NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — For the first time since 2016 the Newport Harbor High School baseball team is headed to the playoffs. Most of the team is comprised of seniors who have never made it to the playoffs. Trent Liolios, one of the three senior team captains, Coach Josh Lee said, “is the best pitcher and one of our best hitters all year.” Trent and the other team captains, Joey Wright and Bryce Blaser played a major role in the team’s turnaround success as well as one of the team’s youngest players, Lucas Perez, who is a freshman.

Coach Josh Lee said, “Lucas has a bright future ahead of him.”

The team experienced peaks and valleys throughout the season. What’s different about this cycle from previous years is that this team stopped the downward trend thanks to good leadership and a winning attitude. The three senior team captains (Trent Liolios, Joey Wright, Bryce Blaser) lead the team with “approach, attitude and energy”.

Coach Lee explained, “The mental assets of a team can go south, or they can go right very quickly. It is hard to go from negative to positive in the mental side of the game. And that is the cool part of the game and their success. When everyone thought the season was over the team did everything perfect in the last two weeks. They won six games in a row after losing five. They totally turned the season around and are winners!”

Stay tuned for next season’s recap and catch a game for the senior team captains who are all playing college baseball next year. Trent Liolios heads to Northwestern University in Illinois on a scholarship. Joey Wright is off to Northern California to UC Davis on a scholarship. Bryce Blaser heads South to the University of North Carolina.

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.