SPORTS

Hamilton baseball hungry for redemption

BY ZACH ALVIRA

Arizonan Sports Editor

The last time Hamilton right-handed pitcher Logan Saloman took the mound in a state title game, he was a wide-eyed freshman that had earned the trust of his coaches and teammates.

Saloman threw a complete game back in 2019 as the Huskies went on to beat Corona Del Sol 8-1 at Tempe Diablo Stadium. That is arguably one of Saloman’s best memories from his time at Hamilton.

Now a senior, he hopes to have that same feeling this season with a starstudded lineup alongside him with the Huskies. But what makes this team perhaps more dangerous than in year’s past is the redemption they all seek after falling in the semifinals last season.

“We want it bad,” Saloman said. “That loss last year hurt a lot. We want it even more now.”

Hamilton was the favorite to repeat in 2020 following its latest state championship in baseball. But the season was cut short due to the beginning of the pandemic.

At the time, Hamilton had just wrapped up the Boras Classic and was the topranked team in the nation in MaxPreps’ baseball rankings. When spring sports were given the go-ahead in 2021, Hamilton again emerged as a favorite. But the Huskies ran into a talented Alhambra team led by a stellar pitching staff in the semifinals.

Liberty, another powerhouse baseball program, went on to win last year’s state title. That feeling after the semifinal loss hasn’t subsided for Hamilton’s players. Roch Cholowsky, a junior infielder that committed to UCLA before his sophomore year, knows that pain all too well. Also a member of the Hamilton football team, he was the backup quarterback when the Huskies fell in the final on a missed field goal to rival Chandler two years ago and when they were upset by Saguaro last season.

“(Winning the title) is all we are working for, honestly,” said Cholowsky, who figures to be the starting quarterback in the fall. “We are going to do everything we can to get there. We had the talent last year, we had the coaching. We just saw a good pitcher who had a good day.”

Hamilton’s redemption tour has so far started out strong.

The Huskies began the season on a sixgame win streak before entering the Boras Classic against Legend High School from Parker, Colorado. The four-day tournament brings together some of the best baseball programs in Arizona along with a few from out of state.

Hamilton is the headline program playing in the Classic as the sixth-ranked team in the country. Bishop Gorman from Las Vegas, the No. 7 team, is also participating.

Boras is one of two major tournaments the Huskies will partake in during the 2022 season. In April they will travel across the country to North Carolina to face off against some of the nation’s best at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational. Head coach Mike Woods said it’s a unique opportunity for his team to compete against some of the best.

“It’s an opportunity to show what we can do,” Woods said. “We try not to get too far in front of us. On paper, this may be one of our best teams. But you don’t win games on paper. I’m excited because of the potential these guys have.”

Woods doesn’t read too much into his team’s national ranking. For the most part, it’s expected.

The team’s motto is “Compete.” It’s plastered along the walls of the Hamilton baseball field and on team-issued shirts. Being the best isn’t a trait that comes and goes with Hamilton, it’s the standard. The high level of coaching players receive and the ability to play alongside other top players is what draws in talent.

And this year, Hamilton has plenty of it.

The Huskies have nine Division I recruits on the roster this season. Saloman signed with Arizona State before his senior season. Junior utility player Josh Tiedmann and junior pitcher and outfielder Zach Wadas are committed to play for TCU. Senior pitcher Kole Klecker signed with the Bullfrogs before his senior season began. Junior infielder Ryan Kucherak is currently committed to Baylor, while fellow

Left: Hamilton senior pitcher Logan Saloman, an Arizona State signee, pitched a complete game as a freshman to help the Huskies win the title. Now, he hopes to get back there and cap off his high school career with another championship. Right: Hamilton senior Gavin Turley, “right,” and junior Roch Cholowsky, “left,” are two of nine total Division I recruits for the Huskies this season as they embarked on a redemption tour after last year’s semifinal loss. (Dave Minton/Arizonan Staff)

junior infielder Will Shelor is committed to Arizona. AJ Diaz, a sophomore infielder, has already made his commitment to the Wildcats in Tucson. Senior outfielder Tanner Holland is currently signed with Central Arizona College, one of the top junior college programs in the country. The talent is spread out across the field and especially at the plate. That’s part of what makes this team so dangerous this season. Not to mention the camaraderie. “Our chemistry on the field translates to off the field,” senior outfielder and Oregon State signee Gavin Turley said. “We’ve all become really good friends and we are always picking each other up and we’re all hungry. We got so close last year and didn’t go all the way so this year, we’re going after it.”

Cholowsky and Saloman share the same mindset as Turley. The team is a close-knit group that knows how to have fun while being the best. That was made clear in the home dugout after a win over Chandler when they began dancing to part music.

But most importantly, this team has one goal in mind.

“We need one before the seniors leave,” Cholowsky said. “We need to get a ring.”

■ ARIZONA AREA RESIDENTS CASH IN: It’s hard to tell how much these unsearched Vault Bags loaded with rarely seen Gov’t issued coins that everyone will be trying to get could be worth someday. That’s because each Vault Bag is known to contain nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins some dating back to the 1800’s including all those shown in today’s publication. In addition, after each bag is loaded with over 200 rarely seen coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very good or above, the dates and mint marks are never searched to determine collector values. So you better believe at just $980 these unsearched Vault Bags are a real steal. Rarely seen United States coins up for grabs in Arizona -zip codes determine who gets them

Unsearched Vault Bags loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins some dating back to the 1800’s and worth up to 50 times their face value are actually being handed over to residents who find their zip code below and beat the 48 hour order deadline

AZ RESIDENTS: IF YOU FIND THE FIRST THREE DIGITS OF YOUR ZIP CODE BELOW. CALL: 1-800-869-3164 UV32849

850 852 853 855 856 857 859 860 863 864 865

“The vaults at Federated Mint are going empty,” said Laura A. Lynne, Director of Coin and Currency for Federated Mint.

That’s because a decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins, some worth up to 50 times their face value, means unsearched Vault Bags loaded with U. S. Gov’t issued coins dating back to the 1800’s are now being handed over to U.S. residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication.

“But don’t thank the Government. As Director of Coin and Currency for Federated Mint, I get paid to inform and educate the general public regarding U.S. coins. Ever since the decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen Gov’t issued coins to the general public — I’m being asked how much are the unsearched Vault Bags worth? The answer is, there’s no way to tell. Coin values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees, but we do know this. Each unsearched bag weighs nearly 3 pounds and is known to contain rarely seen Morgan Silver Dollars and these coins alone could be worth $40 - $325 in collector value each according to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins. So there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search through all the coins. But you better believe at just $980 these unsearched Vault Bags are a steal,” said Lynne.

“These are not ordinary coins you find in your pocket change. These are rarely seen silver, scarce, collectible and non-circulating U.S. coins dating back to the 1800’s so we won’t be surprised if thousands of U.S. residents claim as many as they can get their hands on. That’s because after the bags were loaded with nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ISSUED COINS SEALED IN EACH BAG:

Silver Morgan Dollar 1878-1921

Silver Liberty Head Silver Liberty Head 1892-1915

Silver Walking Liberty Silver Walking Liberty 1916-1947

Silver Peace Dollar 1921-1935 ■ UNSEARCHED: Pictured above are the unsearched Vault Bags being handed over to Arizona residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends. And here’s the best part. Each Vault Bag is loaded with over 200 Gov’t issued coins, including all the coins pictured in today’s publication, some dating back to the 1800’s and worth up to 50 times their face value. Each coin is verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very good or above before the bags are securely sealed and the dates and mint marks are never searched by Federated Mint to determine collector value. If you find your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV32849 immediately.

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to determine collector values and the bags were securely sealed. That means there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search all the coins,” said Lynne.

The only thing U.S. residents who find their zip code printed in today’s publication need to do is call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends.

This is very important. After the Vault Bags were loaded with over 200 Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched to determine collector values. The Vault Bag fee has been set for $1,500 for residents who miss the 48-hour deadline, but for those U.S. residents who beat the 48-hour deadline the Vault Bag fee is just $980 as long as they call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the deadline ends.

“Remember this, we cannot stop collectors from buying up all the unsearched bags of coins they can get in this special advertising announcement. And you better believe with each bag being loaded with nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins we’re guessing they’re going to go quick,” said Lynne.

The phone lines will be ringing off the hook beginning at precisely 8:30 a.m. this morning. That’s because each unsearched Vault Bag is loaded with the rarely seen coins pictured left and highly sought after collector coins dating clear back to the 1800’s including iconic Morgan Silver Dollars, a historic Peace Silver Dollar, stunning Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars, the collectible Silver Eisenhower Dollars, spectacular Silver Liberty Head Half and Quarter Dollars, rarely seen Silver Franklin Half Dollars, high demand President Kennedy Silver Half Dollars, beautiful Silver Standing Liberty Quarter Dollars, American Bicentennial Quarters, rare Liberty V Nickels, one cent Historic Wheat Coins including 1943 “Steel Cents”, one of the beautiful Winged Liberty Head Dimes, scarce Indian Head one cent U.S. coins and the last ever minted Buffalo Nickels.

“With all these collectible Gov’t Issued coins up for grabs we’re going to do our best to answer all the calls,” said Lynne.

Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the U.S. Gov’t issued coins. That means U.S. residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication can claim the unsearched bags of money for themselves and keep all the U.S. Gov’t issued coins found inside.

If you find your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV32849 immediately. Just be sure to call before the deadline ends 48 hours from today’s publication date. ■

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