Thompson and Gordon lead Mariners into district tourney

Zach Urness

Leader Staff

When the Mission Valley Mariners began practice in April, the prevailing sentiment was that the M's were a very talented, but very young team, and might need to go through some growing pains this season.

Three months and a team record 51 wins later, you can throw "growing pains" right out the window.

The guys from Mission Valley have utterly dominated their opponents this season. They are riding a 22-game winning streak heading into the district tournament this weekend, and feature a 51-7 overall record while boasting three tournament titles.

As a team they are batting .382 and their pitching staff isn't far behind, posting a team ERA of 3.24 that includes 431 strikeouts in 369 innings.

Even more impressive, they are 15-1 in the conference and have yet to lose on their home field, a stat that should come in handy as they take the No. 1 seed into the district tournament at O'Maley Field this Saturday.

So what exactly happened to the team that was supposed to be greener than the infield grass this season?

The answer, or at least one of the answers, is the leadership and experience of the sole "seniors" on this year's team, Will Gordon and Brandon Thompson.

Both players are in their fourth and final year as Mariners, bringing an experience to the dugout that many of the Mariners lack.

"I try to lead by example," said Thomspon of his role on the team. "We have a great bunch of kids on the team this year and most of them know how to act and what to do. We've had meltdowns in previous years, but there is a great, laid-back attitude this year and everybody picks each other up."

"We just try to make sure the younger kids don't get too tense and just relax and have fun out there," added Gordon.

Mariners head coach Jami Hanson has appreciated the leadership qualities of both players this season.

"They've been great team leaders for us this year," he said. "Both have great attitudes and are great kids to have on the team."

Both also have great nicknames. Thompson is known affectionately around the clubhouse as "Moose," because he is about the size of one. Gordon is known by a more metaphysical alias, dubbed "the hurricane," a name that began during the football season and reemerged during his sole pitching performance this season.

Both are also good representations of the geographical mix that exists on the Mariners, who draw players from all over the Mission Valley. Thompson comes to the M's all the way from Plains and Gordon is from Polson, but the Mariners draw players from Arlee, St. Ignatius, Charlo and Ronan, as well.

"One of the best things about playing for the Mariners is getting to know guys you otherwise wouldn't get to know," said Gordon.

Leadership and nicknames aside, both Thompson and Gordon are very good hitters and have been productive in the middle of the explosive Mariner lineup all season.

Thompson leads the team in most offensive categories, including batting average (.514), runs scored (66) and home runs (10). The really scary thing about Thompson is that by his standards, he got off to a slow start this year and is just starting to get hot.

The Moose also leads the team on the mound, and, although he said he's not having his best year, he leads the team in strikeouts, tallying 89 K's in only 55 innings and has a 6-1 record with a 3.29 ERA. And much like his hitting, it seems like Thompson is just beginning to get hot on the mound, as he struck out 17 batters in his last outing.

Gordon, meanwhile, is enjoying his best season as a Mariner. Playing mostly in the outfield and occasionally behind the plate, he is batting .417, has 52 RBIs and is tied for second on the team with six home runs.

Beyond their on-the-field excellence, both players are also sound young men. Gordon graduated from Polson this year and is planning on attending Albertson College in Caldwell, Idaho next year. He will be playing baseball for the Coyotes and receiving various scholarships for academics.

Thompson will enter his second year at baseball powerhouse Lewis and Clark State in Lewistown, Idaho next fall. He decided to red-shirt his freshmen season on the baseball team, and said that next year he will be used primarily as a pitcher and designated hitter.

When asked about the Mariners success this season, both players noted that the team had been quick to gel on and off the field.

"The bus trips have been a lot of fun this season," commented Thompson. "There is just a good attitude that helps us stay loose. We know that even if we lose a game here or there, we'll come right back and win the next one."

At the moment, Thompson and Gordon are focused on bringing the Mariners back to the state tournament, where they went two-and-out last year.

"Our team goal is to make it to state," said Gordon, "and I am pretty excited about what can happen. I think we have a good chance to win the whole thing. We've played all of the best teams in the West (conference), and we've been told that whoever wins the west should come out on top."

Whatever happens for the Mariners one thing is sure, "The Moose" and "The Hurricane" will be there to lead the charge.