Glenwood faces familiar foe; Central in postseason for first time since ’12

As the high school baseball playoffs either get started or resume this week, the two area Alabama schools left playing are in different situations.

For Glenwood, it’s just another AISA Class 3A semifinals appearance against Monroe Academy. That makes it three straight years the two teams have met in the semis, with the Gators winning the series in 2014 and losing last year.

Central, however, is making its first trip to the playoffs since 2012, marking new territory for every member of the team.

For Glenwood, which beat Morgan Academy in three games last week in the first round, the challenge isn’t nerves or letting the situation get too big for it. Having been a part of the final four for three straight seasons, coach Tim Fanning’s biggest concern is whether the team will get too complacent.

“What you hope is because of that experience, the nerves, the pressure situations don’t get to you,” he said. “At the same time, you have a fear of complacency because it’s not new.”

The good and bad news is that the Gators are so familiar with their opponent.

That’s good because there won’t be any surprises. Fanning knows Monroe Academy is athletic and will, therefore, put a lot of pressure on his defense. Pitcher Carson Hicks knows it is scrappy and that the offense will put the ball in play.

It’s bad because Monroe Academy knows all the same things about Glenwood.

“There’s not going to be any surprises,” Fanning said. “It’s going to come down to execution. There’s no real game plan. It’s just a matter of who performs better.”

Hicks said the team is focused on just playing better than it did in this series a year ago.

“Last year, we faced them and lost,” he said. “It was a bad feeling. We didn’t execute like we should have. This year, we just want to correct on those mistakes and come out with a win.”

The series gets started a 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Two days later and about four miles to the south, Central will host Prattville in a best-of-three series (5 p.m. Friday at Darnell-Nelson Field) to open AHSAA Class 7A postseason play. The Red Devils haven’t played in the playoffs since 2012, but coach Bobby Howard said they are trying to approach it like it’s any other week.

After all, Central has been in a virtual playoff for the past two weeks, with series’ against Auburn and Smiths Station deciding its postseason fate.

“It’s a grind, but we just have to put our focus on one week at a time,” Howard said. “If we hadn’t beat Auburn or if we hadn’t beat Smiths Station, maybe we wouldn’t be here. It’s nothing new.”

Likewise, there are no surprises about what Central hopes will carry it further into the postseason. Its arms have been the strength all year, and Howard is hoping that will continue.

There’s Noah Wilkes and Tanner Belcher, who have led the way as the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, and Howard tipped his cap to Jackson Cook, as well, who has played a big role as a closer and with his bat.

“Each game takes on a different personality,” Howard said. “Different people are the reason we’re here. But Jackson Cook has been big. He’s had a lot of big hits and closed some games for us.”

Cook said the overall faith the team has had in each other has helped the group make the leap this season.

“It’s all about having faith in your teammates,” he said. “I know when Noah and Tanner are out there, they’re going to do their job, and I feel like when I’m out there, my teammates have the same faith in me.”

This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Glenwood faces familiar foe; Central in postseason for first time since ’12."