By Neil H. Devlin
Senior Writer
Denver Metro Area

Judah Wilbur knows what you're thinking. He attends Denver North. He's a Viking. And he realizes you're wondering why.

Fact is, he likes being a city kid. And he's proud of it.

"Definitely," the senior-to-be said. "I have no regrets being a Viking. It's definitely frowned upon. Guys will say, 'Dude (he lives off Eighth Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard), you should go to (Denver) East. You should go to (Arvada West). But I knew where I wanted to be."

Participating in the latest showcase for Prep Baseball Report Colorado the past Saturday at a simmering and hot Metro State Complex, the 5-foot-11, 150-pound shortstop certainly fit in with the rest of 2017 graduates who were seeking college exposure.

In his second showcase, Wilbur said he thought "it was really good to be out here doing this." He has scheduled a few visits for the fall, including to Garden City Community College and Glendale C.C., and hopes to land a spot where he can get a significant education.

However, long-term, he and Vikings teammates hope to continue their plan -- they had a fabulous regular season in 2016 before unexpectedly bowing out of the Class 4A playoffs in the first round, so taking the next step would be large for a downtrodden city program itching to break out and excel against the suburbs.

The Vikings finished the regular season 18-1, won their first Denver Prep League championships since coach Ernesto Marquez was a North senior in 2000, won 13 games in a row and earned 4A's top playoff seed. But they fell by 10-3 to Niwot in a district opener, a bad taste that still remains.

"We knew it was going to be a good year. but the loss, it was a letdown," Wilbur said. "That was really tough. It stung for about a month ... it still does."

But don't blame Wilbur. He batted .593 with 15 extra-base hits, including 12 doubles, and drove home a team-high 28 runs.

Wilbur said he feels better when he can forget about the postseason loss and assess what the overall season did for North and its community.

"It was amazing," he said. "A lot of kids didn't know how good certain kids were and others said they didn't even know you played baseball. Then everyone was wearing T-shirts saying DPS champions. There were a lot more kids interested in trying out ... it was good."

Marquez appreciates the fact that the playoff loss still affects his returnees for 2017, including a half-dozen starters, and isn't surprised Wilbur is at the front of it.

"Oh, man, he's a one-of-a-kind, definitely a leader," the coach said. "His work ethic and passion for the game is second to none. He's definitely a catalyst for our group, an awesome kid who I've known since he was in seventh grade and, I think, a second or third generation Viking."

Wilbur has a 3.7 grade-point average and scored 25 (of a possible 36) on the ACT. He has no qualms about beginning at the junior-college level. He knows that putting his ego in his pocket is a must "and I think the JUCO route is the best way to develop as a player. You get stronger and there's no harm in going to a smaller school for two years, then going on to a bigger one. The biggest thing is, I want to play at the highest level possible."

If Wilbur is able to land a scholarship, North athletic director Kevin Bendjy said "it would be big for us."

Said Marquez: "It would mean the world, not just for him and his family, but also for me and the high school. He works really, really hard and deserves a shot to play at the next level."

Wilbur said he remembers walking into North as a ninth-grader, joining the baseball team and what was said.

"When I was a freshman, the seniors were all about changing the culture and now that they've changed it for us, we're starting to build on it," he said. "I want to come back in five years and see the change. That's what we all want."

 

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