By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
There’s a new face at the helm for Carl Junction baseball, but it’s a familiar one.
Phil Cook, who has served as Carl Junction superintendent for 18 years, takes over the program this spring after former coach Jake Stevenson became an assistant principal.
Cook previously coached the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2000; his last game was the 2000 state championship, which Carl Junction lost to Jefferson City Helias. Before that, Cook coached for five years at Fairland, Oklahoma. His overall record is 160-64, including 57-16 at Carl Junction.
“I got out of coaching 23 years ago and got into administration, but I wasn’t really looking to get into administration back then, it just kind of happened,” Cook said. “Someone asked me if I’d be interested in being an assistant principal and it took off from there. But I always considered myself a baseball guy and a baseball coach first. I loved teaching and I loved coaching. I’ve been superintendent for 18 years and I’m getting close to the end of my career. I could retire this year if I wanted to but I’m going to stick around a little bit longer.
“I’m excited. I feel younger already,” he said.
Cook takes over a team that went 13-17 last season and lost to Webb City in the district championship. The Bulldogs won five of their final seven games.
The new coach got an early introduction to the roster by coaching summer ball last year, and started offseason work in early January.
Carl Junction graduated six seniors last year, including Kyler Perry, a second team Central Ozark Conference pitcher who went 6-3 with a 2.92 ERA. But the Bulldogs return a handful of players with varsity experience.
“Pitching is the name of the game and I think we’ve got some pretty good arms,” Cook said.
Seniors Logan Eck and Lucas Vanlanduit are two of them. Eck pitched to a 5.39 ERA last season and Vanlanduit had a 2.53. Seniors Gaige Carson and Jacob Ford will also pitch.
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Vanlanduit returns at shortstop; he was a second team COC and all-district infielder last season. He batted .329 and drove in 10 runs.
Junior Bentley Rowden will likely be the team’s catcher after hitting .261 last season.
In center field, senior Arlen Wakefield returns after making the all-district team. He hit .329 with 11 RBI’s and was the team’s leadoff hitter.
“I know those three are solid,” Cook said. “One thing that’s encouraging for me right now is the competition we’re going to have for some of these other positions. Right now there’s no one as far as I’m concerned that has a position nailed down, but those three will probably look to nail them down pretty early.”
Ford and senior Drew Massey (.246, three doubles, 15 RBI’s) will be looking for spots on the infield. Junior Cody Hollingsworth is an infielder who started some at second base last year. Sophomore Gabe Sitton could fill in at catcher and on the infield, as well as pitch. Junior Jace Buffer plays at first base, and sophomore Baxton Jones is another infielder.
Eck (.292, 12 RBI’s) will play in the outfield, and junior Johnny Stark is another outfielder. Sophomore Wyatt McAfee, junior Grady Goddard, senior Mekhi McGarry and Carson are also in the outfield mix.
Cook compared coaching to riding a bike – you just jump back in and it comes back to you. He said getting to build relationships with the players is one of the best parts.
“Being superintendent you interact with kids but you walk down the hall and say hi and have a 30 second conversation,” he said. “You don’t really get to build relationships. I forget just how cool kids are. They say funny things, they do funny things, they’re all unique. You have those kids that lead by example, the ones who cut up all the time. This is a real reminder of just how special it is to be an educator and have a chance to work with these kids because they’re just fun.”
Carl Junction opens the regular season at home against Neosho on March 18. The only real addition to the schedule is the Fort Scott, Kansas tournament in early April.
The Bulldogs will jamboree March 10 at Webb City along with Republic.
“The last game I coached was in the state championship and that team was awesome,” Cook said. “I look at this team and it’s hard for me to get a bearing but I look at these guys and I see some real potential. I don’t know when it’ll click with them but I see an opportunity here to do some really good things.”
