get better at practice Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? great tradition

13 Cal Krueger

Class: freshman Position: infield/catcher/pitcher Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? “Are you stupid or dumb?” Funniest moment on the team this season? hanging Austin Alles’ underwear on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Ben Moore; he gives a technical answer to everything What are your pregame necessities? nap, ice cream Favorite former Wildcat player? Sam Linette Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Aroldis Chapman Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? getting RBI hits

5 Craig Shepherd Class: freshman Position: shortstop/ pitcher Nickname: Shep Favorite Coach Gobert moment or saying? “Give them three outs or less, use all three of our

outs and you will win.” Funniest moment on the team this season? having Austin Alles’ clothes hung up on the flagpole Which teammate cracks you up? Austin Alles Favorite former Wildcat player? Scott Rolen Favorite pro baseball team? St. Louis Cardinals Baseball player you’d like to go one-onone against? Derek Jeter Something you’re most proud of that you’ve done to help your team reach state? work hard in any situation Favorite thing about playing baseball at Jasper? we play as a team and work hard as a team