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Trust to key Winner/Colome Legion state tournament run

Trust Proves to Be the Ultimate Key in Colome Legion's Thrilling Victory

In the heart of South Dakota's competitive American Legion baseball scene, where small-town rivalries burn as bright as the summer sun, the Colome Legion team etched their name into local lore with a hard-fought victory that hinged not just on skill, but on an intangible force: trust. The game, played under the lights at the dusty diamond in Colome, pitted the home team against a formidable opponent from nearby Winner, in what turned out to be a nail-biter that extended into extra innings. As the dust settled and the cheers echoed through the stands, it was clear that this wasn't merely a contest of bats and gloves, but a testament to the bonds forged in the dugout and on the field.

The matchup began with all the hallmarks of a classic prairie showdown. Colome, known for their scrappy play and unyielding spirit, entered the game with a chip on their shoulder. They'd been on a rollercoaster season, blending moments of brilliance with frustrating setbacks. Winner, on the other hand, arrived as the favorites, boasting a roster loaded with talent from the region's top high school programs. Their lineup featured power hitters who could change the game with a single swing, and a pitching staff that had shut down opponents all summer. But as the first pitch was thrown, it became evident that statistics and scouting reports only tell part of the story.

From the outset, Colome's strategy revolved around building and maintaining trust among teammates. Head coach Mark Vander Pol, a longtime fixture in South Dakota Legion ball, emphasized this in his pre-game huddle. "Trust isn't something you talk about; it's something you live," he told his players, drawing from years of experience coaching in these tight-knit communities. Vander Pol, who has guided Colome through multiple state tournaments, knows that in Legion baseball—where players often juggle farm chores, summer jobs, and family obligations—the mental game can make or break a team. His words resonated as the game unfolded, with Colome's defense turning potential disasters into routine outs through seamless communication and unspoken understanding.

The early innings saw Winner jump out to a quick lead. Their leadoff hitter, a speedy outfielder with a knack for getting on base, slapped a single up the middle, setting the stage for a two-run homer that silenced the home crowd. Colome's starter, young right-hander Ethan Vobr, a rising senior with a fastball that touches the mid-80s, shook off the early blow. Vobr, hailing from a family of farmers in the area, embodies the resilience of Colome's roster. He trusted his catcher, longtime teammate Jackson Kinzer, to call the right pitches, even as Winner's batters worked deep counts. This trust paid off in the third inning when Vobr induced a double play to escape a bases-loaded jam, keeping the deficit at just two runs.

Offensively, Colome chipped away with the kind of small-ball tactics that define Legion play in rural America. Shortstop Reed Kinzer—Jackson's brother and a defensive wizard—laid down a perfect bunt to advance runners, setting up a sacrifice fly that plated their first run. The crowd, a mix of families, local ranchers, and kids with gloves hoping for foul balls, erupted as the scoreboard ticked to 2-1. But it was in the middle innings that trust truly became the game's protagonist. With runners on first and third and one out in the fifth, Colome's cleanup hitter, power-hitting first baseman Wyatt Olivier, faced a full count. Instead of swinging for the fences, Olivier trusted the coaching signal to take a pitch, drawing a walk that loaded the bases. The next batter, outfielder Carter Brickman, then delivered a clutch single to tie the game, a moment that underscored the team's philosophy: individual heroics stem from collective faith.

As the game wore on, fatigue set in under the humid evening air. Winner regained the lead in the seventh with a solo shot, pushing the score to 3-2 and forcing Colome to mount a comeback in the bottom half. With two outs and a runner on second, it came down to pinch-hitter Landon Thieman, a utility player who had seen limited action this season. Thieman, battling nerves, recalled post-game how he leaned on the trust of his teammates. "They believed in me more than I did myself," he said, his voice still hoarse from the celebration. His sharp line drive to right field scored the tying run, sending the game into extras.

Extra innings brought heightened drama. Winner threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs, but Colome's relief pitcher, crafty lefty Blake Boes, entered the fray. Boes, who moonlights as a volunteer firefighter in Colome, trusted his off-speed pitches to navigate the crisis. A strikeout, followed by a pop-up and a groundout, stranded the runners and kept the game tied. The tension was palpable; fans on both sides paced the bleachers, the air thick with the scent of popcorn and freshly cut grass.

The decisive moment arrived in the bottom of the ninth. With one out and a runner on third—courtesy of a daring steal by Reed Kinzer—Colome's No. 9 hitter, freshman sensation Ty Vander Pol (the coach's son), stepped to the plate. Facing Winner's ace closer, who had been lights out all night, young Vander Pol trusted his preparation. He'd spent countless hours in the batting cage, honing his swing under his father's watchful eye. On a 2-2 fastball, he ripped a grounder through the infield, scoring the winning run in a 4-3 thriller. The Colome bench erupted, mobbing Vander Pol at first base as the home fans roared their approval.

In the aftermath, the victory's deeper meaning emerged in conversations around the diamond. Coach Vander Pol reflected on how trust had been the thread weaving through their season. "We've got kids from different schools, different backgrounds, but they trust each other like brothers," he said. "In a place like Colome, where everyone knows everyone, that trust extends beyond the field—it's what holds our community together." Players echoed this sentiment. Ethan Vobr, the starting pitcher, noted, "When you're out there, it's not about being perfect; it's about knowing the guy next to you has your back." Even Winner's coach graciously acknowledged the role of intangibles, tipping his cap to Colome's cohesion.

This win propels Colome Legion deeper into the postseason, with eyes on the state tournament. But more than advancing brackets, it serves as a reminder of why Legion baseball endures in America's heartland. It's not just about developing future pros—though South Dakota has produced its share—it's about instilling values like trust, perseverance, and camaraderie. In an era of travel teams and elite academies, Colome's story harkens back to a purer form of the game, where a dusty field in a town of fewer than 300 people can host moments of pure magic.

As the lights dimmed and players headed home to farms and families, the victory lingered like the stars overhead. For Colome Legion, trust wasn't just a key—it was the master key that unlocked triumph. And in the annals of local sports history, this game will be remembered not for the final score, but for the unbreakable bonds that made it possible.

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Read the Full The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D. Article at:
[ https://sports.yahoo.com/article/trust-key-winner-colome-legion-234700670.html ]