Heritage Christian Angels

What a beautiful weekend for baseball.

HC Baseball wrapped up the 2026 Edgewood Classic with a second-place finish, and we could not be more proud of this group.

The Angels played hard throughout the weekend, competed from start to finish, and represented HC Baseball well every time they stepped onto the field. Tournament weekends ask a lot of a team, and our guys kept working, kept competing, and earned their way to the championship game.

Bringing home second place is certainly something to celebrate. But as proud as we were of the baseball these young men played, something happened that weekend that meant even more to us than the trophy they brought home.

They Noticed Before the First Pitch

Sometimes the way a team carries itself makes an impression before the first pitch is ever thrown.

On the morning of our early game, our boys and coaches arrived ahead of most of the host team. Rather than simply waiting for game time, they went straight to work, stretching and preparing themselves physically and mentally for the challenge ahead.

We didn’t think much about anyone watching. Our guys were simply doing what they had been taught to do: show up prepared, take the game seriously, and give their best effort.

But someone was paying attention.

The host coach later shared that he had noticed our team’s preparation that morning. In fact, he told me he had spoken to his own players about what he saw. He said he knew our Angels had come to play.

What he noticed that morning was only the beginning.

Preparing before the first pitch — doing the work, even when they didn’t realize anyone was watching.

More Than Good Baseball

Throughout the tournament, more than one coach approached us to talk about our team. They complimented the baseball our Angels were playing, but what stood out even more was what they said about the young men themselves.

They noticed the class. The sportsmanship. The heart, grit, determination, and respect.

They noticed the way our players and coaches conducted themselves, how they competed, and how they represented HC both on and off the field.

For those of us who know how much these young men and their coaches pour into this team, hearing those words was incredibly meaningful. But one moment in particular made this tournament something we will always remember.

A Greater Victory Than Any Trophy

During bracket play, our Angels faced the host team and eliminated them from the tournament. Despite that disappointment, their coach approached us more than once to praise our players, our coaches, and the way HC conducted itself.

Then came the trophy presentation.

As the teams gathered to receive their awards, the host coach took time to address our Angels directly.

He didn’t simply congratulate them for finishing second. He spoke to them about what he had witnessed throughout the tournament, recognizing the way they played, competed, and carried themselves. His words were encouraging, affirming, and genuinely heartfelt.

He had just watched his own team be eliminated by ours, yet he chose to publicly recognize the very young men who had defeated them.

And he didn’t direct those particular remarks to the team holding the championship trophy. He directed them to our Angels.

I wish every one of our Angels could understand just how much that moment meant. Someone outside our own baseball family had seen what we hope to build in these young men, and he cared enough to tell them.

They Earned Their Gold

But the weekend wasn’t quite over for our Angels. We had one more surprise waiting for them, and after everything that had happened, we knew the moment was finally right.

This was HC Baseball’s tenth anniversary year, and we wanted to do something special to celebrate. My boys and I had been working on a surprise for the team: brand-new gold jerseys with ANGELS across the front.

Nobody knew about them except us. We had made them ourselves, quietly working behind the scenes and waiting for just the right opportunity to present them to our Angels.

We didn’t want them to be just another uniform. Ten years of HC Baseball represented so much hard work, so many memories, and so many young men who had worn the Angels name before them. We wanted these jerseys to mean something special.

And then came the Edgewood Classic.

After the trophy presentation, we returned to the dugout, gathered our belongings, and cleaned everything up. Then, just as we always do after a game, we came together as a team. It’s our time for the coaches to share a few words, for us to pray together, and to break it down before heading home.

Only this time, we had something extra to share.

We presented our Angels with their new gold jerseys.

And I cannot imagine a more fitting moment to have done it.

These young men had just battled their way to a championship game. They had competed with determination, represented HC with class, and earned the admiration of coaches who had watched them throughout the tournament. They had given us so many reasons to be proud.

They had earned those gold jerseys in every way that mattered.

Not because they brought home a particular trophy, but because of the effort, character, respect, and heart they had shown.

Gold has always been one of HC’s colors, but that day it felt especially meaningful. Here we were, celebrating ten years of HC Baseball, watching another generation of Angels carry forward the standards Coach Clay worked so hard to establish.

My boys and I had put our time and love into making those jerseys, and being able to give them to this team after such a meaningful weekend was a memory I will always treasure.

A special weekend, a tenth anniversary, and a surprise made with love for our Angels.

Looking back, I think what makes this memory so special is that we didn’t plan for the jerseys to be presented after a runner-up finish or after another coach praised our team. We simply waited for the right moment.

And when that moment came, we knew.

So Very Proud of Our Angels

I cannot begin to express how proud I am of our players and coaches. They played tremendous baseball, battled their way to the championship game, and brought home a well-earned second-place finish.

But even more than that, they represented Coach Clay and HC in a way that made my heart so full. They were a shining light, and the recognition they received was one of the greatest compliments our team could ever be given.

To the host coach and the other coaches who took the time to share those encouraging words, thank you. You may never fully know how much your kindness and recognition meant to our boys, our coaches, and our family.

And to our HC Angels, congratulations! We are so proud of the baseball you played, but even prouder of the young men you showed yourselves to be. Never underestimate the difference your actions can make or the impression you leave on those around you.

There really isn’t much better than a beautiful spring weekend filled with baseball, and we were thankful for every inning of it.

Keep working. Keep competing. Keep building.