Five Sam Rayburn baseball players sign college scholarships




By: ROBERT AVERY, Citizen Staff
January 28, 2004

With Sam Rayburn baseball coach Billy Hurry (left) and Principal Merlin Mohr looking on, the group of (L-R) Brandon Hicks, Justin Holloway, Jonathan Runnels, Michael Robbins and Salvador Villa signed baseball scholarships.

Longtime Sam Rayburn High School baseball coach Billy Hurry knows every baseball term or saying that's been conjured up.
There's probably even a few that Hurry himself has invented. But when he recently watched five of his seniors sign college baseball scholarships, even he couldn't come up with the term to accurately describe such a moment. However, Hurry may have come close with such descriptive words as wonderful and tremendous. For the baseball program and the school, that's about what it was when left fielder Jonathan Runnels, right fielder Michael Robbins, infielder Brandon Hicks, catcher Justin Holloway and pitcher Salvador Villa all extended their careers on the diamond. Runnels will play at San Jacinto College, Robbins at Howard Junior College, Holloway at Texarkana College, Hicks at Texas State University and Villa at Galveston Community College.
" I'm glad we all have a place to play," Hicks said.
" I don't think I've ever had five sign from one team," Hurry said.
Runnels, who is the grandson of the late Pete Runnels, the two-time American League batting champion, said he chose San Jac over Grayson, Blinn and a New Mexico school because of the Gators' nationally-known reputation and its close proximity to home.
Runnels' signing comes almost six months to the day after the Rayburn outfielder had the baseball scare of his life. Last July, playing for Rayburn's American Legion team, Runnels, trying to beat out an infield grounder, landed awkwardly on the first-base bag during a game in Conroe.
Initial concerns of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee went unfounded and now this month he's kicked off 2004 with the biggest prize of his baseball life.
"It's a neat deal to see them going to play past high school," Jonathan's dad, Steve Runnels said.
A number of the players were scouted by their respective schools while playing for the Baytown Knights, a high school team of select players, at a fall tournament in San Marcos.
Visits prior to the Christmas break led the group to make up their minds.
"The coach is real cool. It seems like he's trying to turn things around there. Plus, he's had a large recruiting class," Hicks said.
Robbins said he appreciated the honesty of the coaching staff plus he felt the program in Big Spring, Texas fitted him the best.
"I'm just thankful to go to college," Robbins said.
It wasn't clear who Hurry was more ecstatic for, his athletes or the parents. But Hurry felt there was a definite connection between the accomplishments of the players and their home life.
"They're super kids and they're a direct reflection of their parents," Hurry said. "Their families are great. You gotta have supportive parents. Those kids are lucky to have those parents."
But Rayburn's crafty coach isn't taking much credit for the five's baseball skills. That, Hurry says, was a gift presented to him.
"They were solid when they came here and they'll be solid when they leave," Hurry said.
The five now prepare for formal workouts of the new high school season that gets under way next Monday.
© Pasadena Citizen 2004

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