Cook baseball finished with an impressive 18-8 record last season, but the team fell short of the playoffs. A program with such tradition, track record, and professional talent as the one in Adel, however, will undoubtedly be hungrier than ever for an outstanding season. Sam Bennett and Gunner George will look to lead that charge.
Two of the most experienced and talented players on the roster, Bennett and George have proven to have not only the respective skill sets necessary to win, but also the proper perspectives on how to lead a team.
George, the Hornets’ speedy leadoff hitter, was the perfect table-setter for Cook in 2015-16 as he posted an impressive .489 on-base percentage to go along with a .373 batting average and 13 RBIs. He also recorded 23 stolen bases and will have a fighting chance of eclipsing Cook’s all-time stolen bases record. Bennett had an impressive season in his own right, although it was ended prematurely due to an injury. In just 13 games, the slugger knocked in 16 runs, scored 17 times, and posted a gaudy .425 batting average that contributed to his 1.196 OPS.
While the statistical excellence is clearly present between the talented duo, so too is the ability to lead. Both Bennett and George are known amongst teammates and peers as leaders, and the extent to which the two Cook stars lead their team will have a huge say in how the Hornets’ season goes.
“A good leader is someone who puts the team first and understands that one man can’t win a game, but a lot of men can do it with ease,” Bennett said. “He also leads his team on the field and leads his friends off the field to make good choices. He reminds his teammates that their actions on the field reflect the type of player they are, but their actions off the field reflect their values.”
George, who will be looking to boost his on-base percentage over the .500 mark in the upcoming season, echoed a similar sentiment, using words like “honesty, communication, commitment, positive attitude, trustworthiness, and character” to describe how he plans to lead the Hornets in 2017.
As legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said, “The strength of the group is the strength of the leaders,” and Cook baseball seems to have a solid foundation set in that department by Bennett and George. Additionally, a returning group of seven seniors and a large junior class bodes well for the Hornets.
Despite the duo’s already-long list of accomplishments, there is no sense of contentment in the Cook camp as the start of a new season nears. George, who already committed to play college ball at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, still has aspects of the game he wishes to improve upon before moving on to college.
“My goal is to improve for more consistent quality at bats, which should produce a higher batting average and a higher on-base percentage,” George said. “Another big goal of mine is to break the current Cook High School stolen base record.”
Bennett, who has yet to decide on a college destination but wishes to study to become a physical therapist, also has his sights set on improvement.
“Personally, I would like to never take for granted the talent that the Lord has blessed me with,” Bennett said of his individual goals for 2017. “I would like to make First-Team All-Region in the field, and the next goal would be to become a better leader on and off the field. Lastly, I would like to commit less than three errors all season and have a batting average over .450.”
In terms of team goals, both players expressed the desire to win a Region Championship and advance deep in the state playoffs as successful outcomes for the season. While the Hornets have plenty of experience and a solid nucleus of hitters, Bennett and George both said that pitching will be Cook’s x-factor this season.
“The key to the season will be pitching,” Bennett said. “We have lots of talent but only a few set pitchers. I would say pitching is one thing we need to improve on to go deep in the playoffs.”
At the end of the day, while athletic programs will pour blood, sweat, and tears into ensuring that their respective teams experience success in terms of wins and losses, the ultimate goal, especially in high school, is to impact and position young lives for productive and successful futures by teaching the life lessons that sports have to offer. Within the baseball program at Cook High in Adel, it is abundantly clear that this goal is being met.
“I feel that having the opportunity to play for coaches (at Cook) who promoted teamwork helped me as an overall person to not be selfish,” George said of one of his takeaways from being in the Hornets’ program, which was a similar response to what Bennett gave.
“I feel like playing for Cook has taught me trust, commitment, good work ethic, how to be a leader, and how to never give up and always give one-hundred percent,” Bennett said.
The foundation is in place, and Cook’s best players are a year older, two facts that will give the Hornets a significant opportunity to build upon last season’s solid record. The team will open its new season on Feb. 13 at bitter rival Berrien, a school which advanced to the AA state quarterfinals a year ago. Cook and Berrien split two meetings last season, with the Hornets winning the season opener 10-8 in Adel before dropping a 5-1 decision on April 21 in Nashville.
Significant games for Cook during the upcoming season include a March 7-10 series date with Thomasville, a game April 15 at AAAAAA South Cobb, and a regular-season finale on April 22 at home versus Berrien.
Cook Baseball Feature
South Georgia | January 2017
Jacob Dennis
Bennett, George Lead Experienced Group of Hornets With High Hopes for 2017
