By Ken Hansard
Chris Reno enters his senior season with the Washington High School Wildcats determined to leave his mark on the Meadowlark League. A versatile player who contributes as a pitcher, a first baseman, and as an outfielder, Reno has embraced both the responsibility and opportunity that come with his final high school campaign. “I’m looking forward to competing with my teammates each and every game, improving each game, and making a strong push toward the playoffs and winning the league title,” Reno said. “I’m also excited to see how much we’ve grown as a team compared to last season.”
After finishing 8-16 overall and 7-5 in league play a year ago, the Wildcats are focused on building consistency. Reno believes his role will be one of the keys in unlocking that process. “I see myself as a leader who brings energy, works hard, and helps keep the team focused,” he said. “I want to be someone my teammates can rely on.”
Through nine games this season, Reno has already made an impact at the plate, tallying 11 hits, including four singles, two doubles, four triples, and a home run. Still, he remains focused on growth. “I want to improve my overall performance, stay consistent, and help my team win games,” he said.
A transfer from Bishop Miege, Reno has extra motivation when facing his former team. “It’s going to be fun to play against my old teammates, friends, and coaches,” he said.
Inspired by his late grandfather, Reno plays with purpose every time he steps onto the field, driven to make the most of every opportunity, “My love of baseball came from my grandpa and my dad. They were the ones who first taught me the game and made it something special in my life. When my grandpa passed away, it made baseball mean even more to me. Now, every time I play, I do it with him in mind, and that drives me to work harder and never take the game for granted.”
Reno, who also played football and bowled for the Wildcats, shines just as brightly off the field. He carries a 4.3 GPA and has earned a bowling offer to the University of Saint Mary, where he plans to study sports medicine, with an end goal of becoming a sports medicine physician.
