After two solid years in the Kansas City organization, Brenan Herrera was looking to take another step up the ladder of professional baseball.

Then came a stumble that derailed, at least temporarily, his ascent in the Royals’ farm system.

During a workout only days before he was to report to spring training, Herrera rolled his ankle. He went to spring training with the bum ankle, but the injury sidelined him for nearly three weeks, leading to his release by the Royals.

But Herrera’s dream of making a career in baseball is not over. On April 3, he signed with the Bradenton (Fla.) Juice, an independent league team in the newly formed South Coast League.

“I still feel that I can play this game well and do it the right way,’’ said Herrera, a former standout shortstop for Northern Oklahoma College Enid. “My dream has always been to play professional baseball and make it to the big leagues.’’

Bradenton begins a 90-game season in the six-team league on May 17.

Herrera, who returned to Enid on Sunday for a five-year reunion of the Jets’ 2002 team that placed third in the Junior College World Series, is the only player off that ballclub still playing.

“That fall, when I first got to school, I thought that we had a good group, but I don’t remember saying we were going to go to the World Series,’’ said Herrera, who was a freshman on that team. “But about midway through the (spring) season, I thought, you know what, we can win this thing.’’

The Jets almost did just that, winning the Region II Tournament and the Southwest District Tournament to qualify for the national tournament in Millington, Tenn., where they finished third.

“I remember that bus ride to Tennessee,’’ said Herrera. “We were excited. We were going to the World Series. As a college player, that’s what you live for.’’

Herrera, now 24-years old, forged the most impressive career of all of those 2002 Jets. After his NOC Enid career, he played one season at the University of Oklahoma before playing his final college season at Abilene Christian. He signed a free agent contract with the Royals in August of 2005, and played two years for the Idaho Falls Chukars.



2002 Jets — Where are they now?



Bryan Coppock: Retired after NOC Enid career; will graduate Oklahoma State in May with chemical engineering degree; living in Kansas City.

Jerrod Spears: Played 2 years at William Woods University; married, 1 child; now a financial advisor for Chase Bank in Moore.

J. Michael Sharon: Played 2 years at the University of Texas-Tyler; now a varsity baseball coach in Tyler, Texas.

Brandon Disney: Played 2 years at William Woods University; now a car salesman in Bluefield, West Virginia.

Marcus Chapman: Retired after NOC Enid career; now a head baseball coach, assistant football coach and math teacher at Oklahoma Union High School.

Jared Pitchford: Retired after NOC Enid career; married; now a tax accountant in Broken Arrow.

Greg Porter: Played 2 years at William Woods University; now an engineering technician in Tulsa.

Darrin Nance: Played 1 year at Sterling (Kan.) College; married, 1 child; now a firefighter in Sapulpa.

Brian McKissack: Played 2 years at William Woods University; now a sales representative for Anheuser Busch in Tulsa.

Brent Wadley: Played 2 years at Southeastern Oklahoma State; now a sales representative for Drake Systems in Tulsa.

Jon Kissinger: Played 2 years at William Woods University; now an assistant coach at NOC Enid.

J.T. Severe: Played 2 years at New Mexico State; now an assistant coach at NOC Enid.

Ryan Beaman: Retired after NOC Enid career; now teaching and coaching for 2 years in Yukon school district.

Brenan Herrera: See story.

Sean Cawood: Played 2 years at Southeastern Oklahoma State, and made all-conference both years; now works for a construction firm in Stillwater.

Hector Ramirez: Played 2 years at William Woods University; living in St. Louis.

Eric Wayman: Retired after NOC Enid career; married; now in pharmaceutical sales in Broken Arrow.

Chad Bone: Retired after NOC Enid career; 2006 graduate of the University of Oklahoma, now studying in Dallas to be a chiropractor.

Dallas Vanderford: Played 2 years at Southeastern Oklahoma State, and made first-team all-conference as a senior; will graduate in May with degree in biology.

Trent Decker: Played 3 years at William Woods University; now works as an aircraft mechanic in Tulsa.

Jay Bible: Played 2 years at William Woods University; now working as an industrial pipe specialist in Glenpool.

Assistant coach Ryan Bay: Head coach at William Woods University for 3 years, now in his second year as head coach at Bacone College.



(Note: 20 members of the 2002 team attended Sunday’s reunion. The information above was provided by the players. Several prominent players on that team, including Bernardo Estrada, Michael Garner and J.T. Albright, among others, did not attend the reunion and provided no information.)