HOLLYWOOD CROSSROADS, N.C. – You never forget the first time you see a great player, especially when they are still in the beginning chapters of their career’s story.

There are a lot of pages left to be written, but there’s a good chance I’ll be talking about the night I saw D.H. Conley freshman Ethan Stewart play for the first time.

Thursday was my introduction to the left-handed hitting outfielder whose name has been buzzing around the baseball scouting landscape for quite some time.

“We knew he was supremely talented,” said head coach Jason Mills, “but he doesn’t behave or act like he is the man.”

In an intense conference showdown, he left little time to question whether or not he was the man.

Stewart’s first at-bat against South Central senior Christian Chance, the ace for the defending 3A state runner-up, lasted only three pitches.

A 1-1 offering was demolished on a line towards right field. It cleared the fence to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead they would not relinquish in an eventual 11-8 win.

“I was ready for that one moment where I could look to do damage,” said Stewart.

The damage was far from done, no matter how much the opposition tried to avoid it. Stewart’s second plate appearance instantly yielded an intentional walk, and his third came with two on and two out in the bottom of the fourth.

He went the other way with a Brooks Brannon offering to plate a pair and put the finishing touches on a four-run frame.

For good measure, a seventh-inning rocket to second base kept him off the bases but drove in his sixth run of the night in the process.

Just over a dozen games into his freshman season, Stewart is hitting .382 with a team-high 21 RBI. He has a pair of home runs and has been issued nine walks.

Stewart says his biggest adjustment has been the pace of varsity baseball and the talent he faces night in and night out.

“He is a sponge; he had a great first game, battled through an 0-for-15 slump, and has come back with a passion since,” added Mills.

He has only been called upon on the mound once, but it was an impressive outing. In a 3-2 win over South Brunswick, the southpaw twirled 2.1 perfect innings with three strikeouts.

“I think my best attribute as a player is being a good teammate,” noted Stewart.

There will be plenty of opportunities for him to continue to be that while wearing the Conley blue and gold.

And as long as that lasts, I will never forget the night I saw Ethan Stewart play for the first time.