Gavin Brown and Weston Comstock will see at least one familiar face in the dugout when they begin their college baseball careers at Williams Baptist College this fall.
The recent Bernie High School graduates signed recently to play baseball for the NAIA school located in Walnut Ridge, Ark.
"Oh, it's great. I've always wanted to keep playing with my teammates," Brown said. "Thought I had a couple more coming with me but we'll see how that goes."
Comstock said that having Brown as a college teammate means a lot.
"Gavin and I have played a lot of baseball together," Comstock said. "He's one of my best friends. We've always got along."
Bernie coach Marcus Massey, a Williams Baptist graduate, said he was proud of them both.
"They've been good kids for the program for four years," Massey said. "To be able to stay together and go play at Williams is a good opportunity for them."
Brown, the Mules' primary catcher, and Comstock, an outfielder, will have opportunities to continue playing those positions in college.
"Catchers, we'll have both of our starters back, but they both graduate next year, so he can come in and compete," Williams Baptist head coach Stephen Abanathy said of Brown. "He could be a three-year starter, and there could be a situation this year where he jumps in there and takes over a spot. We're excited about that.
"The same with Weston, we've got some open spots in the outfield. He could come in and compete right away."
Abanathy likes Brown's versatility.
"He's going to come in and compete at catcher, but I think he's a guy we can put at the corners," Abanathy said. "He hits the ball well and he works really hard. That's going to separate him from some guys we might have there right now."
Massey pointed to leadership as one of Brown's best attributes as a player.
"Gavin's just one of those kids who's been a leader for us," Brown said. "He brings a lot of knowledge. He's played a ton of baseball in his career.
"He's always played for (the SEMO) Bulls all summer long. He's a kid who's very experienced and should do well at the next level."
Abanathy called Comstock a solid defender.
"I like having a left-handed guy in the corners," Abanathy said. "He could play center field a little bit. I like having a left-handed stick who puts it in play."
Massey likes Comstock's speed.
"He's a kid who can flat-out run," Massey said. "He should be able to go in and play outfield for them. He can cover a lot of ground and continue to get better, and hopefully, in a few years, be a really nice player for them."
Brown called Williams Baptist a nice school with good facilities.
"It seems like a really good baseball school, and that's one reason I picked them over a few other schools," Brown said. He also considered Lyon College, of Batesville, Ark., and Crowley's Ridge College, of Paragould, Ark.
Comstock believes that Williams Baptist will help him become a better player.
"When I went down there, I just liked how the practices went. They went very smoothly," Comstock said.
"Everyone knew what to do, got a lot of good work in. I felt very comfortable, knowing I'll get a lot of work in and knowing I can be the best player I can be."