MARENGO – Four years ago, when Mack Anglin was in Don Kline’s eighth grade history class, Kline thought Anglin was lying to him.
Kline, Highland’s high school baseball coach, often talked sports with his students. One day, Anglin – an athletic-but-unproven middle-schooler at the time – came to Kline to profess his worth.
“Coach, you’ll like this. I threw 83 last weekend,” Anglin told Kline, as the coach recalls it now.
“No you didn’t,” Kline responded, because eighth graders don’t throw 83 miles per hour. In fact, most high schoolers don’t.
Anglin nodded and said, ‘OK.’ The next day, he came back with a publication confirming what he’d done.
At that point, Kline and his staff began to pay attention – as did the rest of the country.
Over the last four years, Anglin has more than lived up to his billing. He’s been nationally recruited for his pitching talents, having received All-American honors heading into his senior season. And on Wednesday, which was National Signing Day for high school athletes, Anglin officially committed to continuing his playing career at one of the country’s premier college baseball programs: Clemson University.
“It feels really good just to finally be able to put it down on paper that I get to go to my dream school,” said Anglin, who had narrowed his list down to Clemson, TCU, Louisville and Cincinnati before choosing the defending ACC champion.
“(It has) that at-home feel, the top facilities in the country. I mean, I just went there and I just knew that was the place right away.”
Anglin stood alongside three fellow senior Scots in the high school’s auditorium on Wednesday afternoon, as coaches, friends and family gathered to watch them sign their letters of intent. Kaitlyn Carney, Liz Jensen and Morgan Wilhelm all signed to play college softball. Carney signed with Ashland, Jensen signed with Mount Union and Wilhelm signed with Malone.
Highland softball coach Shelly Hornsby stood speechless after the ceremony, thinking about the talent within her senior class. As juniors, the group led Highland to its first league title in school history.
“It’s pretty overwhelming, honestly,” Hornsby said. “To have three, maybe four out of five girls their senior year commit to somewhere, it’s an incredible feeling. And they all deserve it, they worked really hard.”
Anglin – who can now throw up to 93 miles per hour, according perfectgame.org – is a 6-foot-5, 185-pound athlete who willingly plays multiple positions. Over the years, he has claimed numerous all-conference, all-district and all-Ohio awards. Anglin was named Co-Player of the Year in the KMAC last year in baseball and was named first-team All-KMAC in basketball.
In August, Anglin pitched in the ‘Perfect Game All-American Classic’ in San Diego after being named an All-American. He was one of 52 players selected nationally to earn such an honor.
For all of Anglin’s accolades, however, Kline believes that what separates him from the pack is his attitude. Kline described Anglin as a “head-bobber,” meaning he is coachable and invested in the program’s success. Even though he receives a substantial amount of coaching outside his high school program, Kline said Anglin has always been a receptive and engaged listener.
“I think that having the talent’s only half the battle. It’s the maturity, the hard work,” Kline said. “It’s the time that he’s put into it that’s allowed him to be where he is today.”
Last year, Anglin led the Scots to a KMAC championship. With one season of high school baseball left, Anglin reflected on what being a Scot has meant to him.
“It means everything,” said Anglin, whose family donned Clemson orange and purple for Wednesday’s signing, and whose friends cheered him on as he walked up to the stage. “This community is a family, so to be able to represent all these people, it just means the world to me.”
For Highland’s three softball signees, Wednesday was equally bittersweet. Carney became emotional on-stage when talking about her teammates and the journey they’ve shared over the years.
“This is going to be our last year together. And I’m going to play against Morgan probably, but it’s just not the same,” Carney said. “I think we’re all just going to sit there and have fun and enjoy it while it lasts.”
Carney has played varsity softball all four years, starring as a center fielder. She was named first-team all-KMAC last season and has been second-team all-district twice.
Wilhelm plays third base and catcher for the Scots. She has played varsity softball all four years, earning second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore, and was also a four-year varsity cross country runner. Wilhelm is the student council secretary and has made honor roll all four years.
Jensen plays right field for Highland and is “a slap hitter with great speed,” according to Hornsby, who also noted that she has a chance at beating the school’s stolen base record this season. Jensen was a four-year district qualifier in cross country while also serving as student council president.
Hornsby said that the trio’s talent and leadership have been crucial to the program’s recent success.
“I mean, they dominate,” said Hornsby, who won KMAC Coach of the Year last spring. “They’re great athletes. Their commitment to not only the sport, but to just helping the underclassmen… it’s not just me coaching.
“They all help out in their own way and they’re all willing to help the underclassmen out. And I think that’s what helps build the team, and the closeness that they share.”
While Highland’s seniors are eager to repeat as conference champions this season, Carney took a moment to pause on Wednesday after the dust had settled. She took a moment to soak it all in, the fact that she and two of her teammates would have the privilege of playing college softball next spring.
The season could wait for a day.
“I’ve always wanted to play college softball, it’s very surreal,” Carney said, collecting her thoughts. “And I’m so unbelievably happy right now, I can’t tell you how happy I am. It’s everything I’ve dreamed of.”
Baseball and softball season officially kicks off on February 18, according to the OHSAA’s website, with games beginning on March 23.
