Jordan Hamm
(Photo Courtesy: Tyler Shough)
Two of the best quarterbacks in the state face off tonight in Hamilton’s Tyler Shough and Perry’s Brock Purdy.
The two have stat-filling resumes and have faced off a couple of times, but they know each other better than most opponents.
Because at one point they were teammates.
Purdy and Shough played together on the Chandler Reds, a travel baseball team coached by former big leaguers Clay Bellinger and Jamie Brewington. The roster featured plenty of players who are some of the top baseball players in the state, including Cole Bellinger who was a 15th-round selection in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Jamie’s son, Chance Brewington, was also on the roster and was a Hamilton wide receiver over the past few years. He is currently making plays at Northern Arizona University in his freshman season.
Jamie said Shough played with the Reds from about ages 11-14, and he stood out on that roster from the beginning.
As good of a young man as have met via @Elite11 – stoked for him as @coacharroyoTheO is one of best teachers in game 🙌🏼🦆🏈😄 https://t.co/zY6aBqX7pP
— Yogi Roth (@YogiRoth) October 7, 2017
“He was a quiet kid – very ambitious, very smart, so much to his own detriment sometimes,” Brewington joked. “I remember him being willing to put in the work no matter what it was.”
Brewington remembers a time when Shough was frustrated with the way he was playing and snapped back at his coach. His parents had Shough write a letter to Brewington apologizing for the outburst.
“He wrote it and it was almost like an adult writing me a letter apologizing for something,” Brewington said. “The kid never did anything like that again, and that shows who he is and what he stands for. He’s a good kid, he’s a well-rounded kid.”
Purdy joined the team around age 13 or 14 as well and him and Shough instantly clicked.
“It was me and him in the middle infield, “Shough said, “I grew up developing a relationship with him through baseball. Him and I were always pretty close.”
