Mission Valley Mariners: Learning is the goal; winning a bonus

The Mission Valley Mariners are approaching the end of a busy season after many of their players won the first-ever Montana high school baseball state championship. Now, they are looking to hopefully snag more wins as their season winds down during the weekend tournament.

“Our goal is always to just get better at baseball and learn new things,” head coach Brad Fisher said. “Winning is a bonus.”

The Mariners are wrapping up a solid season, currently sitting at 19-14 on the year with an 11-7 conference record in the West A standings. At the same time, Fisher has focused on developing these younger players into seasoned athletes.

American Legion Baseball has been a staple across the country for nearly a century. But, unlike most states, Montana recently added a high school baseball season, making the transition tough for teams coming off of a grueling season.

“This year, coming off what they did in high school, I didn’t really have to get them going too much,” Fisher said. “They were excited to get going.”

But the Mariners' two major keys to pushing through the grind are simple: winning and locality.

First, the winning. The Polson Pirates are coming off the first Montana state title in state history, and that was a team many of the Mariners’ players were a part of.

Even with some mixed results this year, the playoffs are where these kids thrived during the high school season and could be the key to a strong state playoff push.

Next up, locality. The Mariners’ roster is different from other Legion teams because of how the roster is built. It is a roster made up almost exclusively of Mission Valley kids.

Legion baseball teams located in more metropolitan areas often fill their rosters with players from that city. But, since Polson, Ronan and the Mission Valley are more rural, the Mariners’ roster is not just hometown-heavy. In addition to showcasing a tightly-knit group of seniors ready to lead the charge and hit some dingers along the way, the team is filled with young players, many of whom will come back. However, three players will not get that chance next year.

“I appreciate the moments I have left,” remarked the coach’s son, Espn. “Obviously, I just want to hit the ball all the time. But, I just hope our team does well and just go out there and compete.”

Espn is coming off of a state title, along with his fellow upperclassmen Dawson DuMont and Cymian Kauley, three proven vets on the team who know how to win on the biggest stage.

Espn will not get another shot at Legion next season because he reached the age limit, but he knows that all he can do now is play hard and remember to keep pushing toward that final tournament run.

“Baseball’s been a part of my life since I can remember,” Espn said. “I’ve played summer ball ever since I was 8. So, just kinda enjoying the moment and we’ll see what happens afterward.”

The Class A State Tournament starts on July 20 with games running into Sunday. For more information about the Mission Valley Mariners’, go to their Facebook page to see the roster and some highlights from the season.