Dynamic Duo: Brown, Johnson lead Lake Creek in the circle

MONTGOMERY — They are now a dynamic duo for the state tournament-bound Lake Creek Lions.

But the junior pitchers had their dynamics change some entering this season.

When Lake Creek opened in 2018, Emiley Kennedy instantly became the face of the program after a strong start to her high school career at The Woodlands as a freshman. The lefty then transferred to Lake Creek when her father Pat was named the first head football coach and the school and helped put the program on the map.

Kennedy led Lake Creek to an appearance in the Region III-5A championship last year and has since moved on to logging over 140 innings this year as a freshman at Texas A&M. She struck out 110 as the Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament.

Kennedy’s protege Ava Brown was elevated to the ace of the Lions this year and then Madison Johnson was brought up from the junior varsity.

“I think they’ve been a dynamic duo,” Lake Creek coach Michelle Rochinski said as the Lions wrapped up practice Tuesday morning. “I think Madison has learned a lot from Ava and fed off Ava. She has really surpassed of what we expected her to do. She’s done a great job and has done exactly what we are wanting her to do.”

Both lead the No. 1 Lions (39-0) into the University Interscholastic League Class 5A state semifinals this Friday. Lake Creek, a program in its fourth year, will take on Prosper Rock Hill (32-9), in just its second season, at 10 a.m. from the University of Texas’ Red and Charline McCombs Field.

Brown, who committed to the Florida Gators prior to her junior year season, has been outstanding in the circle. She 318 strikeouts in 169 1/3 innings and Brown is one of the best pitchers in the state. Her ERA sits at 0.50 with just 12 earned runs allowed. The Lions are 28-0 in her starts.

Brown throws the ball to junior catcher Kalee Rochinski and, remarkably, Rochinski has caught every inning and ball from Brown at Lake Creek. Including 535 strikeouts.

“Kalee has caught every single strikeout,” Michelle Rochinski said. “I would say that her and Ava work pretty good together. They’re close and try to work on the same brain wave.”

Brown, who hit the 500 career strikeout mark in the area playoff against Pflugerville Weiss in early May, has handled the elevated role well as Lake Creek has reached state for the first time ever.

“Just trying to take everything one game at a time and keep the small wins in my head and keep a positive mindset,” Brown said. “I feel like sometimes in some games when you’re winning 12-0, it can be really easy to want a certain outcome. Always want the perfect game or the no-hitter and always wanting to hear that.”

As a junior behind Kennedy, who was the Montgomery County Player of the Year, Brown was 16-0, had 0.92 ERA and struck out 167 batters.

“It’s different,” Brown said. “Getting to work with Emiley is obviously so awesome and now getting to see her become successful in college, it’s been fun to watch. Having to take on this role is something I was used to with select ball. I guess last year having Emiley back me up was a different scenario because this year, if I can’t go, Madison will come in. It’s kind of a back-and-forth thing.”

Brown is recognized as one of the top high school players in the country. MaxPreps recently selected her as a Player of the Year candidate. So with a lot of eyes on her, Brown has worked on focusing on what’s important and blocking out everything else.

“I think it’s maturity thing,” Brown said. “Mentally, I’ve had to get a little bit stronger. Going into thinking about that fans say to me and stuff like that — this is the first year I’ve been able to play committed (to Florida) — I’ve had to take little bit from some fans and from some opponents. But that’s part of it. I think being able to mature in that way has made me mature as a player and that has made me better.”

And oh yeah, she brings a big bat as well.

Coming off a sophomore season where she was the co-Montgomery County Offensive Most Valuable Player, Brown leads the Lions this spring with 10 homers, is third in RBIs with 40 and is slashing .389/.455/.778 with a 1.234 OPS.

“Even when she’s not pitching, I honestly think she’s one of the best first baseman around,” Michelle Rochinski said. “She can win a spot at first, pitching and of course she has a bat. She has one of the best swings around.”

Johnson, on the other hand, has been superb as well in her varsity debut season.

The junior is 7-0, has a 1.85 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 752/3 innings.

“I knew that there were big shoes to fill,” Johnson said. “But I knew my time would come when the opportunity was there.”

Michelle Rochinski thinks back to February when she realized that Johnson was going to do just fine on varsity.

In the NFCA Leadoff Classic — an elite early season tournament in Bryan-College Station — Brown was running out steam in the sixth game of the tournament. With the championship on the line against Class 6A Klein Collins, Johnson came on in the third inning and went seven total frames with one hit allowed and five strikeouts as the Lions won 3-2 in nine innings.

“We put Madison in and she was able to finish that and go extra innings against Klein Collins, which is a great team,” Michelle Rochinski said. “That right there kind of got Madison going. I can’t say enough about her.”

Johnson earned starts during District 20-5A play and has seen plenty of action in the postseason. Michelle Rochinski inserts Johnson into the circle always with a goal of seeing if the junior can get through the order a couple times and go from there.

Johnson started in the Game 2 regional championship game last Thursday against Santa Fe and kept the Lions in contention before handing it over to Brown after 11/3 innings. She also went three innings against Friendswood with no runs allowed in the regional semifinal clincher. She struck out one and allowed four hits.

“There’s always nerves there,” Johnson said. “But they just subside knowing that I can do my job and I have people behind me to back me up.”

Having Kalee Rochniski as her experienced catcher has been a plus for Johnson as well.

“I’ve known Kalee since before high school,” Johnson said. “It definitely helps that I’ve known here longer. Knowing that she knows the pace kind of guides me along.”

And working with Brown has gone incredibly well.

“It’s amazing for me,” Johnson said. “I love Ava. She’s super supporting and it’s just a different atmosphere being on varsity and pitching with Ava. It’s a lot faster pace and I enjoy it.”

Reaching state is a big dream come true for the duo.

Brown isn’t stopping now.

“Now that we are here — why not win it? Why not us?,” Brown said.

Added Johnson, “It’s a dream. We’ve always dreamed of it coming in. It’s just a dream come true.”

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