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PORT NECHES — In 2005, Jacob Hooker attended a Mid-County Madness game as a coach for High Island.

“I came over during a bye week,” he said. “I had always heard about it. I grew up in West Houston. I didn’t think anything of it until I showed up. Wow. I just fell in love with that whole rivalry and thought that I wanted to be a part of that one day.”

Hooker won 2A Texas State Championships as the head baseball coach for Big Sandy High School in 2018 and 2019. He led Fort Worth Boswell (6A) to a district title this past season.

As Hooker advanced his coaching career, he got to know Scott Carter, PNG’s head baseball coach.

“He is one of my mentors almost,” Hooker said. “When he was at Sweeny and I was at Hardin-Jefferson, we played them in the playoffs. I got to know him and stayed in touch with him. I always joked with him and told him when he got the PNG job that I would come be his assistant.”

Hooker will now have an opportunity to be a part of Mid-County Madness.

Brandon Faircloth, PNG athletic director and head football coach, said Hooker will join the school’s athletic program as the assistant baseball coach and also work on the football staff.

“He brings a lot of experience,” Faircloth said. “He is a wonderful football coach. He is wonderful baseball coach. Anytime you can add someone, who has achieved the highest success and add them to your athletic program, it only helps us get better. We are very excited about him. He brings great energy and enthusiasm. He is going to help us get better.”

Carter said he is excited about the addition.

“We wanted someone who understands the game,” he said. “We wanted to hire someone that can come in and help the program and I think we did that with Jacob Hooker… He brings a lot of knowledge.”

The hire was made after Norman Abshere, assistant baseball coach, announced he would step away from athletics, Carter said.

“We are definitely going to miss Coach Abshere,” Carter said. “He is going to concentrate more on family. I support him, but I am going to miss him. I hate that he is stepping away. We are definitely going to miss Coach Abshere.”

Hooker said he is anxious to get started.

“I am ready to work at that school with the school spirit,” he said. “I want to be a part of the tradition of the football and baseball programs. The selling point for me was that I have a 2-year-old and 5-month-old. After I watched that game in 2005, I want my kids to go through that. I want my kids to experience that type of atmosphere. The education there, along with the tradition, is unmatched in the state.”