If there’s a Guinness E-book of World Data entry for probably the most consecutive subject stormings in a school soccer season, we’ve got our winner.
Meet Gary Morse, a Class of 2026 faculty baseball recruit who took official visits — on three straight weekends — to Vanderbilt (for the Alabama sport), Oregon (for the Ohio State sport) and Tennessee (for the Alabama sport).
Three monumental wins for the house crew. Three subject stormings for the 17-year-old Morse, who sprinted towards the occasion every time whereas his father, Allan, watched from the stands.
“I gained’t deceive you,” stated Morse, one of many high right-handed pitchers within the 2026 class, “I’m dwelling my greatest life.”
Morse, a 6-foot-8 native of Bellflower, Calif., narrowed an extended listing of suitors down to 6 colleges and mapped out a schedule for official visits this fall, beginning with Texas A&M on Sept. 21. He was in attendance for the Aggies sport in opposition to Bowling Inexperienced however left early with A&M forward by two scores within the fourth quarter.
Two weeks later, he traveled to Nashville, Tenn., the place he figured Vanderbilt didn’t have a lot of an opportunity in opposition to No. 1 Alabama and suspected he may not keep for your complete sport.
However at halftime, the Commodores had the lead.
“Third quarter ends, they’re nonetheless successful,” Morse stated. “After which two minutes hit, and so they’re nonetheless up.”
Because the clock ticked down, Morse and his baseball buddies made their means from the scholar part to Vanderbilt’s pitching lab, situated underneath the stands and on the identical stage because the soccer subject. They needed to be among the many first to storm the sector, and Morse whipped out his cellphone to take a video of the scene whereas he sprinted towards midfield.
At one level, he got here throughout a Vanderbilt helmet and raised it into the air with the group.
“I’d say I cherished all of (the sector storms),” Morse stated, “they’re all tremendous cool experiences, however I’m gonna say the Vanderbilt one was the perfect simply due to how that normally by no means occurs and it being the primary one. The primary one’s sort of the perfect one.”
The subsequent week, Morse and his dad have been in Eugene, Ore., for one of many greatest video games on the school soccer calendar — a top-five showdown between Ohio State and Oregon.
Morse heard Oregon college students speaking about their plans to hurry the sector if the Geese gained. So when the sport ended, there he was once more — dwelling it up for the second consecutive week whereas his dad seemed on.
“All these crowds, the children are simply tremendous concerned in what’s happening of their faculty,” Morse stated. “I feel it’s actually cool to only see all these youngsters come collectively and so they’re all having time and I feel it’s simply tremendous cool.”
After the Oregon go to, Morse and his father talked about how uncommon it was that they have been capable of attend two of probably the most notable video games of the 2024 season. He knew he’d get pleasure from speaking with the baseball teaching staffs and profiting from all the nice meals on the official visits. However what have been the percentages he’d have two subject stormings in two weeks … as a baseball recruit?
After which Tennessee-Alabama occurred. Trifecta full.
“I used to be like, ‘Dad, three weekends in a row, storming the sector? Not solely does that must be a document in a row however only for a recruit usually, that must be a document to storm the sector thrice,’” Morse stated. “After which much more we have been considering, ‘Maintain on. Has anybody stormed the sector thrice of their lifetime? Possibly a few superfans who’ve attended a bunch of video games over time, however even then you definately’d be tremendous fortunate to storm the sector thrice.
“I’m batting 1.000.”
Final night time’s subject rush at Kennesaw State was the sixteenth FBS college the place I’ve rushed the sector
It’s the last word fan second at a sport & I hope so as to add a pair extra earlier than the tip of the season https://t.co/7EfZM4sgWE pic.twitter.com/zDnYd9NeQL
— School Soccer Campus Tour (@cfbcampustour) October 24, 2024
Morse has two official visits left: to LSU and Texas. He’s not anticipating one other subject storm, however the Tigers and Longhorns may have a excessive bar to clear, nonetheless.
As for his plans, he’s in no hurry to decide however want to challenge a dedication earlier than his season begins within the spring.
Then once more …
“I don’t know,” Morse stated, laughing, “if I maintain storming the sector, I’d simply must grow to be an expert official customer.”
(Picture of recruits Eli Herst and Gary Morse, movies courtesy of Gary Morse)
