2025 Russellville baseball team aims to break quarterfinal barrier with mix of experience, youth

On a cool and cloudy late-January afternoon the wind whips around the fortress that the Russellville High School baseball stadium has become. Inside its gates preparations are underway for a new campaign, one all those on the field hope will see them conquer all competitors.

In the mid-2000s the RHS baseball program flirted with ultimate greatness, fielding a couple teams that tested the strength of top teams in the state. But beginning in 2012, under the new leadership of Coach Chris Heaps, the Golden Tigers started on a path to dynastic success—one that would see the program capture five state crowns over the course of eight seasons, from 2015 to 2022.

Like all dynasties at some point must, this one went through a transition of leadership before the 2023 campaign as Heaps retired and his former assistant and then-Scottsboro head coach Jess Smith was tapped to take the reins.

Back to the stadium on that overcast January day. Smith, heading into his third season at the helm of the Golden Tigers, sits on a folding chair behind home plate. Guarded by a net screen, Smith, who has led RHS to back-to-back playoff quarterfinal appearances, appraises the troops, taking notes and keeping score. It's a scrimmage day—a day to test the players in game situations.

Critical to consistent, sustained success, whether it be at the level of medieval European kingdoms (as the previous played-out metaphors might suggest) or prep baseball programs, is deft man management, a desire for constant improvement, and meticulous concern for detail.

At one moment Smith is giving a good-natured ribbing to a player in the dugout—an inside joke, apparently. The next he's out in the field chiding a player out of position after a backside double, asking another who made the same mistake the day before where he should be. Then he's taking note to correct an error on a play sheet while keeping an eye on the reaction of the batter that just struck out.

"Good cut" for a line drive that just sails foul; "Great pitch" for a breaking ball that paints the outside corner—these are frequent refrains from coaches and players alike.

Not said aloud are more specific observations that can only be made after hours and hours together on the field and in the locker room. These are details Smith and his coaching staff alone can catalog. Attention to "the small stuff" is demanded of Smith and his assistants but the head coach is proud to say his players have made it a priority, too.

"I've tasked this team to be sold out and bought into the little details that are most often overlooked and preached that that's gonna be the difference in getting us over the bar this year,” Smith said.

"I think the X factor with this group is how much they care, how hard they work, and how much pride they take in the little things that will only propel their potential. And I'll think they'll reach it because of who they are as people," he added. 

But what is potential? Something you can feel but can't touch—a mirage until you reach it. An intangible that bears tangibles—potentially. It's a vagary that nonetheless is fairly easy for a practiced eye to spot. 

Of course one has to assume Smith, a former collegiate baseball player and now a head coach for about half his adult life, has the eye for baseball potential in all his teams. But whether this team reaches it, that mirage until it's not, Smith said, is not, at the end of the day, up to him.

"Defining what success is for these guys, that's them reaching their fullest potential and telling them that it's ultimately up to them," he said. "The coaching staff and I reiterate to them the potential is a banner—adding to the letters outside the stadium. That's the fullest potential. But it could also be not entering the playoffs. It really, truly is up to them, but I believe they'll reach their fullest potential because of how I see them approach every day." 

One indisputable element of potential is talent, of which Russellville has plenty. But another is experience. In that area the Golden Tigers are presented with a mixed bag. Seven seniors graduated from last year’s squad, but that didn’t leave Russellville devoid of players with valuable game reps.

“We return some young guys that had some experience last year and some older guys that have kind of waited for their turn and haven’t necessarily had their names in the papers so far,” Smith said. “We like to think that you’re going to be talking to them and about them a lot this upcoming season. Some guys like Brennon Thorpe and Ty Willis and a handful of others that have been role guys or maybe haven’t been out there every single day that are seniors and have been waiting patiently. We’re expecting big things in a lot of ways out of them this year, especially offensively.

“Then we’re returning some young guys on the mound and some that are older with experience, like (Brayden) Entrekin and Tripp Cleveland,” Smith added. “They logged a lot of meaningful wins last year. In fact, Entrekin and Cleveland split (innings) in the deciding game three against Lawrence County last year.

“You throw a freshman and an eighth-grader in a deciding game three and what became the area championship last year, you like to think those two are poised for a lot of big innings this year.”

Add into the mix players like senior Neyland Baker, who was selected as a designated hitter in last year’s North-South All-Star game; senior Gunner Sappington; Eli Boutwell; and Ty Engelthaler, whom Smith described as Russellville’s “Swiss Army knife, and the Golden Tigers have a solid base of experienced players to build from.

That said, however, there are still some big shoes for returners to step into.

Smith said the loss of Daniel Askew at second base has been a bit of a worry, but he feels good about a handful of guys that can do the job. The position that Smith considers the biggest hole to fill is at catcher. Last year that role was played by Michael Scofield, a player Smith considered “an extension of myself” behind the plate, now on the roster at Huntingdon College.

“The task right now is just replacing Michael behind the plate. There’s a competition going on right now between Tristan Ray, Keifer Hallmark, and Ty Engelthaler,” Smith said. “It’s one of those things that you may not know who wins that competition until area play in March. There’s a lot to be done in that competition.”

Each of the players competing for catcher have different traits and pitchers are building relationships with each of them. Those factors, Smith said, may very well play a role in who eventually gets the top spot on the depth chart.

“The more we’ve played this offseason, guys are starting to form opinions, guys are starting to form preferences behind the dish, and that certainly goes into decision making,” he said. “All three guys are different but all three guys do things really well. Tristan is a great receiver, great blocker, great game manager—pitchers like throwing to him. Keifer is more of an athlete-type, fast-twitch competitor—middle linebacker in football that kinda carries that same mentality over to playing catcher. And then Engelthaler is a superb athlete back there. He knows how to call pitches and be on the same page with pitching coach, Coach (Cody) Greenhill; how to manage a game and the tempo of how (pitchers) wanna work.

“I think with us having three viable options back there, you could see a hybrid of that position until one really solidifies and wins the trust of teammates and coaches.”

Golden Tiger fans will undoubtedly be keeping one eye on that competition as the season gets started but should save the other for a couple of lesser known players who will be looking to make their mark this year. Freshman Caleb Hawkins is one; senior Coltan Oliver, cleared after a long journey back from injury, is another.

“Caleb Hawkins has certainly made an impression on us as a guy who, right now, we’re going to have a hard time keeping him off the field, and truth be told we’re trying to find a place for him,” Smith said.

“One big addition has been the return of Coltan Oliver, a senior this year who suffered an injury…and hasn’t been cleared in the last three and a half years. He finally got cleared and released to play this summer, but you wouldn’t be able to tell it from how he’s played so far this offseason,” Smith added. “He can swing the bat and a big addition for us in the bullpen.”

For the Golden Tigers to get past the quarterfinals, that barrier that has stood in their way to another potential championship run the previous two years, Smith said all of these pieces will need to come together. For this group to reach its full potential, the players will have to believe in themselves when it matters most.

“Playoff baseball comes down to who’s the most confident. We’ve got a young team and it’s our job this year to have a young team that’s prepared and confident for those moments to compete,” he said. “We’ve got guys that are returning with experience and new guys that are promising in what we’ve seen this offseason, but you never know what you might get when you mix a group of young and old and inexperience. What I will say about them is that their work ethic and attention to detail has been exceptional.

“Confidence stems from work ethic, so we’ve been punching the time card this offseason, but it’s been enjoyable to come to work every day with them,” Smith added. “I’m excited about this group. They play with an edge and I think that edge will help us get over the bar.

“I’m really looking forward to this season. Appreciate this community and all the support they show Russellville baseball—it’s second to none.”