Jupiter Looks To Return To The State Tournament In 2014

Senior Lance Fry will be a key member of the returning core of players who helped lead the team to the state Final Four.

Last year Jupiter High School did something that had never been done in the 50 year history of the program when they made it to the Final Four of the state championships.

“It was a successful season,” manager Andy Mook said. “Making the Final Four and doing something that has never been done before is something we can build on with the kids that are returning this year.”

Despite only being in his second year as manager at Jupiter, Mook has plenty of experience not just as a coach but also with Jupiter. Mook is now entering his 10th year as a head coach, coaching seven years at Palm Beach Lakes before taking over for longtime Warriors coaching legend Doug Ferguson.

His roots with the program go beyond just the past three years as manager, for Mook also played for Jupiter when he was in high school, making what his team did even more special.

“It was great,” Mook said. “Nothing against any of the other coaches that have been here. Coach Ferguson did a great job when he was here. He put this program on the map, and him and I still hang out. It was fantastic and hopefully we can keep going and win states.”

Even though they were eliminated in the Final Four, Coach Mook wanted to make sure that his players realized just how special of  a season they had. After their loss, instead of just getting on the bus and heading back from Fort Myers, Mook made sure that his team got to have some fun and enjoy being a part of a special team in Jupiter history.

“Originally the plan was that if we lost we were going to get on the bus and come home, but we switched the approach and instead of focusing on getting beat and losing that game we switched it to the success of the season,” said Mook. “So, we stayed and had a big team dinner and the kids got to hang out with each other and celebrate the success of the season.”

This year’s Jupiter team will have a very different feel to it. Mook and his team lost 11 seniors off of last year’s Final Four team, including nine that played big rolls on last year’s team. As a result, Mook will be looking to his returning seniors on this year’s squad to do what his seniors last year did.

“A lot of those guys from last year had to step it up too,” Mook said. “They were coming in as seniors that were unproven, so this year’s guys will have to do that too.”

Mook knows that it will be very tough to replace the production last year’s seniors had on the field which is why he more focused on what this year’s players can do.

“I don’t think you can really replace them,” Mook said. “I think it is time for these guys to step into a role like a lot of the seniors did last year. You can’t replace the type of guys we had last year with some of the things they did and how they were, how they believed in the team concept. Hopefully these guys will step it up and take the roles that they need.”

Kevin Fry will be counted on to play a larger role on the offense.

Now the focus will be turned to continuing to win and advance with the guys that will be on the field this year. Mook admits that when you win, people want you to keep winning and build a tradition of winning. Ultimately, the key to the team’s success this year is to keep the same approach that got them to where they were last year.

“Pitchers need to throw strikes, the defense needs to play solid defense and not hurt themselves too much, keep the mental mistakes down, and we have to have timely hitting,” said Mook. “We have to work hard and keep getting better. We made it to the Final Four, now we want to make it to the final two. We have to step it up and keep building. It would be great to win a championship but at the same time we want these guys to get better.”

Leadership will also be important for the Warriors this year. With 11 seniors graduated from last year’s club, the new group of upperclassman will have to step up and guide the younger players, just like upperclassman before them did. As a result, Mook will look to certain players to step up and be a leader both on and off the field.

“Logan Heiser will be a person that we will look at to step up. He was there last year and now he’s a senior,” Mook said. “Lance Fry and his brother Kevin are both seniors too, so definitely the three of them. Even a couple of the other guys who might have been a little more of a quiet guy can step up and be more vocal this year.”

Lance Fry knows it is his time to step up and take over as a team leader.

“We had a good senior core last year that taught us and showed us how to be leaders,” Lance Fry said. “I think now we take the baton and show some of the younger guys what it is like to come together as a team.”

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