This is an opinion piece.

You’ll have to forgive new Baker head football coach Juan Johnson if he’s a little late arriving in West Mobile.

He has a state championship to try to win at his current school first.

Johnson is an assistant for Tonya Hunter on the Hewitt-Trussville girls basketball team. The Huskies defeated Prattville 51-40 on Thursday in the state semifinals, earning the right to face perennial power Hoover at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Class 7A state title.

“I wanted to be here with these young ladies who are seniors now as they finish writing their story,” Johnson said following the game. “I wanted to stand by them. That is one thing I talked to Mr. (John) Poiroux (Baker principal) about. He said, ‘Coach, if you want to finish, that is definitely possible.’ I thought it was important to see this through.”

That doesn’t mean Johnson isn’t already doing some work for the Hornets when time allows.

“I’m getting phone calls and emails every morning,” he said. “We’ve already got a new branding going on. We want to be the best version of us. We are not comparing ourselves to anyone else in the Mobile region and really in the state. We want to be the best team we can be four ourselves, and we’ll let the chips fall where they may.”

Johnson takes over the Baker program for Steve Normand, who announced his retirement from the state earlier this year. The Hornets have made the playoffs in four straight seasons and finished the 2023 season at 8-3.

“The plan is to be in town Tuesday and Wednesday of next week,” Johnson said. “We’ll get started on Tuesday. I’ll get an opportunity to meet the kids, meet the families and meet the community of West Mobile. I’m excited. I can’t wait to be a Baker Hornet.”

But first, he’ll have to say goodbye at Hewitt after eight years with the Huskies.

“It’s been tremendous,” he said of his time there. “I’ve gotten to work with (Hewitt football coach) Josh Floyd and Tonya Hunter and both of their kids are our star players. As offensive coordinator for football, me and Peyton (Floyd) have been together for years. It’s the same with (Hewitt senior basketball player) Jordan (Hunter). I think she is going to write her own story. She’s prepared herself for this moment along with our other eight young ladies.”

Just as Johnson’s experience under Floyd and T.R. Miller coaching legend Jamie Riggs have prepared him to take over the Baker program next week. But it can wait a few more days.

Prayers out

Covenant Christian senior Trace Walker, who suffered an apparent broken leg in overtime against Georgiana in the Class 1A state championship game on Thursday night. He was taken off the court by stretcher. “I can’t stop thinking about Trace,” fellow senior Andrew Brackin said after the Eagles’ loss.

Former Gadsden High offensive coordinator Mike Argo. Coach Argo was my landlord for a time in Gadsden and helped lead the Tigers to the 1991 state title. Rick Karle posted this week that Mike is in the hospital with a deadly condition known as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. He’s in desperate need of a lung transplant. Mike is only 60. I’ve written multiple times about making the trip with Gadsden to Prichard Stadium in 1991 to see the Tigers play Blount in the state title game. Mike was OC on that team under Vince DiLorenzo.

Praying for both Trace and Mike tonight. I hope you’ll join me.

Praise

Hewitt-Trussville baseball coach Jeff Mauldin won his 700th game this week. Not many better on or off the field than coach Mauldin. Congrats on another milestone, coach.

Thought for the Week

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that he may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of his faithful followers.” – Proverbs 2:6-8

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.