Baseball: Jersey Village to face Dulles for state berth
1. Baseball: Jersey Village to face Dulles for state berth
It's down to two and they'll play one.
That's the setup for the Class 5A Region III baseball finals featuring the Jersey Village Falcons and
Dulles Vikings, and those teams square off at 8 p.m. Friday, May 31, at the University of Houston.
The winner takes all Friday night, and 'all' is a trip to the University Interscholastic League State
Tournament next week in Round Rock.
"I really hate doing that (one game), but we won the flip, and we're a little depleted pitching wise,"
Jersey Village coach Robb Jensen said. "You have to give your team the best chance to advance."
This is the deepest Jersey Village baseball has ever advanced in the playoffs, and last week, the
Falcons won two-of-three against Pearland in the region semifinals.
"Several times last weekend after we won, with our coaches and families, we'd look at each other
and shake our head and smile," Jensen said.
The players, like Jersey Village senior catcher Robie Rojas (he can also pitch and play anywhere), are
feeling just as good.
"It is kind of surreal," said Rojas, who is headed to Oklahoma State. "This run is just crazy. Honestly,
we've gone from a team that was not so great, and then we came together during district, and we're
close friends and hang out together, and it's great to still be playing together as Falcons."
The expected all-senior pitching matchup has Dulles ace Dakota Mills facing Jersey Village's Kirby
Peek, and the Falcons also have senior side-armer Brandon Koncaba, Rojas and all arms ready to go.
"Everybody is on deck," Rojas said, "and coach Jensen and (pitching) coach (Blake) Wyatt and all our
coaches always get us prepared."
Rojas, a four-year starter, anchors the Falcons from behind the plate.
"I feel like I know the game and can control a (pitching) staff," he said. "Coach Wyatt is an amazing
pitching coach, and he trusts me, and coach Jensen and all of our coaches are great to play for."
2. Jensen adds: "It's been so nice not to have to worry about who is behind the plate the past four
years."
The Falcons opened the playoffs by beating Alief Taylor 10-0, and have also eliminated Seven Lakes
7-2 (eight innings); Katy 6-1 and 5-2; and Pearland last week with Jersey Village winning the first
game 2-1 and third 10-3, and falling 10-0 in the second.
Dulles has stopped Clear Creek 3-4 (10 innings), 1-0 (10), 10-1; North Shore 4-1; Deer Park 7-4; and
defending state champion and Jersey Village District 17-5A co-member Cy Ranch 6-1 and 6-5 in last
week's region semifinals.
"We have not played Dulles this season, but we've seen them, and they have a deep pitching staff
and can swing the bat very well," Jensen said, "and that's exactly what you expect to see at this
point.
"If they do go with Dakota Mills, it will be a great matchup with our No. 1, Peek, and we also have
some other guys we would not hesitate to turn to."
Cy Ranch was the District 17-5A champion this season after winning a state crown in 2012, and
Jersey Village was the 17-5A runner-up.
"Our district is the hardest in the state and it definitely gets you ready for the playoffs," Rojas said.
"We had the defending state champ (Cy Ranch), and then you have great teams like Cy Woods and
Langham Creek and Cy-Fair, and you can just go on and on.
"And we're hoping to have 17-5A back at the state tournament this year."
