Asheville High seniors Jared Patterson, Noah Cook and Langston Haden signed to play college baseball on Wednesday.
ASHEVILLE – Look elsewhere if you want a coach to sugarcoat it.
There is no mistaking what seniors Jared Patterson, Langston Haden and Noah Cook meant to the Asheville High baseball program.
“They were the only reason we were competitive this year,” Cougars coach Bill Hillier said Wednesday.
“We are going to miss those three as much for their leadership as their skill. None of them had unachievable goals when it came to playing college baseball. This is a neat moment for them, their families and our program. When you get to continue playing the game you love, it’s a great day.”
Hillier was in Raleigh on Wednesday as one of Region VIII’s coaches for the State Games of North Carolina tournament.
Three of his brightest pupils were fine handling an afternoon college-signing ceremony on their own.
Patterson (Methodist), Haden (Millsaps, Miss.) and Cook (Montreat) are good friends who are going their separate ways after graduation. But they wanted to share Wednesday’s big moment together.
“This is awesome,” Haden said.
“We’ve been teammates and best friends since middle school. It’s a dream come true.”
Haden is a left-handed pitcher who went 6-1 with a save this spring. He had a 1.38 earned-run average and 47 strikeouts in 55.2 innings pitched as an All-Mountain Athletic Conference arm for the Cougars (10-13).
Asheville placed third in the MAC 3-A division behind North Buncombe and regular season/tournament champ Reynolds.
Cook was 2-8 as a right-handed pitcher with a 3.13 earned-run average and 47 strikeouts in 53.2 innings pitched. The honorable mention All-MAC pick also played second base and batted .197 with 16 RBIs and three doubles.
“It’s a great feeling to sign with these guys,” Cook said.
“I’ve known them for so long and it’s been so much fun to play with them for so long.”
When Cook or Haden were on the mound, their catcher was Patterson. He blossomed into one of Western North Carolina’s best players at the position, especially when it came to hitting.
Patterson batted a team-high .471 with 26 RBIs, eight doubles and four home runs. He was walked 13 times.
Patterson was named to the All-MAC team along with Haden and Jack Whitehouse.
“It’s great that we are all moving on,” Patterson said of Wednesday’s signees.
“Playing catcher is tough on your body. It took some getting used to, but I love it.”
Cook, Haden and Patterson are all part of this summer’s Asheville American Legion Post 70 team which was 5-0 ahead of Wednesday night’s game at Haywood County Post 47.
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