CCA seniors going the second mile: Celebrating Class of 2020 baseball and softball teams

One week from today, the Christian Collegiate Academy senior class of 2020 will bid farewell to a high school departure unlike any other.

- one week from today... the- christian collegiate- academy senior class of 20-20 - will bid farewell... to a - high school departure... unlike- any other.- seven of those soon-to-be - graduates have now taken the- diamond for the last time, as - bulldogs... on a senior night..- unlike any other.

- - nat ---> "these teams did not get to- finish their seasons due to - covid-19."

"definitely just some weird faces.

Saw some people come in- with beards and i - didn't really expect that.

It - was cool."

"well, i'm not as tough as i thought i was.

I thought i'd be- fine going through it, but- sometimes it'll catch you and - have a little tear come up."

It's a mixed bag of emotions, - at c-c-a... where thursday's- baseball and softball reunion - makes it feel a lot like- hello...- but the senior send-off... a lo- like goodbye.

- "i look at the field now, and i'm like dang.

I wish we had- try, but i feel like next year- and - another year or two i'm going t- really be missing it."

"these seniors have been with m for three years now, and we've- been building and this- was our year."

Led by their six seniors... the- baseball bulldogs were- 8-4... and getting hot, at the- right time.

- unfortunately... we all know- what happened next.

- "and pandemic comes in, and cut it short."

"it's been tough, just not playing.

It's been abnormal.

It- really has, cause you're- used to playing at this time of- year, and then just, it's shut- down."

More than two months later... - players, coaches and parents ar- back together, for the first- time since... with a new- perspective... on the senior- season... that never was.

- "i think it's more about life, and that's what we tell the - kids.

It's not about baseball.- and if- it becomes about baseball, then- we need to reevaluate - everything."

"you kind of just take it for granted because you've been - playing for so many years,- and then we can definitely look- back on it and tell our loved - ones about it and be- like yeah, well, we went throug- this and all those times.

It'll- be a good lesson to teach - someone someday that there's- more to life than just sports."

Thankfully... brandon dear and- casey clanahan... who - were both batting over .450,- this season... get another four- years on the diamond, at- faulkner university...- alongside the son of the coach- brady carrell... who's heading- to- montgomery, alabama... on - football scholarship.

- that being said... there's stil- something that feels- incomplete... about not leaving- it all... on the field.

- "and in what ways did this feel like a proper, official senior- night?"

"i don't think it did.

We didn' get to be on the field like we- wanted to and look at the - scoreboard and see our team - winning and all.

But at the sam- time, it has officially - ended."

"on the back of our shirts we have 541, and that is for - matthew 5:41.

It talks- about going the second mile.

An- as i told them earlier, do- everything that's - expected of you and then some,- and god is going to take care o- the rest.

So that's my- parting words to them, and then- some."

- - - - coach carrell says after- graduation... him and four of - those soon-to-be graduates are- going on a senior trip- together... - to gulf shores, alabama.-