West De Pere's Hampton reflects, looks ahead to next year at WVU

West De Pere's Hampton reflects, looks ahead to next year at WVU

PANDEMIC...WE'VE DECIDED TOHONOR SOME OF THEAREA'S TOPATHLETES, WHO SAWTHEIR PREP CAREERSCUT SHORT...SPORTS DIRECTORBRANDON KINNARDJOINS US WITHMORE...WE'D BE GETTINGSET FOR PLAYOFFTIME RIGHT ABOUTNOW...AND WITH SO MANYSENIORS NOTGETTING A CHANCETO FINISH OUT THEIRCAREERS...WE'LL FEATURESEVERAL OF THEM...OVER THE NEXTMONTH OR SO...TODAY, I CAUGHT UPWITH WEST DE PERESTAR PITCHER BENHAMPTON...HE WAS ONE OFONLY TWO PLAYERSFROM NORTHEASTWISCONSIN TO BENAMED FIRST-TEAMALL-STATE LASTSEASON...THE ELECTRICLEFTY WENT 9 AND 1WITH AN E-R-A OFPOINT NINE-NINE AS AJUNIOR...HELPING LEAD THEPHANTOMS TO THESTATE SEMIFINALS...HAMPTON SAYS ONEOF HIS BIGGESTGOALS FOR HISSENIOR YEAR...WAS TO BREAK THEPROGRAM RECORDFOR STRIKEOUTS... HENEEDED ONLY 91MORE..."I remember mysophomore year we hadthat big snowstorm and Ifelt so bad for the seniorsthat they were missing abig chunk of season andthat was like 2-3 weeks.

Iwas really looking forwardto my senior year andplaying with guys that Igrew up with and coachRukamp has been mycoach since like 7th gradeso it was really hard to notget to play out my lastyear with him there."SPEAKING OF HISCOACH JOE RUKAMPTHERE... I TALKEDWITH HIM AS WELL...TONIGHT AT 10 WE'LLFURTHER REFLECTON HAMPTON'S HIGHSCHOOL CAREER...AND LOOK AHEAD TOHIS COLLEGE CAREER- WHERE HE'S SET TOPITCH AT WESTVIRGINIA...THAT'S ALL FOR NOW- WE'LL BE RIGHTBACK...WE'LL SEE