By Chuck Reherman
Sports Editor
For the first time in years, Yukon will have a pair of players on the field for the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State game.
Josh Sanders and Jett Lodes will be in uniform when the Large West takes on the Large East at 11 a.m. at the Chickasha Bricktown Ballpark.
Sanders was named to the first team All-State earlier this year and Lodes on he alternate list. He was selected to play after another player elected not to play in the game.
YHS head coach Kevin James looks for both his players to have a solid outing in the game. Both have played this summer with their club teams.
It is the first time that James will have two Yukon players compete in an All-State game. He has had two All-Staters at Yukon in the past, but they did not play in the game. He has had two players play in the game when he coached at both Sayre and Plainview.
Sanders will be on the mound for the Large West and Lodes, selected as a utility player, could see both time in the infield and also on the mound.
For Sanders and Lodes they made the choice to play in the All-State game over walking the stage at graduation which is scheduled for noon at Miller Stadium.
Sanders, who signed with Texas Tech to play baseball, will leave in August to join the Red Raiders.
“It wasn’t incredibly hard to make the decision to play in the game over going to graduation,” Sanders said. “I would rather play baseball that walk across a stage. Me and my close family watched the virtual graduation.
“I’ve gotten to play with my tournament team, so I have kept in good baseball shape,” Sanders said. “We had a pretty late start because of the shutdown and although Tech hasn’t said a lot about fall baseball, I can’t wait to get there and start playing.”
Lodes wasn’t expecting to get to play in the game and was surprised when he got the ball. He has also been busy this summer playing with his club team.
“I was super excited when I got the call that I was playing,” Lodes said. “Getting to play with all the top players in the state gets you pumped up. I will be used as a utility and pitch.
“It wasn’t really a tough decision to me to play in the game over graduation, because baseball is what I love to play,” he said. “I played for MVP-seng 18U this summer, so I have kept busy playing. We have played in six tournaments, so I feel that will help me be ready to play in the All-State game.”
