Overton's Mustangs taking success all in stride
Mustangs face McLeod in next round, begins Friday
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

Overton High School baseball might be the best-kept secret of the 2007-08 school year.

For instance, did you know that the school only picked back up its baseball program three school years ago? Or that the Mustangs are on a 15-game winning streak that dates back to before March? Or that they're ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 1A, in the latest Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, which was released last Thursday? Overton coach Travis Jackson, who is preparing his team for the third round of the UIL Class 1A playoffs this weekend, is more than aware of that winning streak.

"Our last loss was to Harmony in the Union Grove tournament," said Jackson, adding with a laugh that he tries not to think about it. "That was just our second tournament of the year. It's one of those things that we don't talk about too much."

Overton (20-3) faces McLeod in the 1A third round in a best-of-three-game series - that begins Friday night at Harmony at 6 p.m. Game 2 will be Saturday at 2 p.m., and if Game 3 is needed, it will follow Game 2.

It's a return to Harmony for the Mustangs, who, after a first-round bye, defied the odds a bit in last weekend's area series win over Avery, also a best-of-three-game series.

In the first game, Avery took a 5-0 lead before Overton rallied in the seventh inning to win, 11- 10. In the second game, Overton wrapped up the series with a 10-7 victory - again coming from behind in the seventh inning. This weekend, if the Mustangs do that, Jackson cautioned, they could be in trouble.

"I've seen (McLeod) play," he said. "They've got a very solid baseball team. They're very athletic. They've got several good pitchers they can throw at you. They do a lot of things well."

The journey to this point has been a long one for the Overton baseball program.

Jackson was a senior at OHS in 1996, and that was the first year the Mustangs' athletic department had fielded a baseball program in quite some time. After a couple of years, though, for whatever reason, the program was dropped again.

It was picked back up once again in the 2004 school year, and just three school years later, the team is one series win away from the fourth round of the 1A playoffs.

"We started five freshmen last year," Jackson recalled, "and had just one senior. We'll be losing six seniors this year, but we've got another good freshman class coming up. We've been a little bit fortunate."

The seniors on this team are pitcher/ third baseman/ shortstop Clint Cain, first baseman Adam DuBose, outfielder/second baseman Cody Hudson, relief pitcher Tristan Sheffield, catcher Austin Rhoades, and center fielde Chris Harmon.

One talented athlete that gives Overton an edge (in football, as well, actually) is Telvin Darden, which Jackson has used this year on the mound and at shortstop. "We could probably play him about anywhere we wanted," Jackson said. "He's that good of an athlete."

Darden has hit .524 this season, has six home runs (including a grand slam in the Overton-Avery series last weekend) and 40 RBI.

Pitching has been very good for Jackson, as well. Darden is 8-0 on the season, and Garrett Williamson is 7-0. Darden leads the team in strikeouts, but only in the 50s, Jackson said.

"We don't really strike out a ton of batters," the coach said. "We like to work on getting the ball in low, just doing the little things well and playing good defense behind our guys. So far, that's allowed us to get the job done."

One of the biggest reasons the Mustangs have done so well, Jackson said, is community support. Asked how the community has embraced the team, Jackson's voice picked up.

"They've supported us very well," he said. "I can't remember the hype being this big in Overton as far as sports are concerned in a long time, maybe dating back to when our group made the state semifinals in football back in the '90s.

"But the fan base has been just great. Last year when we made the playoffs, I ordered one round of T-shirts, about 70 of them, and they were mainly just bought up by our players and their families. This year, I've had to make three orders, way over 200 shirts. (The community) is just fired up. And we appreciate it."

The winner of the Overton-McLeod series will advance to take on either Alto or West Sabine next week.