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The Power of '4' - Tallulah Falls' success driven by more than meets the eye

The number '4' has marked the TFS season.

"You don't have to look hard to find that number this year," said coach Justin Pollock immediately following the last out of the quarterfinals. "It's been everywhere we've looked. It's been everywhere we haven't even looked."

There's more than meets the eye to the special number. It's Pollock's fourth season at Tallulah Falls. The Indians, ranked #4 in the state polls, are in the Final 4 for the first time ever. The berth was secured with a fourth straight win. It took a flare of the dramatic, as TFS was down four runs (5-1) in the fourth inning of game two against Swainsboro. A four-run rally tied the game. And it was a group of four juniors coming up with some of the biggest performances of the game.

Chase Pollock's (four total bases) 2-run double started the rally. BJ Carver's 2-strike, 2-out line drive single to the opposite field in the seventh plated the final run to give TFS a 7-6 victory. Cole Bonitatibus relieved starter Andrew Skvarka (four innings pitched), as the duo combined to allow zero earned runs (six total) and nine strikeouts. Bonitatibus collected four strikeouts, including two in the final frame.

So why the emphasis on number '4'? 

All season long, the Indians have donned the shirt under the jersey that reads '4 Jeremy', an homage to former TFS player Jeremy Medina, who died tragically following a batting cage accident at Gainesville HS in November 2023. He passed away on December 11. Medina played at Tallulah Falls in 2022 and wore jersey number '4'. Every player's helmet includes the '4' on the back as well. Chase Pollock donned the number '4' jersey for game two, and star catcher Caden Walker wore it in game one.

The jersey all season has been passed around to a player who earns the right to wear it for the next game. Whoever wears it one game picks who wears it the next. The criteria is simple — who exemplifies Jeremy Medina the most? Sometimes it's who came up clutch. Other times it's someone on the bench who was encouraging or proved to be a great teammate. Players don't take the opportunity lightly - it is an honor to wear the '4'. A dangerous team is one in which the players individually play for something bigger than themselves. That's TFS.

The program has combined its focus of '4 Jeremy' with the motto/slogan of "GROWTH". The acronym stands for: Gratitude, respect, ownership, we-over-me, toughness, and hunger. The mindset helps players focus on ways to achieve 1% improvement daily. In doing so, they continue to honor Medina and what he brought to the table.

"You know who's with us," added Pollock to his team after the Elite 8 win. "You know who's been with us since the start. We put him on our shirts, we put him in our hearts. No doubt he's been taking us...Jeremy, God, this group...you can't write a better story." 

The storybook season is rich in detail, containing highs and lows (more up than down), plot twists, climaxes, and dramatic irony. Make no mistake, this 2024 campaign has been poetic. It continues on May 10 at King's Ridge at 4 PM with a State Championship berth on the line.