The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer in New Hampshire, and that means one thing, Spring sports are back. For the Lancer baseball team, another successful season could be underway.

Seniors Brett McKinnon, Jet Jones, and junior Jaylen Stott were all selected as captains for the upcoming season. And their goals both individually and for the team could possibly push them far beyond expectations.

“My goal for this team is to win a state championship,” McKinnon said. “But to get there, we need to come together as a team, take things one game at a time, and stay focused without looking too far ahead.”

As a senior captain, McKinnon plans to “lead by example” in order for his team to keep moving forward from mistakes.

“We can’t let one at-bat or rough inning affect the rest of the game,” said McKinnon. 

He believes that if the team can focus when they need to, that can bring them far this year. 

“We need to stay locked in during both games and practices,” McKinnon said.

As an individual, McKinnon has stayed “locked-in” this offseason in order to try and help better the team. 

After suffering a broken finger and a pulled muscle in his leg during hockey, McKinnon has had to work around his injuries during the offseason. He worked on his footwork as an outfielder and his swing as a hitter to try to get back to his ways of last season.

His hard work has proven him to be a great leader for the squad, and he hopes to build on that as the season progresses. 

“I want to help lead this team on a deep playoff run,” McKinnon said, “and be someone my teammates can come to for feedback and support.

The other senior captain, Jet Jones, has plans similar to McKinnon’s as to where he hopes to lead the Lancers this season.

“We want to win the last game we play, and play as a family,” Jones said.

“Win the last game” is something that the coaching staff for Londonderry has instilled in the players. They want each and every athlete to treat the upcoming game like it’s their last. This motivates them to play their best at all times.

As a captain, Jones is motivated by a few factors.

“I need to bring the title back to Londonderry for my guys and my school,” Jones said. “I got to feel what it’s like to win a ring my sophomore year, and I want to bring home another banner.”

Just like McKinnon, Jones believes that the best thing for this team is playing together.

“I want to be a part of a team that is practically like a family,” Jones said. “We’re good this year, we just have to realize that and play like it.”

The third and final captain for the team, Jaylen Stott, worked very hard the past couple years in order to earn the title of captain as a junior. 

“I stayed consistent in the weight room, especially with the trainer Michelle [Hart-Miller],” Stott said. “I want to better myself to help the team.”

Stott helps the team around him put in the work. That includes “getting in cages when possible” and “staying consistent at team practices.” He believes that if the team can persevere and give full effort all the time, they will succeed.

Just like his fellow captains, his goals for the team are big. 

“As a team, hopefully we can make a deep run into the playoffs, and maybe win the state championship,” Stott said.