The New Deal Lions Are State Champions of the Diamond
The New Deal Lions are UIL 2A state champions.
They clinched the title this afternoon beating Garrison 7-2 for the program's first state title ever. The first UIL state championship from the area since Monterey won back in 1996 and first school period since Lubbock Christians back-to-back-to-back threepeat in 2015, 16 and 17.
The Lions scored three runs in the top of the 1st inning and never trailed.
The catcher Noah Rodriguez was named MVP with two hits in the game, both of which brought in two runs.
Jason Ybarra got emotional talking about the road to winning a State Championship after being so close at different points in his life. Ybarra came up short as a New Deal player himself, getting to the State Tournament three times as a player, and two times as a coach. The sixth time was a charm for Coach Ybarra to get his, and the program's, first state championship.
Here's that final out again with another angle of the celebration. I might love dog pile season in baseball more than any other time of year. I got chills watching the pure joy the players displayed. The gloves and hats go flying. Tackling ensues. If that doesn't light your fire your wood is wet.