In 2018, Charles Hoof had a big year for Junction City, finishing second on the team in batting average, home runs and RBIs.
But after hitting .436 with three home runs and 43 RBIs in 2018, Hoof found himself as the center of attention for opposing pitching staffs and defenses.
The extra attention didn’t slow down Hoof, who hit. 350 with two home runs and 29 RBIs to help lead the Dragons to the 2A state title last month.
Hoof will join teammate Jack Smith as members of the East All-Stars for Friday’s AHSCA All-Star Game.
“It feels good. It feels exciting to do it,” Hoof said of the All-Star nod.
There were also some subtle changes for Hoof from his junior to senior year.
With the graduations of Clay Jolley and Brock McGoogan, Hoof found himself as the Dragons’ cleanup hitter after hitting fifth behind McGoogan in 2018.
Hoof also took over in center field after playing in left as a junior, but there was one major change Hoof faced that not many high school hitters see.
Against Parkers Chapel, the Trojans employed a shift against the senior.
“That was the first time it happened,” Hoof said.
In their first meeting, Hoof went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, but in their next two meetings, he had four hits and three RBIs combined.
When asked what the key to his success at the plate has been, Hoof said there were two factors.
“Just staying positive throughout the whole process at the plate,” Hoof said. “Working hard over the offseason paid off.”
As a standout on the basketball team, Hoof got a late start in joining the baseball team, and the Dragons returned home from their spring break trip with an 8-7 record and losses in four of five games.
However, the Dragons caught fire afterwards, winning 22 of their final 24 games that included a perfect 9-0 postseason run en route to winning their ninth state title.
“At the beginning, we had some ups and downs,” Hoof said. “We had a losing record at the beginning.
“We were at the Prairie Grove Tournament, and we lost three out of four games, so it was a little embarrassing, but after that, we got a good message from coach (Joe Paul) Hammett and we got hot and went on a winning streak. Everybody contributed and it just went from there.”
Hoof said that having Smith hit in front of him along with the Dragons’ balance up and down the lineup gave Junction City an offense that was tough to keep in check.
“It made a big difference,” Hoof said. “Everybody else just feeds off of it. One person gets a hit, and we just keep going. It’s hard to beat us when that happens.”
Hoof added that he is looking forward to playing with Smith one last time.
“It feels good,” Hoof said. “It feels really good having somebody else up there from the team.”
With Friday’s festivities looming, Hoof said he enjoyed his career at Junction City.
“Just having fun and making memories,” Hoof said. “It was fun.”