Why are eyes the last part of the body to die?
Because they dilate.
Not the finest of comedy, but it proved enough to allow Jaden Smith to loosen up. The result was history.
The Monterey catcher heard the dad joke from coach Brian Cronk and proceeded to launch a program-record home run during a pivotal playoff game. The quip knocked Smith out of a slump, returning her to the standout form she assumed most of the season.
Smith’s historic campaign will also include the title of Avalanche-Journal softball player of the year.
A 2026 graduate, Smith batted .465 and set school records with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs. She had a .517 OBP and 1.079 slugging percentage while amassing 17 doubles, two triples and 51 runs. The District 3-5A MVP, Smith led the Plainsmen to the Region I-5A Division I semifinals.
She took down records Cronk expected to stand for a lot longer. Tish Williams hit 18 homers in 2019, and Alexis Lusk tallied 73 RBIs during a player of the year season in 2023.
“There’s so many good players that came before,” Smith said. “Just to keep that momentum moving and setting a new standard for other people to meet is really cool. The RBI (record), I couldn’t get those without other people getting on base before me. So, that one’s more like a team effort.”
Smith’s season didn’t surprise Cronk after seeing her work in the offseason. He, too, credited the players surrounding Smith in the lineup. The senior was also invaluable as a leader, particularly in working with freshman Jade Calantas, who earned district co-pitcher of the year.
“She’s kind of a Swiss army knife,” Cronk said. “She throws the ball well, she hits well, she runs well. She’s versatile in the sense that she’s able to catch and she’s able to play an infield position. … She’s just a very well-rounded softball player.”
It’s hard to believe Smith didn’t start playing softball until high school. A former baseball player, she gave softball a shot leading into her freshman year. She thought the sport would open opportunities at the collegiate level, and she was right. Smith is headed to Division II Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
“Once I played my freshman year of softball here at Monterey, I realized that it was something I definitely wanted to continue as long as possible,” Smith said. “The environment was just amazing … how goofy everyone is around each other and how much we all just connect so well.”
Smith said she’s excited about the competition in college. She will remember her Monterey years fondly, including a 31-7-1 campaign as a senior. The Plainsmen shared the district championship with Amarillo High and reached the regional semifinals for the third time during Smith’s career.
Her final home run in a Monterey jersey, a three-run shot, jumpstarted the offense in a Game 2 win that secured the area-round series against El Paso El Dorado. The double record-breaker is a lasting memory for Cronk, who set the stage with his brand of humor.
“She had struggled in Game 1, so it was kind of a big thing,” Cronk said. “We needed a big swing at that moment. I was just trying to get the kid to relax, so I told her a joke. Kind of made her laugh and relax in the moment. I guess the rest is kind of history.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Player of the year Jaden Smith blasts way into Monterey record books
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
