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05-16-2010, 03:59 AM
BY BEN MAKI
http://varsity.oaoa.com/articles/titus-6365-return-baseball.html
Baseball: Titus thrives for Loboes after return from neck injury
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May 13, 2010 5:49 PM
BY BEN MAKI
When Quincy Titus’ football season ended Oct. 16 with a broken neck, he wasn’t sure if he would ever play sports again.
But once assured by his doctor that he could, the Monahans High School senior quickly set his sights on returning to competition.
His mother, Cynthia Payton, said there was never a doubt in her mind Titus would play sports again.
“That’s just the way he is,” Payton said. “He just can’t not play. You know how kids are. He never said a bad word about sports. Period. He still wanted to play.”
After a three-month layoff, the multi-sport star finally returned toward the end of basketball season, but played sparingly.
Titus said he was nervous about re-injuring his neck.
“I started off with basketball, I was a little timid,” he said. “But, in time it kind of got comfortable again and I was fine.”
Titus has starred on the baseball team and the track team during high school, but this year he decided to focus on one sport instead of two.
Monahans head baseball coach Scooter Dixon said he didn’t know what to expect from Titus, but he did notice a difference in his swing.
“He doesn’t hit for as much power as he used to, but he’s much more consistent form the plate,” Dixon said.
Titus was restricted from lifting weights while recovering, which he partially attributes to the new swing.
“I didn’t really do anything strength training and it took me a while just to get into the groove,” Titus said. “Plus, I don’t swing as hard. I have to keep my head in, and I don’t try to swing as hard so I don’t blow out my.”
His new approach has shown in his numbers.
Titus is hitting .395 this season with seven doubles, 17 RBIs and 18 runs scored. He recently moved from the cleanup spot in the lineup to leadoff, when an injury opened that spot.
“When I came in, I wasn’t hitting deep,” Titus said. “I had to move my feet to get on base. The leadoff spot is where I thought I wanted to be and it worked out fine.”
Titus missed out on an opportunity to get a title in football.
The Loboes were No. 5 in the state when he got hurt, but he doesn’t like to dwell on the past and simply focuses on his baseball future.
“I’m not one who looks at what could have been: Titus said. “I just hope for the best, because I know God has a plan for me.”
Monahans, the District 3-3A champion, opens the postseason with a best-of-3 area playoff series against Snyder at Lubbock Christian University’s Hays Family Field. Game 1 is scheduled for 7 tonight, with Game 2 set for Saturday.
The Loboes gained confidence during the season by beating perennial power Andrews twice.
“It was something we had from the first game,” he said. “We thought it was going to be a little different this year. We know we can hang with anybody.”
Whether this team goes any further in the playoffs or not, this won’t be his last attempt to play sports. He said he plans to try to walk to the football team at Texas State in San Marcos in the fall.
That’s far from his thoughts, though. He has games to play this weekend.
http://varsity.oaoa.com/articles/titus-6365-return-baseball.html
Baseball: Titus thrives for Loboes after return from neck injury
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
May 13, 2010 5:49 PM
BY BEN MAKI
When Quincy Titus’ football season ended Oct. 16 with a broken neck, he wasn’t sure if he would ever play sports again.
But once assured by his doctor that he could, the Monahans High School senior quickly set his sights on returning to competition.
His mother, Cynthia Payton, said there was never a doubt in her mind Titus would play sports again.
“That’s just the way he is,” Payton said. “He just can’t not play. You know how kids are. He never said a bad word about sports. Period. He still wanted to play.”
After a three-month layoff, the multi-sport star finally returned toward the end of basketball season, but played sparingly.
Titus said he was nervous about re-injuring his neck.
“I started off with basketball, I was a little timid,” he said. “But, in time it kind of got comfortable again and I was fine.”
Titus has starred on the baseball team and the track team during high school, but this year he decided to focus on one sport instead of two.
Monahans head baseball coach Scooter Dixon said he didn’t know what to expect from Titus, but he did notice a difference in his swing.
“He doesn’t hit for as much power as he used to, but he’s much more consistent form the plate,” Dixon said.
Titus was restricted from lifting weights while recovering, which he partially attributes to the new swing.
“I didn’t really do anything strength training and it took me a while just to get into the groove,” Titus said. “Plus, I don’t swing as hard. I have to keep my head in, and I don’t try to swing as hard so I don’t blow out my.”
His new approach has shown in his numbers.
Titus is hitting .395 this season with seven doubles, 17 RBIs and 18 runs scored. He recently moved from the cleanup spot in the lineup to leadoff, when an injury opened that spot.
“When I came in, I wasn’t hitting deep,” Titus said. “I had to move my feet to get on base. The leadoff spot is where I thought I wanted to be and it worked out fine.”
Titus missed out on an opportunity to get a title in football.
The Loboes were No. 5 in the state when he got hurt, but he doesn’t like to dwell on the past and simply focuses on his baseball future.
“I’m not one who looks at what could have been: Titus said. “I just hope for the best, because I know God has a plan for me.”
Monahans, the District 3-3A champion, opens the postseason with a best-of-3 area playoff series against Snyder at Lubbock Christian University’s Hays Family Field. Game 1 is scheduled for 7 tonight, with Game 2 set for Saturday.
The Loboes gained confidence during the season by beating perennial power Andrews twice.
“It was something we had from the first game,” he said. “We thought it was going to be a little different this year. We know we can hang with anybody.”
Whether this team goes any further in the playoffs or not, this won’t be his last attempt to play sports. He said he plans to try to walk to the football team at Texas State in San Marcos in the fall.
That’s far from his thoughts, though. He has games to play this weekend.