If you want a ringing endorsement of French Camp Academy, the person to contact is senior Seth Box.
“It’s a great school and an even better group of people,” he said. “They really try to prepare you for the future. They instill some Christian values.
“My whole family went to French Camp. My mom graduated from there. All my aunts and uncles.”
Box has been a French Camp student since the seventh grade and has been on the baseball and football teams since his freshman year. As a senior, he has been a standout in both.
On the gridiron, he was a two-way lineman, with 36 tackles as a defensive tackle. On the diamond, he was a pitcher, catcher and third baseman.
Box was one of the main reasons the Panthers were 6-0 when the coronavirus pandemic ended the season. He was batting .368 with team leading totals of four home runs and 12 RBIs. He was also the team’s ace, with a 3-0 record, 1.37 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
He has been playing baseball most of his life, starting in T-Ball, and it remains his favorite sport. “I fell in love with the game at a young age.”
It’s the sport he hopes to play at the next level. “I have had a lot of people ask me if I want to play football (in college). I love the game, but I don’t think I love it enough to play it at the next level. I think I’m going to just stick to baseball.”
The next level will be either Itawamba Community College or East Central Community College, then possibly Mississippi State, while studying agricultural science.
Box enjoys pitching. “I feel comfortable on the mound. I feel like I’m in control; kind of set the pace for the game.”
But he doesn’t see himself as a college pitcher. “I don’t know if I have college level velocity. I feel like I can definitely hit and play in the field. I could probably pitch somewhere, but I don’t know if I could be a high quality pitcher.”
His fast ball has been clocked at 83 miles per hour, good for high school ball, but probably not against college batters.
Box is also a baseball fan, especially the Houston Astros. “Ever since I was a little kid watching Roy Oswalt from Weir, I have really loved the ‘Stros.”
He has never been to a game at the Astros’ Minute Maid Park, but hopes to make it there some day,
According to the website MaxPreps, French Camp was the state’s top-ranked team in 1A, and 10th for all classes, when the season ended. That’s why Box was so sad to see it end.
“It was really devastating because we were undefeated. We were really excited, hopeful we would make a run for state.”
During this down time, Box has attempted to stay sharp. “I have quite a few cousins who play baseball so we have been throwing it around the yard, trying to keep my arm in shape.”
