David Wright, a proud Hickory High School graduate from the Class of 2001, went on to become one of Major League Baseball’s most respected players. During his time at Hickory, Wright was a standout both on and off the field, showcasing the leadership, work ethic, and passion for the game that would define his career.

After high school, Wright was drafted by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2001 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2004 and quickly established himself as the cornerstone of the Mets franchise. Over his career, he earned 7 All-Star selections, won 2 Gold Glove Awards, and collected 2 Silver Slugger Awards. Known as “Captain America,” Wright also represented Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, further cementing his legacy as a leader in the sport.

Despite injuries shortening his career, Wright remains one of the greatest players in Mets history, finishing with over 1,700 hits, 242 home runs, and countless memorable moments. Beyond his statistics, he has always been admired for his humility, integrity, and dedication to the game.

My Greatest High School Moment

I went to Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, and we had this huge rivalry with a school, a new school, called Great Bridge. Every time we played them it was a big event. We’d get 1,500, maybe 2,000 out for the game. That’s like a Friday night football crowd. Baseball is big in the Chesapeake area where I grew up. It’s treated like football in other areas of the country.   I mean we had tailgating and barbeques before a night game. It was great. They would party and tailgate all the way up to game time. Everyone would come out and watch.   Great Bridge was a new school, but I knew a lot of kids who went there, including some friends of mine. One of them was Jeff DeMara, who was pitching for them the night I hit two homers.   I remember they got off to a good start, and I hit a three-run homer in the first to tie the game. We went back and forth with one another for another five, six innings, and Great Bridge took the lead again, going into the bottom of the seventh.   It’s when I hit another homer, a two-run homer that tied the game again, and it was against DeMara, one of my really good friends. We wound up winning the game on a walk-off in the eighth inning, but it’s a game I’ll never forget, regardless of what level I play. In fact, I remember that game like it was yesterday.   B.J. Upton, who played with me on my AAU team, was there in the stands. He went to another school, but I can remember smirking at him during the game.   That game was big for me. There were a lot of college scouts there that night, you have the rivalry, there’s no question it was one of the best times of my life. And it’s definitely one of my best baseball memories.   There are times I think back to when I played high school baseball. It was pure back then, fun. Not that playing for the New York Mets in the majors isn’t, but it is different. You wore your jersey to school on game days, you remember the joy of playing the game. Because back then, it was a game. And that’s how I think a lot of big leaguers look at their high school days, as a game they enjoyed playing.   This is obviously a lot of fun at this level, with pretty much everything you always dreamed of having and doing. But you’re always going well in high school, hitting .500, hitting homers. It can get hectic here because you’re not always going well. You have your ups and downs. When you’re in a slump, you turn around and see all these pads and pens, and camera lights in your face. In high school, you’re not dealing with that.   It’s those times you remember playing in high school and why you found so much joy playing the game. It wasn’t about money or making TV commercials then, it was about having fun playing a game you love. When I’m down, I think back to that game my senior year against Great Bridge. It’s all you can do but smile. It brings you back up to realize why you play.   Joseph Santoliquito covers high schools for the Philadelphia Daily News and is a frequent contributor to MaxPreps.com. He can be contacted at JSantoliquito@yahoo.com.

From MLB.com

Biography

Resides in Chesapeake, VA during the off-season...Hit .332 (67x202) with 42 runs scored, 12 doubles, two triples, a home run, 26 RBI and eight stolen bases in 54 gamesas a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004...Batted .364 (78x214) with 57 runs scored, 24 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 56 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 55games as a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University to earn All-Colonial Athletic Association honors in 2005...tabbed a Third-Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Louisville Slugger...Played with Harwich in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2005, earning all-star honors after hitting .303(46x152) with 15 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple, home run, 13 RBI and nine stolen bases...named the 24th-bestprospect in the Cape Cod League by Baseball America...A Second-Team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection as a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006, hehit .302 (58x192) with 43 runs scored, 13 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 25 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 47games...Participated in the Tigers Winter Caravan...Recommended/signed by Bill Buck for the Tigers.

Hunter Gregory is a proud alumnus of Hickory High School, graduating in 2017. He continued his baseball career at Old Dominion University, where he developed into a strong and reliable pitcher before being selected in the 8th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Since entering the Blue Jays organization, Gregory has built a solid professional résumé in the minor leagues, primarily working as a relief pitcher. Across his minor league career, he has appeared in over 120 games, pitching 230+ innings with more than 260 strikeouts, showcasing his ability to compete at a high level and generate swings and misses. During the 2025 season, he logged 44 appearances, striking out 60 batters while continuing to advance through the Blue Jays’ system, including time at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.

Hunter’s journey from Hickory High School to professional baseball reflects his work ethic, perseverance, and commitment to the game, serving as an inspiration for current and future Hawks.

Jimmy Loper is a proud alumnus of Hickory High School, graduating in 2018. He continued his baseball career at Duke University, competing at the Division I level and developing into a consistent pitcher before being selected in the 16th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the New York Mets.

Since joining the Mets organization, Loper has pitched professionally in the minor leagues, appearing in dozens of games and gaining valuable experience across multiple levels. Over the course of his minor league career, he has compiled a record of 1–6 with a 4.48 ERA, striking out 92 batters over more than 80 innings of work out of the bullpen. Loper’s performance showcases his ability to miss bats and compete against advanced competition as he continues his professional journey.

Jimmy’s path from Hickory to Duke to professional baseball reflects his strong work ethic and passion for the game, serving as an inspiration to current Hawks striving for success on and off the field.