Getting a chance to play sports with a best friend from one of the first moments of organized ball until the end of a high school career is a special experience, but going beyond there is something rare.
That is going to be the case for a couple of East Webster Wolverines who signed on Wednesday to continue beyond Cumberland in their baseball careers. Cade Morrow and Briceton Johnson started baseball together many years ago and have been there just about every step of the way in each other’s journey.
In 2025, they’ll be donning black and gold and playing for the East Central Community College Warriors.
“I know that it’s special to them because they’ve grown up playing together,” coach Blake Hutchison said of Morrow and Johnson. “Being able to get to continue to do that is pretty cool for them and their parents. I’m excited for them and expecting big things out of them.”
Not only have Morrow and Johnson been playing different sports together over the years, the two have been excelling at whatever they’ve chosen to play. Last season, they both dealt with separate injuries that could have halted their junior years, but each of them fought through it and were able to help their team to the max.
For Morrow, he finished off football and basketball season and had been dealing with a sore arm. The One of the team’s top pitchers, Morrow didn’t feel right in his first four appearances. He lasted just 7.0 innings, walked 11 batters and gave up four runs before learning that he needed elbow surgery.
Instead of calling it quits last year, Morrow decided to find another way to help his team. He played in the field and was batting near the top of the order at the two spot and he led the team with a .402 average and had a .514 on base percentage with six doubles, a triple and 21 RBI.
After having the surgery on his elbow, he had to miss all of football season but just recently returned to the mound to start throwing. He believes he’ll be fully cleared on January 1 and back in time for baseball season in full. Having a chance to play for the Warriors and pitch on that level is going to be an honor for him.
“It means a lot and I’ve worked hard to do so,” Morrow said of his chance on the next level. “Slowly but surely, we’re getting back to it. It wasn’t fun last year not being able to pitch, but at least I could help my team in the lineup.”
As for Johnson, he’s had quite the athletics career to this point. After consecutive Best of the Rest selections by the Starkville Daily News as a freshman and a sophomore, Johnson jumped into the All-Area last year and has two All-Area selections in football as well.
Only Morrow had a better batting average than the short stop’s .385 last year and he had a .488 OBP with a team-best 37 hits, eight doubles, eight home runs, six triples and 54 RBI. Johnson fought through a hip injury two years ago and a leg injury last year but had stellar baseball seasons and now has a chance for another this year.
Kicking it off by signing with one of his best friends and longtime teammate made for a great day on Wednesday.
“It’s a special opportunity that not many people get and we’re all really happy to go to the next level and perform,” Johnson said. “It’s even better to play with a buddy that you’ve played with your whole life. It’s beyond anything you could ask for and I’m very blessed to be able to do that.”
For Hutchison, he counts himself thankful to be able to coach a couple of great players and kids like Johnson and Morrow.
Both of them are big for the team in 2024 as well with most of the players returning from a squad that went 23-10 and won the Class 2A, Region 4 championship last year with a trip to the North State championship.
This year the crew has moved up to 3A and expectations have grown. Having Morrow back on the mound helps a team that had a great pitching duo in Carson Norwood and Jordan Gaskin as starters. Adding Johnson into the mix means it’s a team built to compete before its stars head out.
“It was disappointing that Cade didn’t get to pitch last year, but he comes in and leads the team in batting average and plays a solid right field and that was huge. He held down the two-hole for us all year, too, so I’m proud of him. A lot of kids would have gone ahead and gotten the surgery but he wanted to do what he could to help the team and that speaks to what kind of kid that he is. He’s a special kid,” Hutchison said. "
“Briceton is one of the most talented kids that I’ve ever coached. He’s got power, he’s got speed and he’s got it all. We’re looking for more from him this year because we’re moving up to 3A and we’re going to need both of them to lead us to another great season.”
