Rangers vets looking to go out on top

Richard Anderson photos

At top, left, Coley Wilson gets ready for a pitch, while Skyler Joy makes good contact with the ball. At bottom, left, Jordan Rhodine looks to make a tag at first base, while Nick Armijo does the same at third base.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The four Laramie Rangers “veterans” have been there before, whether it was at the Little League or Babe Ruth levels.

All four have won state titles.

Going out on top at the American Legion level would be icing on the base cakes for Skyler Joy, Jordan Rhodine, Coleton Wilson and Nick Armijo.

“It’s been our goal for the three years that I have been here,” Wilson said. “The first year we didn’t do so hot, and last year, we got third place. Hopefully this year, if we come out on top, it shows that we have built up every year, that we made our goal.”

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Joy is the elder statesman of the group at 19 years old, while Wilson, Armijo and Rhodine, at 18, also won a Babe Ruth state title together when they were 15.

They’d like to do it one more time this weekend in Rock Springs.

“Me, Jordan and Coley have won one before and this is probably my last year in baseball, so it would be nice to go out on top,” Armijo said.

What Rhodine remembers the most was going to the regional tournament in Washington that season and having a lot of fun together.

“Maybe we can do something like that at this state tournament and move on and have another week together,” Rhodine said. “We just have to enjoy these last few games.”

For Joy, after five years as a Ranger, the state tournament could be his final hurrah with the team.

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“There is definitely some mixed emotions,” Joy said. “I have been playing with this program for a long time. I just want to go to state and play behind my teammates and hopefully we’ll have some success and make a little noise.”

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Laramie manager Sean McKinney said he was proud with how his four veterans have matured over the years.

“I think they have had good careers and I think they have enjoyed playing baseball, all of the way since T-ball through Little League and the success that they have had,” McKinney said. “These past three years they have gotten extremely better in what they do … not necessarily with their record, but how they have progressed in baseball players. It’s more important about how they have matured as people and baseball players.”

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The Rangers, 26-14, face Casper Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in Rock Springs as the No. 3 seed from the South district. The Oilers are the No. 2 seed from the North.

“I think we have been playing well throughout the district tournament,” Joy said. “We had one loss with Cheyenne, they are a solid tam. We showed up and put runs on the board and played defense behind them. We’ve gotten hot at the same time.”

The key for the Rangers is pretty simple: stay forceful at the play, throw strikes and play defense.

“As long as we stay aggressive with our swings, we’ll be fine,“ Rhodine said. “I think we can hit about any pitcher. Pitching is huge. It is all about coming out to play. out-pitching and out-hitting them. We just need to get fired up about the whole deal.”

If the Rangers get past the Oilers, they will likely face Cheyenne in the second round. Post 6 opens against Cody.

“Everyone in our bracket will be tough. But if we come out and play an swing the bats, if the pitcher all throw strikes, we will get outs,” Wilson said.

Like any tournament, the team that comes out with the most consistency will prevail. Rhodine said it is all about being primed.

“It will be interesting to see how prepared the other teams in the state are prepared,” Rhodine said. “ I know they will bring their game. As long as we compete, we’ll have a good tournament. I think we are peaking at the right time.”

Armijo said that for those who might be playing their final organized baseball, they will play like there is no tomorrow.

“I just want to go out there, lay it all out on the field and play my hardest,” Armijo said.

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The last time the Rangers’ program won a state title was in 1986, well before any of these current players were even born.

“It will mean so much., I won a state championship in Little League and I won it in Babe Ruth. Now, if we can win it at this level, we’re at the top of the state,” Wilson said.

Even if the Rangers don’t win the AA title this weekend, they have a chance to keep on playing as the top team from the A ranks. Although Laramie plays a AA schedule, population-wise, they can qualify for the A regional tournament if they have the best finish from the A teams (Wheatland, Powell, Cody and Riverton).

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“Throughout my years in the Ranger program, we have been close a couple of times,” Joy said. “When I was 15, we got second, and we were third a couple of years. This year with the new format, with the single A regional in the same tournament, we’re looking forward to having a chance to make some noise with that.”