Bronnenberg, Johnston talk Cubs Baseball

THE CODY CUBS LEGION BASEBALL TEAM CAPPED OFF THE SUMMER SEASON FINISHING 35-15 ON THE YEAR AND WENT UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE PLAY. NOW THE CUBS ARE HARD AT WORK IN PREPARATION FOR POSTSEASON BASEBALL. THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN FRIDAY AND RUN THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ALL GAMES PLAYED AT MILWARD L. SIMPSON STADIUM IN CODY. PRIOR TO THIS WEEKENDS TOURNAMENT I CAUGHT UP WITH A PAIR OF CODY CUBS AND RECENT CODY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, ETHAN JOHNSTON AND HAYDEN BRONNENBERG.

HAYDEN TALKS ABOUT THE REGULAR SEASON PERFORMANCE.

“I THINK WE HAD A REALLY GOOD REGULAR SEASON. IT’S ALWAYS A GOOD MILESTONE TO GET MORE THAN 30 WINS. IT’S ALWAYS WHAT WE TRY TO GO FOR. I THINK IT WAS REALLY GOOD FOR US BECAUSE WE KIND OF STRUGGLED AT THE BEGINNING. AND THEN WE’VE IMPROVED ALL THE WAY TO DISTRICTS UNTIL WE’RE PLAYING OUR BEST BASEBALL NOW, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT.”

WHILE THEY MAY BE COMPETING FOR DISTRICTS THIS WEEKEND, SINCE 2014 THE CODY CUBS HAVE WON STATE FOUR TIMES, IN 2019 THEY COMPETED AT THE DOUBLE-A STATE TOURNEY. HAYDEN TALKS ABOUT HAVING A TARGET ON THEIR BACKS BEING ONE OF THE BETTER TEAMS IN THE STATE FOR SO MANY YEARS.

“YEAH, IT’S ALWAYS, EVER SINCE WE STARTED PLAYING “A” TEAM, ETHAN AND I, WE’VE ALWAYS HAD THAT TARGET BECAUSE WE GOT ON “A” TEAM WITH THOSE REALLY GOOD SENIORS: THE BROWNS, MCLEOD, WASIA, AND THE COACHES NOW. WE’VE ALWAYS KIND OF HAD THAT TARGET. SO WE’RE KIND OF USED TO IT NOW BUT EVERY TEAM WE GO TO PLAY, THEY WANT TO BEAT US. IT’S A LOT OF, LOT OF GOOD BASEBALL.”

HAYDEN SAYS HAVING A FEW DAYS OFF BEFORE THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT AND SAYS THEY ARE RARING TO GO.

“RIGHT NOW WE’RE JUST WORKING ON CLEANING EVERYTHING UP. JUST SOME THINGS WE’VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND JUST MOSTLY LETTING OUR ARMS, AIRING THEM OUT, MAKING SURE THEY’RE READY FOR DISTRICTS AND STATE. IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF BASEBALL.”

BOTH HAYDEN AND ETHAN HAVE BEEN TEAMMATES FOR SO MANY YEARS, NOT JUST IN BASEBALL, BUT IN FOOTBALL AS WELL AND ETHAN COMMENTS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO PLAY WITH THIS GROUP OF GUYS.

“IT’S GREAT. I MEAN I GREW UP WITH THESE GUYS, PLAYING TOGETHER SO WE’VE BEEN GOOD FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME. IT’S GREAT TO HAVE A FEW GUYS ON THE TEAM YOU KNOW SUPER WELL. I MEAN, AND EVEN THE WHOLE TEAM, WE ALL, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER WELL.”

ETHAN GOES ON TO ADD WHAT EVERYONE IS FOCUSING ON AT PRACTICE THIS WEEK.

“I THINK RIGHT NOW WE’RE KIND OF JUST TAKING IT A LITTLE EASIER. I THINK IT’S MORE PERSONAL THINGS THAT WE EACH NEED TO WORK ON THAT WE HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE THE FLUIDITY OF THE GAME DOWN AT THIS POINT. I THINK JUST PERSONALLY EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING THEY’RE ALL WORKING ON.”

AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THE CUBS TO HAVE THAT ONE SEED GOING INTO STATE?

“ANYTIME YOU HAVE THE ONE SEED YOU’RE SITTING PRETTY WELL IN A TOURNAMENT. I THINK A LOT OF IT IS MENTALITY WISE. WE WANT TO GO IN THINKING SAME MENTALITY, ALWAYS WANT TO WIN, NEVER REALLY TAKE A GAME OFF.”

HAYDEN BRONNENBERG, ETHAN JOHNSTON AND THE REST OF THE CODY CUBS BEGIN THEIR QUEST FOR A DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TITLE FRIDAY AT 4:30 IN THE AFTERNOON VS. RIVERTON. THIS IS A ROUND ROBIN TOURNAMENT WHERE EACH TEAM WILL PLAY EVERY CONFERENCE MEMBER ONE TIME WITH THE BEST RECORD EARNING THE ONE SEED FOR STATE. TUNE INTO KODI FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF CODY CUBS BASEBALL ALL WEEKEND. YOU CAN LISTENT TO THE FULL INTERVIEWS WITH HAYDEN AND ETHAN BELOW.