Pointers lean on ace Johnson heading into tourney

The Van Buren Pointers, like their ace pitcher, are peaking at the right time. Van Buren finished off a phenomenal April, started May with a win and now head into the Class 7A state tournament with 11 wins in their last 13 games. Van Buren will play North Little Rock at noon on Thursday in the first round at Rogers Veterans Park. Van Buren’s hot streak is exemplified no better than by their senior pitcher, Trevor Johnson, whose sparkling two-hitter clinched a state tournament berth in a 5-2 win over Springdale last week. “That was maybe his best this year,” veteran Van Buren head coach David Loyd said. “He’s been our guy for three years basically. When he goes out there, you always feel good, and the kids always feel good. They know they have a chance. He’s going to give you a great effort and you’re going to have a chance to win.” Johnson has been the stalwart of the pitching staff for three years. The Pointers needed Johnson to be at his best last week when they clinched the state tournament berth. It was a position they didn’t think they would be in going into the final 7A-West home-and-away series. “We didn’t really want to do it like that,” Johnson said. “We wanted to already be in, but it’s pretty cool to be playing for something at the end of the year.” Johnson has been brilliant this year, but especially of late. In seven conference starts, he threw 43-1/3 innings and allowed just 33 hits with a 1.62 earned run average. “He has three different pitches that he can throw for strikes,” Loyd said. “Then when we play behind him, it’s always a fun game to watch.” He struck out 47 in conference action with just five walks. “That’s his deal, he makes them put it in play,” Loyd said. “He’s not going to give much free stuff. If he can do that and we can play defense behind him, we always have a chance.” He finished conference play with four-straight complete games. Johnson always was the opening-game starter in the two-game home-and-away series, which means he also always went against the opponent’s ace. He was just 3-4 in seven conference starts but with little run support especially early when Van Buren started conference play 0-5. “I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t think that was going to happen,” Johnson said. “Last year, we were so successful. I knew we had it in us. We have a lot of talent here. I knew if we stuck with it that things would happen and we’d get wins.” Four seniors, though, including Landrey Wilkerson, Seth Humphrey and Noah Lipe along with Johnson had to be the ones that would turn the season around. “We lost a lot from last year,” Johnson said. “I knew that me, Landrey, Noah and Seth had to be leaders and contribute.” Loyd also said a meeting, spurred by two of the senior leaders, also provided the impetus to a solid finish that earned the Pointers the fourth seed in the state tournament. “When we were struggling a little bit, him and Landrey had a meeting with them one night,” Loyd said. “He didn’t say a whole lot, but when he does the guys listen because they know he’s been around and he’s been through it. They pay attention to him. He’s done a great job of leading us this year. He also helped in that last year.” In the new age of the high school pitch limitations, Johnson has also proven valuable. He reached the maximum of 110 pitches just once in conference play, and that was in the opener against Rogers. In consecutive wins against Bentonville West and Springdale to close the conference season, Johnson needed just 91 and 90 pitches, respectively, in seven innings. He averaged just 15 pitches per inning in the seven conference starts. The whole team, of course, can take credit for the turn-around, but Johnson, as a pitcher, was at the forefront. “I just kept pitching,” Johnson said. “Since I get to hit, too, I could pick myself up. I know the guys, they can hit. It just took a little while in the season. Now, we’re scoring some runs and not allowing very many runs. It was a little frustrating there for a little bit.” Johnson has been much more for the Pointers this year than a pitcher. He’s provided a lethal bat in the middle of the order and a solid defender at third base. “He’s so confident; his confidence is so good,” Loyd said. “He plays a position for us, too, and he’s gotten better as a third baseman. He’s gotten better as a hitter. Obviously, we count on him so much as a pitcher, but his overall game has really improved in the last year; pitching, hitting and defensively. He’s really come on.” He received the ultimate compliment as a hitter against Springdale when he was walked twice intentionally. Johnson feels he’s improved in all areas of the game but especially in the batter’s box. “I think everything, but hitting, I think probably the most I’ve grown is hitting-wise,” Johnson said. “Last year, there were other guys that could pick me up. This year, I was a senior and a leader so I had to pick other guys up. I think that’s where I’ve really grown.” Johnson will continue his baseball career collegiately at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith but still has business to tend to for his Pointers. “We’re peaking at the right point,” Johnson said. “I think we’re going in the right direction. I think we can make some noise in the state tournament.”

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

POINTERS LEAN ON ACE JOHNSON HEADING INTO TOURNEY

LELAND BARCLAY

Times Record | 5/8/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Aaron Shaffer