Hiland seniors added to program's strong baseball legacy
A joyful celebration under the bright lights of Canal Park, hoisting another state title trophy, was exactly where this senior class envisioned performing their final moments as members of the baseball program.
Building a legacy takes tough work, dedication and spirit.
After claiming its second straight state title and third since 2016, the Hiland baseball program has crafted its legacy through all of those attributes and more.
This year’s senior crew earned their way on that legacy wall, with Wyatt Miller, Jamin Troyer, Ryan Troyer, Connor Beachy, Cody Yoder, Monty Coblentz, Brady Yoder and Finn Schneider adding their own stories to the growing list of accomplishments.
Hiland senior Connor Beachy went from the lowest of lows in his final year at Hiland, breaking his leg in the latter part of the Hawks’ basketball team’s run to the state finals. He watched his teammates play as he recovered and finally got a chance at redemption late in the season, where he stepped back in and played a key role in the state title.
“We knew from the beginning of the year we had a chance to go back-to-back,” Beachy said of the baseball season. “We believed we were the best team in Div. IV, and we showed it today. This game shows how committed all of our guys are to the program. We as seniors helped the younger guys get better. It’s a constant cycle, and when you have that many good players cycling through the program, that’s what happens.”
Fellow senior Brady Yoder played Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop this year, added a powerful bat and served as the team’s closer, collecting a win in the state championship game.
He said he couldn’t think of a better way to cap off his career than to experience it on the mound and watching the final groundout cap this senior group’s careers together in style.
He said being part of the Hiland baseball program is something special, and it’s hard to comprehend how much time and effort every player puts into making the program successful.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” Yoder said. “It’s wonderful growing up with the coaching we have, playing with all of these guys we’ve been blessed to play with, traveling together and playing ball together. It’s special. We’ve all been together for most of our lives, and winning a championship together is amazing. It’s going to be hard to let it go.”
Senior outfielder Wyatt Miller said leaving their mark on one of the best programs in the state of Ohio is something that not only this group of seniors can relish, but also something for which every team member can be proud.
He also tipped his cap to all those players who have come before them, noting those players set the stage and exemplified the type of work ethic this group could emulate as they grew into their varsity roles.
“We ended our baseball career on a win at the biggest stage possible,” Miller said. “It’s more than amazing. The bond that this team has is incredible. We all learned to get along, and this group is great.”
He said his dad always told him that when this group of graduates got to their junior and senior years, this team was going to dominate.
“He wasn’t wrong,” Miller said.
Senior Cody Yoder said the experience of playing this game they love, competing for state titles and proving they are the best in the state, is something that will stay with each of them for a long time.
The walls of the training facility, littered with banners and All-Ohioans, stands as proof to that.