By Andy Walter

WOODSIDE — Nobody wants their season to get off to a slow start.

It’s especially difficult for seniors, though.

But when Polytech High’s baseball team lost its first four games of the season this spring, coach George Eilers was impressed with the way senior Connor Bartlett handled the situation.

“He never wavered,” said Eilers. “I’ve seen a lot of kids, their senior year when we start off like we did, they kind of lose patience and get frustrated with the younger kids.

“His leadership just went through the roof after that. We were able to make a little run and bring it to the last game of the year with an opportunity to play in the tournament. I was really proud of him. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

There were several Polytech coaches who were glad to have Bartlett on their teams over the last four years. And, because of that, the three-sport athlete will get to play in a couple more games before his high school career is officially over.

On Wednesday at 6 p.m., Bartlett will play in the Blue-Gold Baseball All-Star Game at Frawley Stadium. Then, on the weekend, the Smyrna native will report for camp for the Blue-Gold All-Star Football game.

That game will be played on June 17 at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium.

“It just kind of ended up working out that way,” Bartlett said about playing in both all-star games. “It is kind of crazy. It just hit me — that’s two all-star games in that much time.”

Bartlett, who was also a good wrestler for the Panthers, just liked the idea of playing several different sports in high school.

His dad, J.D., was also a three-sport athlete in his senior year at Polytech. With his dad later coaching wrestling and baseball at the school, Bartlett spent a lot of time around Polytech when he was little.

“It was one of the driving factors in me going to Poly,” said Bartlett. “I was there from the time I was an infant so it was just where I wanted to be.”

Of course, playing several sports isn’t always easy. Bartlett said time management was the biggest issue.

Somtimes, he wouldn’t have minded having more time off between seasons.

“It was definitely hard going from wrestling to baseball without a break,” said Bartlett. “In wrestling, you’re just so beat up all the time.

“But knowing that I didn’t really have much time left in at least two of the sports, I thought I might as well make the most of it that I can now. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Eilers said Bartlett really came into his own as a senior in baseball. A left-handed batter, he made second-team All-State at first base after batting .500 with 17 RBI.

Bartlett was also a pitcher among a few different positions he played for the Panthers.

“Every year he just got better and better,” said Eilers. “He just crushed our expectations for him (as a senior). He really put it together offensively.

“He’s a great teammate. He’s the first to practice, the last to leave. He’s always positive.”

In the fall, Bartlett will head for Shenandoah University, where he’s planning to play football. He was an offensive lineman and linebacker for Polytech in that sport.

Just like in baseball, Panthers’ football coach Bob Gilmore said Bartlett was always a positive person to be around.

“The best compliment I can give him is he’s a great teammate,” said Gilmore. “For us, things were challenging. But Connor was one of those guys who really helped rally the troops. He’s really helped take us back in the right direction.

“We’re definitely going to miss him a ton. Replacing him as a leader is going to be difficult to do.”

This is a pretty memorable finale to high school for Bartlett. In between the two all-star games, he’ll graduate from Polytech on Thursday.

Looking back on it, Bartlett said he’s glad that he kept busy in three different sports. Even in baseball, he liked playing different positions.

“It’s definitely fun getting moved all over the place,” said Bartlett. “It keeps you on your toes a little bit because you never really know where you’re going to play. It’s kind of like, wherever I’m needed, I’m there.

“But I don’t mind doing that at all. It’s always team first.”

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at 741-8227 or walter@iniusa.org.
Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.