"It feels so great," Franks said after extricating himself from the post-game celebration pile. "And the thing that feels so great about all of this is that we knew from the start of the season expectations were going to be high, because of what we did last year and having seven or eight returning seniors.

"We've achieved what we wanted to achieve and we're not stopping now. We're going to keep going and we're going to get a state title for this town."

Two more wins would earn just the second state championship for this baseball program, a program that's been solid for a long, long time.

When Brian Ash took over, however, this program was on somewhat shaky ground.

"Eight years ago, it was a hard, uphill battle," said the emotinal Jays head coach, fighting back tears. "A lot people doubted us, that we couldn't do it. And here we are --- again. And it feels good."

Which feels better, last year's trip to the Final Four that snapped the school's 24-year semifinal drought, or this year's return trip? Easy answer.

Both.

"The first one's always special," Ash said, "but this one has a little different meaning, I think, just because of the expectations. For these guys to go the whole year, stay No. 1, our schedule was ridiculous, and to meet the challenge every game and be 29-2 going back ... just give credit to the kids, they've grinded it out all year.

"This team is special, they deserve this."

Yes they are and yes they do. But this one wasn't easy --- it was a lot closer than the final score indicated.

The top-ranked Jays (29-2) --- winners of 19 straight and ranked No. 26 in the nation by MaxPreps --- looked to score an early knockout blow when they scored four runs in the third inning.

And what an unlikely four runs it was.

The rally started with two out, nobody on and an 0-2 count on Payton Bodenstab. Lo and behold, Kickapoo starter Mason Auer --- who had been so good through 2 2/3 innings --- hit Bodenstab with a pitch.

He did the same to Wood --- those were the first of four hit-batters by Kickapoo pitchers ---- before Gaven Strobel delivered the always-important first run with an RBI single to center. Franks followed with his three-run homer, his third of the season, and Whammy!, it was 4-0.

"That's big, huge, two-out offense right there," Ash said. "Kade was clutch last year and he's clutch again."

The inning almost ended at 1-0, however, as Charles Kelly --- who had already made two great plays in left field --- climbed the fence and got a glove on Franks' blast.

But when he came down, his glove was empty. Uncertain Jefferson City fans went from cheering loudly to a moment of silence ... then back to cheering.

Go crazy, folks, go crazy!

"Honestly," Franks said, "I thought I hit a lot farther ... I thought that kid was going to rob it. God carried it out for me, that's all I've got to say."

Usually, when Jefferson City senior lefthander Jacob Weirich ---- now 9-0 with an ERA just over 0.50 --- is staked to a 4-0 lead, the game is basically over. But Kickapoo (20-10) cut the margin to 4-2 on a two-out, two-run single by Andrew Kauffman in the fourth.

"I was confident in Jacob the whole time," Wood said. "He wasn't as sharp as he usually is, but I knew he'd get it done."

Like Kickapoo, the Jefferson City defense also made its share of great plays, the biggest coming in the fifth. With a man on first and one out, the No. 9 hitter, Quinten Reasoner, appeared to roll the lineup over to the most dangerous Chiefs at the top when he hit a line drive to right center.

But right field Brandon Williams made a diving catch, got to his feet, and threw a strike to first base for the inning-ending double play.

"What a great play," Ash said. "That was a game-changer and helped us get out of a jam."

Weirich finished with a four-hitter and struck out six, and was given breathing in the the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Bodenstab and a three-run bomb to right center by Wood.

"Grant just hit a missile to give us that cushion," Ash said.

While Franks' homer scraped the back of the fence, home run No. 5 for Wood was a no-doubter.

"I was looking for a fastball," Wood said, "I found it and I just drove it."

This closes the book on the Vivion Field experience for this year's vastly talented senior class, but this season's final chapter is still to be written. The next step for the Jays, who finished second last year, is a date with Lee's Summit (23-9) in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Car Shield Field in O'Fallon.

Lee's Summit, a team Jefferson City beat 11-1 on April 1 --- "But that was a long time ago, it means nothing," Ash said. --- advanced with a 1-0 win over Platte County.

"This is what we want," Franks said. "We want the town to know, we want everybody to know, that we're the best. I think we've proved that so far, but there are still a couple of games left."

Said Wood: "This means everything for our team. We had high, high expectations coming into the season, and it's good to prove those expectations."

What a thrill.

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The Jefferson City Jays celebrate their 8-2 win over Kickapoo on Thursday at Vivion Field, which punched the Jays' ticket to the Final Four for the second straight year. Below, Gaven Strobel delivers an RBI single (baseball headed up the middle toward the pitcher) during the third inning.

Wood, Weirich help

Jays get past Willard,

advance to quarters