Former area standouts, Post 33 teammates coach against each other in the Beast
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RICHMOND -- It's funny how things work out in sports sometimes.
A few short years ago, Clayton Criss, George Ash and Conrad Gump were putting on Post 33 uniforms alongside one another and sharing a dugout during summer tournaments, joining forces as part of the Jefferson County team after finishing their high school seasons, during which they competed against one another, at Big Red and Edison, respectively.
On Friday, during the 34th Beast of the East, they were back on the field together -- this time in different roles and in opposite dugouts.
Ash and Gump, Edison grads, coach the summer baseball team made up of underclassmen from their alma mater, while Criss, a Big Red grad, as luck would have it, has been guiding Post 33 while head coach Anthony Pierro was traveling for his honeymoon -- a stint in charge that just so happened to include Friday's meeting with his former Post 33 teammates.
"George and Conrad are two guys that are very good baseball players and have a lot of baseball knowledge," Criss, who spent 40 games behind the plate at Malone University this past collegiate season, said. "It was fun to coach against them, the comradery of playing together doesn't go away. It's fun to get to compete against each other.
"After the game was over, we're back to being friends. George and Conrad are two great guys and they do a great job with that program.
"The love of baseball and the love of competing doesn't away."
Though Jefferson County may have come out on top, 4-0, against the youthful Edison club, facing his old battery mate was an enjoyable experience for Ash, who also played collegiately in the meantime, most recently at West Liberty and had a strong OVBL season a summer ago.
"It's a cool experience," Ash said. "It's always good to see guys from the Valley come back to coach and try to give back. Even though we're coaching against each other, we're still friends.
"We played together for Post 33 and went to the state tournament together. It's good to see him back in the Valley coaching.
"Me and him spending the summer coaching the younger players shows the love of baseball and desire to be a part of the game doesn't go away.
"I thought the love of the game showed in the effort of the both of the teams."