Francis Howell Central’s Jake Henson Leads Spartans to Record-Breaking Season

When asked who they thought was the single best high school baseball player in the area this season, many different coaches gave almost as many different answers, and different reasons why they chose a particular player as the best.

But when asked a different kind of question, which player or team would they least like to face when the playoffs roll around, most of the coaches came up with the same answer—Francis Howell Central and it’s magnificent junior catcher Jake Henson.

“Jake’s just an unbelievable player,” Howell Central head baseball coach Ray Howard said. “We’re lucky to have a player of his caliber on our team. But we’ve got several guys that play high, high level club ball and travel all across the country. So we’re pretty excited about our whole team.”

Indeed they should be. The Spartans have been on a remarkable run this spring.

Heading into Wednesday night’s regular season finale, a 4 p.m. home game against Hazelwood West High, Howell Central is 19-6, and has already earned itself a share of the GAC South title.

In fact, the 19 wins for Howell Central is a new school record, and until a 2-0 loss at Pattonville High on Monday, the Spartans had won 15 of their previous 17 contests, and had jumped as high as the No. 9 slot in the area top 10 prep baseball poll.

“We’ve been playing pretty good ball this year,” Howard said. “We’re getting all facets. Sometimes we hit. Sometimes we field. Sometimes we do both, and get good pitching. We’re just trying to ride it out and keep the kids hot going into districts.”

And that’s where having a player that strikes fear in opposing coaches every time he steps to the plate, like Henson, is so important.

Especially when that player has delivered in countless clutch situations, as Henson has for the Spartans all year.

A 6-foot, 215-pound righthanded masher, who’ll also pitch some relief innings for the Spartans, Henson leads Howell Central in almost every offensive category, including batting average (.475), hits (38), on-base percentage (.553), slugging percentage (.763), home runs (four), and RBIs (30).

Many of those numbers also rank among the best in the league, where Henson is fourth in hitting, tied for fifth in homers, and tied for fourth in RBIs.

“I started off hot,” Henson said. “But lately, I’ve cooled down a little bit. I don’t think I’ve got my swing right now. But with a little bit of work, I think I can get it back before (the playoffs) start.”

And it’s what he can do once he does get it back that’s made so many opposing coaches fearful.

It’s also why Henson is considered a top-notch national college baseball prospect, who is likely to receive numerous scholarship offers once his junior year ends.

He’s already received recruiting letters and program packets from big-time baseball schools like TCU, Arkansas, Notre Dame, and Western Kentucky, among others.

“Going pro is my main goal,” Henson said. “So the program that’s going to help me get to the next level is probably where I’m going to go. No matter what, I’m going to go to the program that I think is the best fit for me.”

Henson’s been on the players to watch radar here in town since his freshman year, when he started for the Howell Central varsity and hit .357, with four homers, and 28 RBIs.

But he really made a name for himself nationally when he traveled to North Carolina last summer and competed in the Team USA 18-under national tryouts.

Not many of the national folks knew much about the then-sophomore from St. Peters, but Henson advanced all the way to the finals of the catching competition, and narrowly missed earning a spot on the national team.

“I was just going down there to have some fun,” Henson said. “It was fun being around some of the best players from around the country.”

But now the task at hand for Henson and Howell Central is reaching the finals of the state tournament, and hopefully winning it.

The Spartans will begin that quest this Saturday, when they’ll take on St. Charles West in a first-round district playoff game. The winner of that contest will play the winner of the Fort Zumwalt East-Fort Zumwalt West first-round district battle, in the district semifinals on next Tuesday, May 17, at 4 p.m.

The district championship game, weather permitting, is set for 4 p.m., next Thursday, May 19, at Fort Zumwalt West High.

“Our experience in the past has been that it helps to stay hot going into districts,” Howard said. “So we’re just trying to keep playing well and get ready for that.”

No matter how far the Spartans get in the playoffs, there’s little doubt that Jake Henson will play a key a role in it. And opposing coaches will be holding their breath every time he steps to the plate.