As spring sports come to a close, one senior-led team is looking to outlast the rest. With a staggering 17 players in their last year at North Atlanta, the Dubs baseball team has big plans for the state playoffs. With bitter defeats in the first round of playoffs in the past two seasons, the seniors are out for revenge. It is their last ride, and their mentality towards this year’s games is more urgent than in years past. Senior leadership is one of the main reasons Dubs Baseball has seen its most winning season ever this year, and the win-or-go-home attitude displayed by the players is likely to take hold even more in playoffs.

This state tournament marks the true last dance for the seniors, as it is the final game they will ever play in a Dubs uniform. Once that last pitch is thrown in the tournament, it is all over, with final practices preceding the big day. It is up to the players to decide if they want that last game to be a state-winning victory or a crushing defeat. Senior Mac Perno is more than aware of this fact and speaks for the entire senior class when he says they have no plans to end on a sour note. “For most of us, it’s our last season, and I know none of us want our last high school game to be a loss,” he said.

The seniors of previous years have yet to have as much luck. Senior Duskin Balch reflects on his past year as a varsity baseball player at North Atlanta, though not in a fond manner. After a loss to Valdosta two years ago and to Effingham County last year, both a clean sweep of the series, the bitter taste in the mouths of seniors remains. They all know quite well what defeat is like, but it is time for them to get a taste of victory, and what better time to do it than now? “We’ve already gotten knocked out twice since I’ve been here, and none of us plan on letting that happen again,” Balch said.

The primary motivation that will keep this year’s graduating class from meeting the same fate is the abundance of exceptional players. With 17 seniors on the team, most having played together since they were little, the chemistry on this year’s Dubs team is unstoppable. One of the senior stars, Sam Levitt, looks forward to witnessing and participating in the victory-hungry senior baseball class. “Having all these seniors has grown the team spirit exponentially,” Levitt said. “It feels like we’ve always been playing together, and none of us want to lose now.”

If there’s one thing on the mind of all 17 seniors, it is winning the state tournament. With comradery, spirit, and skill, it is clear that the same result as in past years will not be the case in this season. The state playoffs, beginning April 27th, will be a thriller, as Dubs baseball has put themselves in an advantageous position to make some noise.