Will Cook County News

By Claude Martinez.

Crestwood — The third game of the Chicago High School Baseball Classic, hosted by Black Baseball Media on April 4, featured the Rich Township Raptors and the Simeon Career Academy Wolverines facing off at Ozinga Field.

Simeon came out strong, taking a 6–1 lead by the end of the second inning.

Rich Township responded with five runs across the third and fourth innings while allowing just one, bringing the score to 7–6 in favor of Simeon.

In the fifth inning, both teams kept each other off the board, but that would not last long.

In the top of the sixth, Rich Township was poised to shift the momentum. Instead of swinging for extra-base hits, they focused on patience at the plate. Several batters drew walks, eventually loading the bases.

Left-handed senior Brandon Fergerson stepped into the box and was hit by a pitch near the hip. Showing no visible pain, he took first base, driving in junior pitcher Landon Hughes for the tie.

Moments later, sophomore Marcus Jackson drew a walk, shouting “Let’s go, let’s go!” as senior Cavion Danley crossed home plate.

Two batters later, junior Rahjon Williams delivered an RBI single, earning him WCCN Hero of the Game honors for his pivotal hit in the inning.

Rich Township added four total runs in the sixth inning and tacked on two more in the top of the seventh.

FINAL: Rich Township 12, Simeon Career Academy 7.

With this victory, Rich Township has now claimed consecutive Chicago High School Baseball Classic championships. Read more here about their 2025 victory.

Junior third baseman and outfielder Jeremiah Henry was named the Chicago High School Baseball Classic MVP. He spoke with Black Baseball Media and Will Cook County News after the game.

In his interview with WCCN, Henry emphasized the importance of staying focused, playing with professionalism, and sticking to the fundamentals of the game.

“Just play the game as it’s supposed to be played,” stated Jeremiah Henry. “Really, just see the ball, hit the ball. If it’s a fastball, hit it; curveball, leave it alone. After I struck out the first at-bat, I came back the next at-bat and got a hit, and then the at-bat after that I got another.”

Pitcher Landon Hughes also stood out, which Henry talked about. “This year I think he had a lot of progression, and we’ve been working a lot recently, and I’ve been trying to work with him too.”

He closed by saying that everyone deserved recognition. “We all stood out today because we all played as a team today.”

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