One last job to do for Dragons seniors
One of three senior captains, the Dragons vocal leader Joseph Fritz lets out a yell in a region game last week. Fritz and fellow captains Alejandro Aguilar and Jayden Vazquez lead Jefferson into Friday’s FHSAA Class 4A state semifinal game against Jacksonville Bishop Kenny.
By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor
TAMPA – The difference between good and great is often razor thin. Sometimes, the tipping point is simply the drive and desire to win. In the relatively short coaching tenure of Jefferson head coach Spencer Nunez, the Dragons have now reached the state semifinal twice in just three seasons.
Two seasons ago, Nunez corralled a bit of controlled chaos as 11 seniors led the Dragons to the state semifinals behind three thrilling region tournament games. But it was a team the first-year coach inherited, and admittedly Nunez said there is a bit more buy-in with this core of senior leaders headed back to Fort Myers.
“The 2021 team will always be special for us,” he said. “It was our first group and we got the chance to experience the final four in our first year with them. I think that team played with a ton of intensity and had the will to win no matter who was on the other side.”
Jefferson head coach Spencer Nunez talks to his team prior to last week’s region semifinal at Lakeland McKeel Academy.
From that team, three sophomores got the experience of seeing the state’s biggest stage as Jefferson battled, but gave up a tough four-run inning mid-game ending the Dragons season in a 5-1 defeat.
“It’s so tough to compare the two teams because we basically inherited that team,” Nunez said, “and this team has fully bought in to the program we run.”
On Friday, those three (now-)seniors – Alejandro Aguilar, Joseph Fritz and Jayden Vazquez – lead the Dragons onto the field for the FHSAA Class 4A final four at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, hoping to bring home a state title for the second time in Jefferson baseball history (having won the Class 6A crown in 2018).
“We have guys who want to be out here and want to do the job – which from Day 1 that job was to get us here to Fort Myers,” Aguilar said. “That was the mission statement, we are, every one of us, guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to win a state title.”
Dragons OF/C Joseph Fritz.
Primarily a pitcher in his sophomore season, Aguilar was merely a spectator in 2021’s final four, but Fritz and Vazquez started for the Dragons in a loss to eventual state champs Lynn Haven Mosely, going a combined 0-for-4, with one walk drawn by Vazquez.
The lesson taken from that experience:
“From that game and that team, my goal was just to learn from those 11 seniors,” Aguilar said. “There is a lot to learn about the game of high school baseball, how you carry yourself and how you go about things to make yourself the best you can be. They did that. In the region tournament they beat Auburndale, they beat Jesuit, walking it off to Land O’Lakes – I learned so much from them.”
Jefferson’s Alejandro Aguilar is 6-1 on the mound with a 0.71 ERA
The 2021 squad started the season with a spotty 6-7 record and fell to Jesuit in the district final before catching fire in the region tournament. Fritz said this year’s 20-7 Dragons squad has felt different from start to finish.
“Not to say anything bad about (2021), but that year I don’t feel like we were as close, as together, everybody together,” he said. “This year we are all connected, perfectly in unison.”
The three captains and longtime starting players aren’t the only seniors on the team as they’re joined by first-year Dragon John Valle, who has had a significant impact this year with a big fastball and 42 innings on the mound. Valle is the starter for today’s semifinal game against Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (18-10).
However, the leadership role falls to the veterans – and each fill a different role.
“I’m more an on-field, action leader,” Vazquez said. “I don’t speak out too much, but I work hard out there and try to show how to do things the right way. Fritz is our outspoken leader, he keeps everybody on the same page, and Aguilar is everybody’s big brother.”
Jayden Vazquez connects on a hit at McKeel.
Nunez echoed those sentiments, labeling Fritz as the leader of the captains, and a big reason for this team’s trip to Fort Myers because of a steadying voice all season long.
“Fritz is the leader of this team and everyone knows it,” Nunez said. “He could go 0-for-4 and next thing you know he’s telling guys to get up in the dugout or picking someone up. He’s one of the most selfless kids I’ve ever coached.”
Joseph Fritz is the vocal leader of the Dragons three senior captains.
Fritz, hitting .312, with 18 runs, 13 RBI and 13 stolen bases, said he enjoys that responsibility and sees himself as a support-extension of the coaching staff who makes sure the younger Dragons stay on task.
“Our coaches are fiery and can be hard on us, but that is only because they know that we can be so much better when we aren’t living up to what they (expect),” Fritz said. “I definitely feel like I can be a translator for our coaches and our younger players. I love showing passion and I like making sure we all play the way they expect us to.”
Aguilar, a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder who has hit .306 with 24 RBI, while also going 6-1 on the mound with a 0.71 ERA and 40 strikeouts, is someone Nunez said has made himself better in each of his three varsity seasons.
“Aggy is one of the hardest workers on the team and his work ethic is part of why he has been so successful,” the coach said. “He stays late and hits and then goes to work out. He’s that kid.”
Jefferson senior designated hitter and pitcher Alejandro Aguilar.
Aguilar came through with an RBI single in Tuesday’s 12-inning region final win against Dunedin as the Dragons scored five in the final inning to advance to today’s game. He’ll be tasked with producing at the plate, and is penciled in as the starting pitcher should Jefferson reach Saturday’s state final.
“He got one of the biggest hits of our season thus far against Dunedin,” Nunez said. “He’s going to be huge for us this weekend offensively and on the mound.”
Last, but certainly not least, Vazquez is the steady producer for the Dragons. A career .332 hitter in 81 games, he’s had at least one hit in 23-of-27 games this year, and is riding a 10-game hit streak into this weekend.
“Jayden is a kid I’ve known for a very long time. He’s always focused on the fundamentals more than anything,” Nunez said. “He’s Mr. Consistent offensively and leads by his play on the field. If we need a big hit I want Jayden up at the plate. He’s made some big time plays for us down the stretch in the outfield.”
Jefferson’s “Mr. Consistent” Jayden Vazquez.
Nunez added that he knows this is a special group of leaders, whose impact on the program will be felt for some time.
“People often ask me, ‘how do you replace these seniors?’ Simple answer, you don’t,” Nunez said. “You can’t replace guys like Jayden, Joseph, and Alejandro. They came in and bought in right away.”
But before the depart these three Dragons still have work left undone – still have a job to do.
