An Arm and a Leg

by

By Justin Thomas

Kole Ramage posted a 6-2

record, 2.00 ERA, 1.10 whip

and 64 strikeouts in 49

innings heading into the

postseason.

Photo by S. Johnson

SnappedDragons.com

During the past twenty-plus years, Southlake Carroll hasbrestablished a tradition of excellence in a variety of fields, from academics tobrathletics.

Near the top are the baseball and football programs atbrCarroll, with both claiming state titles during that stretch (including abrTexas-record seven all-time on the gridiron) and perennially qualifying for thebrpostseason. More specifically, however, the Dragons have built a reputation forbrproducing elite pitchers on the diamond and kickers on the turf.

Senior Kole Ramage is both—an arm and a leg.

The two-sport star is set to begin the postseason forbrCarroll's baseball team and he wraps up what is one of the more legendarybrathletic careers the program has seen. A multi-year starter on the baseballbrteam, Ramage signed with Arkansas and has been a fixture on the mound and inbrthe middle of the lineup for Carroll since his sophomore campaign, where he threwbrfor a 3-1 record with 40 Ks.

This year, the senior has posted a 6-2 record with a 2.00brERA, 1.10 whip and 64 strikeouts in 49 innings on the mound. When not on thebrmound, Ramage is a premier outfielder who is batting .363 with one HR, 21 RBIsbrand 14 runs at the plate heading into postseason play for the Dragons.

Kicker Kole Ramage (88) blasts another successful FG as the Dragons defeated Hebron 52-34 at Dragon Stadium for the outright District Championship. Photo by SnappedDragons.com/S.Johnson

In football, Ramage's two-year stint as an All-District kickerbrsaw him convert 99-of-100 extra points and all 12 field goals hebrattempted—including an already legendary 55-yarder in this season's hope openeragainst Tulsa Union.

But long before leading Carroll's football and baseballbrteams to success, Ramage found his athletic footing while growing up inbrVirginia.

“I've been playing baseball competitively since I wasbrfive or six, but I've been playing with my dad and brother probably since I wasbrthree,” he says. “I also played a lot of soccer growing up. There was abrprofessional team called the Richmond Kickers right down the street from us andbrthat was a big deal to us. So I played a lot of soccer, and I also playedbrbasketball and even a little tennis—even though I wasn't very good.”

Soon after his competitive sports life began, Ramage andbrhis family arrived in Southlake, and by the time he reached middle school, hisbrfootball career began.

“I didn't start until the seventh grade,” he says. “Ibrdecided to give it a shot and I think my soccer background was something thatbrreally helped me out.”

Ironically, Ramage also credits playing football for hisbrsuccess on the diamond.

“Being a kicker has a lot to do with the mental side of things,”brhe says. “The pressure of having to make that one field goal in a big situation—Ibrreally think that led me to be a mental pitcher and to really think about thebrgame and what I'm doing out there.”

As noted, the pressure has done little to affect Ramage'sbrperformance, and he has shined in the clutch with key starts in the baseballbrplayoffs under his belt as well as a game-tying field goal in the closingbrseconds of an eventual overtime win over rival Coppell in football.

Ramage is yet to record a walk-off hit in baseball, butbrdidn't take much time to recall the pivotal moment in his time on the mound.

“I would have to say the highlight of my career came as abrsophomore,” he says. “That was a big shot in my baseball life. It was game 3 ofbr[the third round of] the playoffs and we were playing Coppell. I pitched wellbrand we got the win and that just gave me the confidence to go out there andbrbeat anyone. It was a big stepping stone for me. 

The Dragons would bow out in the regional semifinals thatbryear and were bounced in the area round last year by Hebron. Now a senior,brRamage is hopeful for a state berth that has eluded him and the Dragons sincebrwinning it all in 2014. And despite a new cast of characters around him, Ramagebrisn't the least bit surprised by the success Carroll has already achieved thisbrseason—including claiming the District 5-6A title.

“I always thought we would be good when we put all thebrpieces together,” he says. “We struggled early, but once we gelled and becamebrmore of a team we found what we needed to do and we've exploited it. It's ledbrus to lot of success so far.”

He also believes first-year head coach Larry Vucan—whobrtook over for longtime coach Larry Hughes—has been a benefit for the squad.

“Coach Hughes is more of a quiet guy,” Ramage says. “He knowsbrwhat to say and when to say it and how to say it. I think that comes from his psychologybrbackground. Coach V has more ferociousness to him. He will get up on you ifbrneeded. He has a little more heat and I think that change might have helped. CoachbrHughes is a great coach and he still supports us, but Coach Vucan has a littlebrmore fire.”

There were obvious growing pains early on this season asbrthe team opened up with a 3-3 record. But Vucan, Ramage and company notedbrthings really began to come during district play.

“I think it really started with Game 2 of the FlowerbrMound series,” he says. “We won 19-1 and I think that solidified and showedbreveryone how good we could be.”

And as the Dragons enter the postseason, the expectationsbrhave been sky high. “We want to win our last game and I think we have the abilitybrto do that,” says Ramage. “I don't think anyone has the depth or pitching thatbrwe have, and our hitters always battle and find a way to pull it out at thebrend.”

A Family of Razorbacks

Following the postseason, Ramage will depart forbrFayetteville, Arkansas, where he will take a semester of summer school in July beforebrthe fall semester and baseball workouts begin.

Ramage noted he considered the possibility of playing baseballbrand football in college before ultimately settling on just baseball.

“I thought a little about both,” he says. “But baseballbris not only what I enjoy the most, but what I think I have the best chance forbrsuccess in.”

Where he would attend college took little debate, however,brafter growing up in family in which both parents as well as his brotherbrattended Arkansas.

“It's always been my dream,” he says. “Growing up rootingbrfor them and then being in the SEC with competition they play and the facilitiesbrthey have—I got my offer and accepted it two days later.”