Q & A with Riverside Rebel Senior Zain McClure. By: Ryan Fletcher
1. You are a state champion in baseball. Very few high school athletes can say that. What has that experience been? I am very grateful that I can say that I am a state champ. Something like that isn’ t something that comes around often. Thinking back to all the hard work that we had put into the last three or four years and watching it pay off in that moment was such a surreal feeling. That feeling of actually pulling it off was so amazing. Even seeing the fans jumping down in excitement together was truly a sight. The best part was probably the bus ride after everything, though. We went to eat steaks with all the players and coaches. Everyone gathered around enjoying a victory meal. Then saying our goodbyes to our seniors. Seeing the seniors get to end their season off with a bang brought even more joy to the moment. 2. You guys have won some really huge games over the last three years. Aside from winning state, what are some moments that really stand in your mind as the best? There are two moments I favor the most, and that is the Woodlawn game we played at Walnut Ridge and Valley View. The Woodlawn game meant a lot to me when we got to play them during the season. The year before, they beat us at their place and during the state. To make it even worse, in the last at-bat of the state game, I hit a line drive down the line that the first baseman dove and caught to end our season. Coming into this game, I told myself that I was going to get that hit back, and sure enough, I did. It was the top of the 7th, and we were down one with a runner in scoring position. I hit a line drive towards the right center gap to score that run to tie the game which we ended up winning. I then ended up finishing the game on the mound with a great play by my third baseman. Then the Valley View game is my next favorite. After people heard they were on the schedule, all I would hear was how we didn’ t have a chance. I couldn’ t compete with them on the mound. So, I did what I was raised to do and didn’ t say anything, and decided I was going to let my playing do the talking, and sure enough, it did. Our team walked in there with full confidence knowing we had the ability to get the job done, and that is exactly what we did. My defense backed me up, and our bats stayed hot all through the game.