Brant Bennett found his passion for baseball at an early age, and that passion has yet to dim. The senior baseball player was one of four who moved on to First Team All-District earlier this year, a big payoff for years of dedication to the sport.

“I was pretty happy [when I made All-District], because the next step from there was to get All-State, [and] hopefully get signed for college,” Bennett said. “I felt like all my hard work had paid off and the results are just coming now.”

Bennett’s dad and uncle taught him how to play baseball when he was “real little,” and has loved it ever since.

“When I knew baseball was my sport, I was [10], and I hit my first home run, so it felt like I could play,” Bennett, whose Little League team was known as “The Drillers,” said.

One of Bennett’s greatest baseball moments was when he was told as a freshman that he would be starting the first game of Denton High School’s 2014 season.

“It made me really happy that I could play at [that] level … I could succeed,” Bennett said.

Bennett plans on playing for the Texas Rangers after he goes to college. He said he will go anywhere that offers him a baseball scholarship. He has already spoken to a few coaches about possible scholarships.

“I will work every day to get better at everything,” Bennett said. “I want to go to college to play, so [I’ll] just keep working, and [I’ll] never stop.”

-- Brittney Dear

Before each baseball game, Jordan Jones slips a dollar bill into his back pocket.

It’s a superstition he’s had since he was a kid, when that simple act led to a fantastic game.

And by all indications, the lucky charm has worked -- the senior was one of four baseball players who moved on to First Team All-District earlier this year.

“[Moving on to All-District] felt really exciting, because it showed that all my hard work paid off throughout the season and pretty much my whole life,” Jones said. “[I was] exhilarated, really.”

Jones started playing baseball since the age of 3, with his father, Tim Jones, being an inspiration. Tim was a former baseball player for the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.

“I’ve basically been trained by [my dad] my whole life…” Jones said. “I played mini sports throughout school, but my heart is in baseball.”

Although Jones was practically born into baseball, he has always known it was destined to be his sport. He hit his first home run when he was 12, which led him to truly commit to his passion for baseball.

“I knew baseball was my sport when I was in fifth grade because that’s when the first colleges kind of talked to me, and they saw my body shape, and they knew I could become something great,” Jones said. “From there on, I’ve been working on [getting better] and slowly, slowly becoming a success.”

Baseball has not always been easy for Jones, despite his talents. In order to prepare for this year’s season, he participates in conditioning and weight lifting, and the team often practices ball throwing and hitting.

“To me, baseball is the most difficult sport of them all; you have to have amazing physical talents, and you have to have a good mental attitude,” Jones said.

Jones plans to play professional baseball for the New York Yankees, following in his dad’s footsteps.

“I would love to play baseball after college,” Jones said. “It’s a very tough goal and I’m reaching for it.”

In order to become a professional baseball player, Jones hopes to go to the University of Texas in Rio Grande because his parents both played professional sports there.

“From here, I really need to improve a lot mentally, and not let mistakes other people do or mistakes I do get in my way,” Jones said. “[You just have to] keep working hard, that’s really it… you’ll get there.”

-- Brittney Dear

Chase Fields believes in love at first sight.

It’s just in his case, the object of his affection is baseball.

“The first time I picked up a baseball I just fell in love,” said Fields, who began playing at age 3. “I [have not] stopped playing [since].”

Fields was one of four players from Braswell High School who was selected for First Team All-District during the 2017 season.

“I was really happy,” Fields said about making the team. “It makes me want to work harder for this year.”

Fields said he enjoys the hard work and time commitment the sport demands.

“It’s fun for me to work out,” he said. “I want to be the best I can be.”

But Fields has gone through his fair share of setbacks, including a concussion that left him benched for one month last season.

“It was hard having to sit there and watch without playing,” he said.

Fields plans to further his career in baseball by playing at a college where he hopes to receive a scholarship. He is trying to improve his skills by learning from current college players and coaches.

“[I am] developing more as a player,” he said.

Eventually Fields hopes to play in the Major Leagues as well.

“Hopefully [I’ll play for] the Red Sox,” Fields said. “That’s my favorite team.”

-- Carli Hopper