By Gary Lloyd
They both had a tinge of red in their eyes, the sparkle of a tear or two forming.
First-year Pelham head baseball coach Sean Anderson told first-year Hewitt-Trussville head coach Jeff Mauldin congratulations on a great season. Mauldin told Anderson he was proud of him, happy for him.
They’re both first-year coaches at their respective schools because Mauldin left Pelham a year ago to take the Hewitt-Trussville job. Anderson was Mauldin’s assistant for six years at Pelham, six seasons in which the school posted a 176-51 record. Anderson has been at Pelham for a total of 18 years.
They’re good friends. They talk a couple times per week. Facing each other for the AHSAA Class 6A state championship was fun, tough and bittersweet all at once.
Pelham head coach Sean Anderson and Hewitt-Trussville head coach Jeff Mauldin embrace after Game 2 on Saturday.
photo by Ron Burkett
“I’m happy for them (Pelham’s players) because I know them, I’ve got a personal relationship with a lot of them, but I’m also hurting for our (players) because we have started to build that kind of relationship this year,” Mauldin said.
Mauldin and Hewitt-Trussville assistant coach Jeff Schrupp were the “most unique” people in this weekend’s series, Mauldin said, because they know everybody — all the players in forest green celebrating, all the players in bright red trying to keep their heads up, all the fans and parents snapping pictures from behind both dugouts. It was “God’s intervention,” a meant-to-be series, Mauldin said.
“I just think that’s a blessing from God to give us an opportunity to be here on this stage and know every kid in uniform and know every coach in uniform and know 80 percent of the people in the stands,” Mauldin said. “It’s humbling.”
Mauldin said Anderson is “so, so much deserving” of winning a state championship. Mauldin won one in 2003 at Clay-Chalkville. Anderson said it was fun to face his predecessor.
“I knew coming in it was going to be a battle,” Anderson said.
Anderson said Mauldin and Schrupp have done a “phenomenal” job in one year at Hewitt-Trussville. Anderson knows how Mauldin builds relationships with his players. Hewitt-Trussville senior first baseman Will Pharis, fighting tears in the media room, spoke about that, saying the main thing he’ll remember about this season is the coaches’ impact.
“It’s been a great journey, and we’ve only been with them for a year,” he said. “I can’t even imagine how strong the relationship would be with four (years).”
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
