The New Guys: Trio of Newcomers to Fayetteville Baseball Team Have Become Key Starters This Season

A year ago, when Fayetteville was winning the 2025 state baseball title, Slade Cejka and Enoch Loafman were watching from the stands.

Jacob Muzny was cheerring on the Lions at home watching the game online.

Fast forward one season, however, and not only are those three all newcomers to the Lions team – but they have all three won starting roles for Fayetteville, which has reinvented itself and earned a berth in the state semifinals again this season.

This Saturday at 7 p.m. at Lake Creek High School in Montgomery, Fayetteville (125) with face Centerville (221) wth a berth in the state title game on the line.

And Cejka, Loafman and Muzny are all key to the Lions’ success.

Cejka’s emergence at catcher allowed the Lions to move last year’s catcher Dylan Henneke to shortstop. At second Muzny replaces graduated senior Jack Winford. Having Loafman’s bat and speed in the lineup helps make up for losing five seniors from last year’s starting lineup.

“They have really solidified us in a lot of ways,” said Fayetteville head coach Clint Jaeger. “Slade behind the plate, he has a lot of potential. We are really starting to see what he’s capable of, and he’s only going to get better. He’s already very polished back there.

“Jacob has been really good at second and early in the year he was one of our offensive leaders.

“Enoch hasn’t played a lot of baseball, but as a DH he finds a way to get on base at least once a game. That’s his goal and he’s adapted well.”

We’re proud to honor these three newcomers to the Lions starting lineup as our Fayette County Athletes of the Week.

We caught up with this trio after practice Tuesday to talk about what it’s been like to join, and make their mark, with the defending state champs.

“We have a lot of expectations to live up to,” Cejka said. “We are going to try to play our hardest to meet them.”

“We’re trying to live up to those seniors that left,” Muzny said. “Trying to fill their shoes and do our best.”

Both those freshman have been playing baseball since they were five or six years old, and it shows.

“Baseball’s always been a big part of my life,” Muzny said. “But it’s cool to get up to this level. Now it really means something.”

Loafman’s road to the diamond wasn’t so straightforward. He played briefly his freshman year and didn’t play at all as a sophomore last year.

“I just wanted to try a new sport because a lot of people were leaving,” Loafman said. “I just wanted to come in and help however I could.”

Loafman does have plenty of big game experience to draw on. He was a starter on the Lions’ state final basketball team earlier this year.

“Since we just missed out on a state title in basketball it would be really cool to win one in baseball,” Loafman said.

Standing in their way is Centerville this weekend. Jaeger expects a battle.

“It’s going to be very tough,” the Fayetteville coach said. “It’s a good matchup between two very good pitchers (the Lions ace Jack Schley and Centerville’s Kolt Larsen, who is a Sam Houston State signee as a catcher, but who will likely start Saturday’s game on the mound).

“Runs are going to be at a premium. Baserunners are going to be at a premium. It will come down to whoever can capitlize most in those key situations.”

But if Fayetteville could get past Centerville Saturday, a return trip to Dell Diamond would await them June 6.

Cejka,MuznyandLoafman would be on the field, instead of spectators.

“Watching them at state last year gave me an expectation on how they play, how they pick each other up, how they play through everything,” Cejka said. “It would mean a lot going to state.”