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East Bay High's J.T. Jones Leads His Team

Tribune photo by JOHN CEBALLOS

Senior J.T. Jones sits in the dugout with teammates a few hours before East Bay High School's game against rival Riverview High School. Jones is one of five seniors on the team, and plays left field and pitcher.

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By JOHN CEBALLOS

jceballos@tampatrib.com

Published: March 18, 2009

GIBSONTON - Most of the players on the East Bay High School varsity baseball team sought refuge from the scorching Florida heat in the hours leading up to their March 11 home game against rival Riverview High School.

Senior J.T. Jones was just happy to be anyplace where the sun is shining.

Jones moved to Florida from Oregon two years ago and has been a member of East Bay High School's baseball team since.

"I like it here a lot better than in Oregon, especially because of the weather," Jones said. "When we were in Oregon, we lived on the coast too, so it was really cold."

For the first two years of his high school career, he played baseball for the Newport High School Cubs in Newport, Ore. He has played left field and pitched for the last two seasons at East Bay.

"He's very confident in his abilities, which also raises the confidence level for the rest of the program," said Bill Colome, baseball coach. "He's certainly a leader for our team, not a follower."

Jones is one of five seniors on the team, and he takes that leadership role as seriously off the field as he does on.

"We don't just want to be leaders during games. We want to try to be role models for everyone else on this team," Jones said.

After the loss to Riverview, East Bay's record is 2-6. Jones remains confident the team can recover before the end of the season, though.

"We, the seniors, haven't gotten our bats going yet, but I still think we're going to turn it around," he said.

Jones already has plans to play baseball next season. He hopes to play for Northwestern Oklahoma State University next year and study business.

Before that, he hopes to end his senior season as a champion.

"Our goal is to win our district championship," Jones said. "We're actually hosting the tournament this year, and I think our home crowd will be a huge advantage and energize us enough to help us win it."

GET TO KNOW

WHO: J.T. Jones

AGE: 18

SCHOOL: East Bay High School

GRADE: 12th

SPORTS: Baseball

FUTURE PLANS: Playing baseball at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and studying business.

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 865-1555

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