Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Have Banner Year On Baseball Diamond

Prescott's Diamond Wolves had a banner year in 1997.

The team finished third in the league during the regular season district standings, the highest since 1993.

For the second year in a row, the Wolves played for the league crown, finishing second this season to Nashville. It was also the second time in school history for the team to do this.

Another history making event occurred when the Wolves traveled to the state tournament for the second year in a row. For the first time, the Wolves won two games in the tourney, getting within two outs of a shot for the state crown.

The seniors, Ross Cowling, Jimmy Stockton, Jason Webb and Jamie Williams, won more games in three years, 31, than any other previous group of seniors.

For the season, Al Johnston tied for fourth in most runs scored with 21. Jerome Fulks set the record last season with 27.

He was fifth with most hits for the season, connecting on 22. Montra Montgomery set the record last year with 27.

Johnston's seven doubles puts him second to Tom Futch's 1995 mark and Montgomery's record last year of eight.

Johnston and Webb led the team in home runs with three each. Last season, Barrett Yates belted three, while Branden Bradley did the same in '92.

The Johnston record book continues with RBIs. This season he drove in 24, breaking Montgomery's mark of 23 in 1996.

He had the fourth highest batting average for a season ever with a .423 pace. Jason Patrick set the record in 1991, batting .529.

Williams had the team's third highest on-base percentage ever at .667. The record is held by Chad Leonard, who had a .789 average in '91.

Cowling tied Barrett Yates' record for wins in a season with nine. Yates' earned the nine wins last season.

There were also some career records made this season.

In runs scored, the prior record was 36, set in 1992 and '94 by Robert Poole. Williams scored 43 times this season, while Stockton crossed home 41 times. Ben Jones circled the bases on 39 occasions.

Poole's record for hits was also challenged, but not too hard. Jones had the second most for a season with 37. Williams belted 36, putting him in a third-place tie. Johnston and Stockton are knotted in fourth with 32 each.

Poole was a hitting fool during his career with the Wolves. He smacked 14 doubles in the '92-'94 seasons. Johnston and Williams come in second to this mark with 11 each.

Bradley had the record for most homers at 6, during the 1991-93 seasons. Johnston and Webb are next in line with five apiece.

The record for walks in a career is 36, also set by Bradley from '91-'93.

Jones is next with 30, while Williams is tied for fifth with 26.

Poole's RBI record of 36, set from '92-'94, was broken this season by Johnston and Williams. This duo drove in 38 each.

For the 1997 season, Johnston led the team for most runs scored with 21. Stockton, Webb and Williams scored 19 times each.

Johnston was also the team leader in hits with 22. Yates belted 19, with Stockton and Williams smacking 17 each.

His third benchmark of the season came in extra base hits. Johnston swatted a dozen, while Webb had nine and Yates added six.

Webb and Johnston paced the team with the long ball, each taking three over the fence. Yates cranked up the wayback machine once.

Looking at walks, Johnston and Jones led the team with 16 each. Williams followed with 14.

The RBI factor was again headed by Johnston, who drove in 24. Yates had 17 RBIs, while Webb brought 16 in.

The highest batting average on he squad also belonged to Johnston, who hit .423 for the year. Williams followed at .362, while Yates batted .328.

Williams led the team in on-base percentage at .667. Johnston, however, wasn't far behind at .606. Webb was third with a .579 percentage.

In the conference tourney, Cowling had a .296 batting average, smacking 16 hits, driving in seven and walking nine times. He scored 12 runs and had an on-base percentage of .431.

Johnston batted .423 for the district tilt. He had 22 hits, with 24 RBIs, walked 16 times and scored 21 runs. His on-base percentage was .606 percent.

Stockton batted .283 for the tourney, with 17 hits, 11 RBIs, walking eight times and scoring 19 runs. His on-base percentage was .486.

Webb followed with a .250 average at the plate. He had 12 hits, 16 RBIs, 11 walks and scored 19 runs. He also recorded a .579 on-base percentage.

Williams earned all district honors himself with a .362 average, with 17 hits, 14 RBIs, 14 walks and 19 runs. His on-base percentage was .667.

Cowling, Johnston, Stockton, Webb and Williams all made the All District team.

Cowling also was tabbed All State for class AA, and the Arkansas High School Baseball Coaches Association All Star. This is the first time ever for a PHS player to be chosen for this honor.

Cowling, on the hill, pitched 71 innings. He faced 339 batters, fanning 119. Cowling issued 62 walks and gave up 52 hits.

His earned run average for the season was 2.27. Cowling's campaign ended with a 9-2 record.