Hans will leave quite a legacy in Wildwood High School athletics

Posted: May 21st 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The career of one of the best athletes in Wildwood High School history is about to come to a close.

Junior Hans, a starter in three sports since his freshman season, is down to his last few baseball games this week as he’s set to graduate from the school in a few weeks.

While those around Wildwood will certainly miss him, opposing teams and coaches are probably breathing a sigh of relief that the football, basketball and baseball standout will finally no longer be around to torment them.

Hans was asked if he’s thought about his high school career soon coming to a close.

“I never really thought about it, because I just try to take it day by day,” he said. “It’ll be a happy moment, but obviously it’s also sad at the same time.”

JUNIOR HANS

Hans is currently leading a Warrior baseball team that has been playing well of late. The team was 16-8 with wins in nine of its last 10 games heading into Tuesday’s game at Pennsville. Wildwood will play its final regular-season game Wednesday at Lower Cape May before a first-round South Jersey Group I playoff game at home against Cape May Tech on Thursday.

Hans, Wildwood’s leadoff hitter for the past four seasons, has been a master at getting on base. Although he sports a solid but unspectacular .275 career batting average, Hans has walked or been hit by a pitch an incredible 117 times over his career, including 36 times so far this season. His career on-base percentage is somewhere around .500. He also went into Tuesday’s game at Pennsville with 97 career stolen bases. The only Wildwood players to steal at least 100 career bases are 1984 graduate Billy Osborn (111 SB) and 2006 graduate Darrin Hickok (106 SB).

Hans has also been a standout pitcher, having posted a career 2.78 earned run average with 139 strikeouts in 123 innings pitched. He’s conceded just 16 hits in 37 innings pitched so far as a senior.

Hans is equally as known for his work on the basketball court. The 5-11 guard finished his career with 1,623 career points, placing him fourth all-time in program history. He started as a freshman during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season and helped the Warriors win the inaugural Tri-County Conference Tournament. In each season since, Hans was part of Wildwood teams that were good enough to win two state playoff games each season. As a junior, he led the Warriors to a 23-7 record and the Tr-County Classic Division title. He was a third team state Group I all-star selection as a senior after averaging 16.5 points per game.

In football, Hans first played wide receiver and tailback and later quarterback while also playing defensive back. He was often the best athlete on the field over the course of his four seasons, causing some college programs as high as the Division I level to take a look early in his career. 

Hans received extensive college interest in basketball and baseball as well. Some schools even recruited him for multiple sports. But he’s decided to play basketball at Division III Centenary University in Hackettstown, as Hans goes from a three-sport student athlete at Wildwood to simply a basketball player and student in college.

“I love basketball,” Hans said. “It’ll be more relieving going down to one sport and actually being able to focus just on one sport.”

More than the statistics and the tangible accomplishments, Hans’s leadership might be what the teams at Wildwood miss the most when he graduates. His has been the voice heard above all others on the football and baseball field or on the basketball court during his time at Wildwood. In four years playing three sports, Hans has never been one to criticize a struggling teammate. Instead of breaking someone down, he’s always attempted to build him up. 

Hans said he has received lots of guidance on being a leader from his uncle, Rich Hans, the head baseball coach and assistant basketball coach at Wildwood.

“I take a lot of pride in being a leader,” Hans said. “My uncle always told me to try to be a good leader and a good role model. With him telling me that all the time and me being around a lot of older people and older teammates kind of showing me the way, I’ve always tried to take what they’ve all shown me down to the younger kids.”

In some respects, Hans has become the face of the athletic program at Wildwood High School. It’s a place he says will always be close to his heart.

“It was fun to grow up in a town like this and have the support I’ve had,” Hans said. “Growing up here has been amazing.”

Hans is not originally from this area. He lived in Pine Hill with his mother and two sisters until they moved to Wildwood prior to him entering third grade. His family moved to Lower Township two years ago, but Hans thinks so much of Wildwood that his family has paid tuition for him to remain a student there through his graduation. 

“The community and the school have shown me a lot of love, even though I wasn’t born here,” Hans said. “The teachers and coaches at Wildwood are genuinely loving people and they loved me right away and have supported me the whole time. 

“Wildwood is an amazing place. I’ve been able to play every minute of my career in three sports since I was a freshman. I wouldn’t have gotten that anywhere else. I love Wildwood.”