Published: June 29, 2008 12:30 am            

Tigers’ go-to guy

• Extra work leads to impressive junior campaign for CHS’s Wilson

When Cushing needed him, Phillip Wilson always seemed to come through.

The Tigers’ shortstop and pitcher is the NewsPress’ Area Player of the Year after a junior campaign that saw him hit .477 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs. On the mound, he went 11-2 with 90 strikeouts, a 2.56 ERA and one save.

CHS came within one win of reaching the Class 4A State Tournament. In fact, it was eliminated by eventual champion Bishop McGuinness in the championship of the Regional Tournament. The Fighting Irish had to beat Cushing twice to steal the Tigers’ State ticket.

Wilson did what he could to prevent it. He hit five of his 11 homers in the playoffs and won three games on the mound.

“If we had to have a win, there’s no guy I’d rather have pitching,” said interim CHS coach Brad Crace, who was an assistant for the Tigers this spring. “If we had to have a hit, there’s no guy I’d rather have up at bat.”

Brian Burden, who resigned as coach following the season, said Wilson was a big part of the reason CHS was among the final 16 teams.

“The bigger the game, the more he stepped up,” Burden said. “You don’t have a lot of kids like that. He was a joy to coach.”

Wilson also impressed those who faced him as well.

“He is an excellent baseball player,” said Perkins-Tryon coach Bobby Buck, whose team was eliminated by losing two games to Wilson during the District Tournament in Perkins. “He’s good on the mound and probably even better at the plate and at shortstop. He is a fierce competitor.

“He threw two out of three games in our district tournament. You have to be competitive to do that. I’ve been around him and he seems like a great kid, very polite, he always works hard. He’s a very impressive player and person.”

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander said he dedicated himself to getting better last summer. The extra time in the weight room, the added experience and the improvement paid off.

“(My year) was a lot better,” Wilson said. “I did pretty good last year but I did great this year.”

Wilson admits it’s “scary” to be going into his senior year with a new coach, but Burden predicts Wilson will be just fine.

“He is outstanding at shortstop,” Burden said. “He is a very good offensive and defensive player and on the mound. He’ll have a lot of opportunities at the next level.”

What might be scary to opposing teams is Wilson said a big part of his improvement this year was due to increased confidence.

If that’s the case, what must his confidence be like after such a standout year?

He’s getting a chance to build on that this summer. He was selected to the state’s Junior Sunbelt team and he is on the Stillwater Majors American Legion team.

Wilson was also an All-Area pick in basketball.

        

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