By By Adam Prestridge
Hard work and dedication does pay off. Just ask Northview junior baseball star Jeff Price.
Price, 17, spent a majority of the off season working out, running, throwing and batting to improve his game for the 2008 baseball season.
For his performance this year on the diamond, Price has been named the Atmore Advance’s 2008 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year.
Price, who was the Chiefs’ ace in the stable, finished the season with a team-best 6-5 record on the mound and a mere 1.65 ERA. He struck out 72 batters, which led his team, and rendered only 14 bases on balls in 68 innings pitched.
Price said his slider is his favorite pitch. He also has a fastball, which has been clocked at 88 mph, a changeup and a two-seem fastball.
At the plate, Price displayed his power and consistency with a .396 batting average. He finished the season with one home run, 15 RBI and led the team with 22 runs scored. His performance at the plate was a tremendous turnaround from last year where he barely broke .200.
As for next season, Price said the Chiefs’ goals are high. In fact, they want to make history.
On a personal level, Price would like to bat over .400 and finish with an ERA under 1.0. He also hopes to score a baseball scholarship. Southern Miss, Alabama, Florida State University, the University of West Florida, Pensacola Junior College and several other south Florida junior colleges have already shown interest in the Northview star.
To assist in those goals, Price will play on the Dynamic Elite travelling baseball team out of Pace, Fla. this summer. The team will play in tournaments in Baton Rouge, La., Georgia Tech and in Florida.
NHS head coach Sid Wheatley joins Price as Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.