ATLANTA — It’s a bucket list item that North Hall baseball coach Trent Mongero thought he would never cross off.
He still won’t, technically, but when the Trojans head down I-85 to Turner Field on Friday to take on Cartersville at the home of the Atlanta Braves, Mongero, a former minor league player in the Braves system, will get to live vicariously through his players, at least for a day.
“It was always a dream of mine to take ground balls at Turner Field,” Mongero said earlier this week. “I won’t get to do that but the kids will. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them. We’re excited about the opportunity for them”
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
For senior centerfielder Drew Atha, it brought an immediate smile to his face.
“I think we all dream of playing at a place like that,” he said. “I’m just going to try and take it all in. It’s going to be awesome I’m sure. It’s going to be cool standing out there knowing that guys like Andruw Jones and other great players were standing where I’ll be.”
Fellow senior and catcher Fowler Brooks had a similar reaction.
“Awesome. It’s crazy to think I’ll be in the (catcher’s circle) as some great players who have played there. I can’t wait,” Brooks said.
Ever searching for a tough game, Mongero will always have his team play anywhere against anyone at anytime. The game will be a rematch of the two teams’ 2013 Class AAA state championship series. Both Atha and Brooks played significant innings during the Trojans' playoff run that season.
While neither team is ranked in Class AAAA this season, North Hall (15-7) and Cartersville (12-8) along with Buford, have been deemed to own the toughest schedules in Class AAAA.
However, Mongero also has said it will be a priority to get everyone in the game and a chance to play on the famed turf at Turner Field.
“I think that’s the goal, for sure,” Mongero said. “We’ll just have to see how everything works out. We’re taking the JV team with us as well so that all the kids in the program can at least get to sit in the dugout and walk on the field. It’s going to be crowded, but we also want as many kids to get a chance to experience this as we can.”
For Atha and Brooks, it was a two-sided coin.
“I want everyone to get in the game but we also want to win. We remember 2013,” Atha said. “I just think being on that field is going to be motivation enough for everyone to do their best and try to win the game.”
“Honestly, it’s just another game,” Brooks said. “But, being on Turner Field should be a big motivator for all of us. The best scenario would be for everyone to get in the game and for us to win the game. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Mongero acknowledged that a big key to the Trojans getting this opportunity came from West Forsyth coach Mike Pruitt.
“We were trying to schedule a game with them and he mentioned they may not play at Turner Field this year so I told him we might be interested,” Mongero said. “He told the Braves about our interest and the Braves then called us and we said we would love to do it. We found out in the fall and the kids were fired up when I told them.
“What is really cool to me about doing it this year is that our’s will be the first high school game this year on the field and it’s coming in the final season at Turner Field. We played the first-ever high school game at Coolray (Field, home of the Gwinnett Braves) a few years ago and scored the first run and won the first game at Coolray.”
With the way the Atlanta Braves have started the season, no matter who wins on Friday it will be the first victory by a Georgia team at Turner Field this season.
“Wow, I hadn’t thought about that until you said something,” Mongero said. “Yeah, that’s kind of bad for (the Braves) but that would be cool for us if can win the game.”
