2016 Combined

Hebron Christian pair sign baseball scholarship offers

Adam M1rnch1no January 16, 2016 8 51'25 PM

PHEBA -- Hard work.

Todd Griffin knows plenty of student-athletes have invested countless hours at practice and in games boning their skills. But the Hebron Christian baseball coach believes Channing Tapley and Payton Griffin have worked just as bard or even harder to attract the attention ofcollege coaches. From football, to boys basketball, to baseball, Tapley and Payton Griffin have Jh·ed the life of most small-school lligh school students, moving from sport to sport "ith little time to rest or recover between seasons. All the while, both standouts bad the dream to play baseball at the next le\·el. In addition to playing the sport at Hebron Christian, Tapley and Griffin have packed their summers "ith travel baseball games the past few years in an effort to test themselves against some of the best players in the region. All of that hard work paid off Friday, as Tapley and Griffin signed National Letters of Intent to play baseball at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead and East Central C.C. in Decatur, respectively. Todd Griffin, who also is Pa}t on's father, has watched both players mature for the past fh-e years. He has no doubt they both ,~;n blossom in college. 'There is no doubt in my mind that when they make it to the next level that nobody is going to outwork them," Griffin said. "They have taken it upon themselves to get bigger, faster, stronger, and have been in the weight room the past two or three years on their own a minimum of two to three days a week. They are just dedicated and committed to being the best they can be.'' Griffin said that mentality bas carried o,·er to the "offseason," when so many players spend two to three months tra,·eling e,·ery weekend to showcase their skills. He sa.id travel ball helped Tapley see better pitching and his son face better hitters, which has prepared them to become college players. He joked the biggest challenge both young men might face is making it to 8 a.m. classes. Payton Griffin said bis time with the Golden Spikes last summer helped him earn a scholarship offer. He said lhe travel ball team's first tournament was at East Central C.C. He said he spoke to the East Central C.C. coaches following the event and received an invitation to visit the campus. Griffin, who is 6-foot-3, i92 pounds, said be traveled to East Central C.C. one day in October after football practice at Hebron Christian and threw a bullpen. He was surprised to receive a scholarship offer. ·All the hard works pays off,· said Griffin, who hopes to be a starting pitcher at East Central C.C. 'Working out in the offseason and during the summer, throwing in the bullpen, and working at

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APPEARED IN:

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CARTHAGINIAN

NESHOBA DEMOCRAT SCOTT COUNTY TIMES

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NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL

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SPIRIT OF MORTON

WINSTON COUNTY JOUJlNAL __ CLARION-LEDGER ---------

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MERIDIAN STAR

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