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RISE OF THE RIDGE: No. 18 War Eagles has solid arms, stingy defense
18. Oak Ridge War Eagles (6A)
Oak Ridge reached the Area Round of the playoffs in 2025 after going 21-11-2 overall. The War Eagles are led by JJ Pierce, who got his 200th career coaching victory last season.
Starters returning for Oak Ridge include LSU-Eunice-commit Jacob Howard. The senior ace will lead the pitching staff after going 3-3 with a 2.88 ERA and registering 30 strikeouts a year ago. District 13-6A Newcomer of the Year Jonell Rodriguez returns for his junior season and plugs in all over the field for Oak Ridge. He hit .364 last year as a sophomore.
Other key returners include McMurry-commit Carson Holamon (SS/P), who hit .344 last season and was a second-teamer, while St. Thomas-commit Dereck Hernandez (2B) is also back after hitting .272 for Oak Ridge. Other players to watch include Luis Olmeda (.302, first-team, all-district OF) and Drayton Urbay (.386, first-team, all-district OF).
Can The War Eagles Remain The Kings Of Conroe ISD?
Oak Ridge reclaimed the District 13-6A crown last spring, finishing 14-2 against a tough slate that included teams like Grand Oaks, The Woodlands, and Willis.
Though they were eliminated by Klein Oak in the second round of the postseason, it’s unlikely that coach JJ Peirce and company experience a similar result in the coming months.
Texas A&M-commit Jacob Evans (Sr. RHP) returns as the team’s ace, after going 8-3 and securing first-team, all-district honors last spring. If needed, senior lefty Reed Roberts (Redlands CC) will provide reliable support on the mound.
Offensively, the War Eagles boast a formidable lineup, led by first-teamers Mikey Grayson (Sr. OF/Angelina College) and Dereck Hernandez (Jr. IF). Seniors Tyson Robertson (1B/Redlands CC), Lars Richel (C), and Josh Matte (3B) also add significant depth to the batting order.