Expectations have followed Highland sophomore infielder Nate Phillips.
Sam Michel, who is in his first season as the Trojans’ coach but had been an assistant in the program and graduated from the school in 2011, made a point to get to know Phillips two years ago.
“In today’s world of guys bouncing around and going to different schools, when you’re a talented player, the whispers all start,” Michel said. “I don’t know what was true, but there was always this rumor that maybe he wasn’t going to end up here. So I made it my mission to make sure that either that wasn’t going to happen, or if he did end up somewhere else, he was going to at least know me really well by the time he decided to go somewhere else.
“So I went and saw him a lot as an eighth grader, in the summer, coming in here, and he ended up playing with our Senior Babe Ruth team that year as a 14-year-old, and he didn’t just hold his own. He played for us, hit second, played third base, was a contributor on that team playing against 17-, 18-, and 19-year-olds. So it became obvious he was going to have a great shot to walk in here from day one and be a starter.”
As a freshman, Phillips not only started at third base but also helped the Trojans win their first sectional title since 2000. So Michel upped the ante this season as Phillips became a captain and moved to shortstop.
“That’s been this year’s battle,” Michel said. “Last year, as a freshman, it was, ‘Let him settle in. Let him play.’ This year has been, I told him straight up, ‘I’m going to come at you at times this year. If I don’t think it’s good enough, because you’re a guy who wants to play college baseball and has aspirations to play at a high level, if you really want to do that, I’m going to coach you like that.’ I don’t know anything about playing at that level, but I know guys who did, and I saw what they went through.
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“Sometimes I’m going to have to be a jerk — and I’ve used more colorful words. ‘But you’re not going to like me some days. You’re going to leave here really upset and really pissed. But you have to come back the next day ready to go, and so do I.’ So that’s been an evolution in our relationship. He’s a guy who’s only a sophomore, but we’ve already been together a lot, and I tell him that all the time. ‘Hey, we’ve been through a lot already, man. There’s still plenty to go, but nobody’s more in your corner than me. So don’t forget that, even if you don’t like me for five minutes.’”
Phillips, who also played varsity football in the fall, has embraced that tough-love approach from Michel.
“It’s great,” Phillips said. “He’s preparing me for college, and he’s just trying to teach me how it’s going to be in the future. I really like how he does it.”
Phillips has done it on the field for the Trojans (13-16), who have repeated as sectional champions and will play at NorthWood (17-10-1) in a Class 3A regional at 4 p.m. Saturday. He’s batting .385 with a .615 slugging percentage, a 1.058 OPS, one home run, four triples, 11 doubles, 24 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, all team highs.
“Statistically, he’s the guy I imagine everybody else circles,” Michel said. “But at the same time, you don’t get to do whatever you want. … There’s times where he’s fought us a little bit because he’s not used to being that guy who’s had to get a bunt down. He’s used to being the guy who drives a gap shot for an RBI double. That’s been an evolution.”
All the while, Phillips, who is a captain along with senior pitcher/outfielder Cash Washick and sophomore second baseman Brady Boyd, has been adjusting to a different position. He was slated to return to third base before junior shortstop Danijel Zekavica suffered a torn ACL during basketball season.
Phillips has gotten increasingly comfortable at short.
“I’ve really grown into it, and it’s pretty nice,” he said. “I like spreading the field more, getting the ball more. So I like it.”
Junior right fielder Logan Finch, who made two key catches in the Trojans’ victory against Bishop Noll in the sectional semifinals, likes what Phillips brings to the table.
“He’s a great all-around player,” Finch said. “He mainly plays shortstop this year, but he played third base last year, and he’s a pitcher too. So he can pretty much do it all.
“Me, Brady and Nate have pretty much grown up together. We played Little League together. We played on the same travel team together. So he’s always played the infield and pitched, and he just always tries his hardest to win. He’s a good person, a nice guy, and he always tries his hardest for this team.”
Phillips, who hit .270 with 22 RBIs last season, has taken a step forward at the plate.
“My hitting’s just been really successful,” he said. “I’m really seeing the ball well. I’ve definitely improved a lot this year.”
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Progress is a point of emphasis for Michel. In the regional last season, the Trojans lost 9-0 to eventual state champion Andrean.
“It’s something we talked all about, having to change the mindset,” Michel said. “For a lot of time here, we’ve talked about — almost talked too much about — winning the sectional. It was hard not to because we wanted it so bad, but it wore on some guys. Now that we won it last year, it made it easier.”
The Trojans expect to be more competitive against NorthWood.
“I don’t want to say we’re the favorites on Saturday, but we match up decently,” Michel said. “I like our chances.”
So does Phillips.
“To be here again, it feels great,” he said. “We have a great team and a great coach, and it’s just great to run it back after all the years we haven’t been able to win a sectional. So now we just have to try to get that regional and so on.”