So what were the Highlights for you this HS Season

Great Memories

Watching a group of kids that started baseball together as 6 year olds finish together as Seniors. Baseball has given them so much and in turn they have given the game back everything they have. Some of them are going on to play in college and some are hanging up their spikes, but they'll be friends for life. I'm gonna miss coaching them, cheering for them, keeping score for their famous hitting game, driving to the games, us parents hanging out after the games, the Icee pitch, and every last second of throwing catch. Most of all I've felt honored to watch them grow together from little boys to young men. Right now, I'm cherishing every inning of legion ball.

I also want to give a shout out to This Board Rocks. Finding this forum was like getting to the end of the rainbow and finding the pot of gold. What a great community of folks TBR has brought together. Sometimes I post, sometimes I just read, but all the time I enjoy.

 

Doldrums?

Braves...its seems as if the TBR faithful have a case of the doldrums. Not seeing many posts from the showcase circuit or the legion circuit either.

 

What i enjoyed the most this year was watching, Mikal Hill, John Murry, Tyler McCarthy, Michael Boles, Blaine Lewis, grow from 13 and 14 year freshmans starting on Mallard Creek team in the school first year of existance getting beat but making the state playoffs, to growing up and leading the Mavericks to a deeper run in the playoffs every year and becoming one of the best team in the state. With the edition of Brandon Wilkerson after their sophmore year, these six seniors represented the school, community, and their families with class, grace, humility and gave the School so much joy and excitement on the BASEBALL FIELD.Each one of these kids are going on to college and playing baseball at the next level, where i know they will suceed as young men . THE MALLARD CREEK FAMILY IS PROUD OF THESE YOUNG MEN,

 

For me it was watching my son Drew Moore (soph)(4-1) @ Porter Ridge throw his first no-hitter in the easter tourny at Piedmont. It was in the championship game against Forest Hills. My only regret was that his mother was at the beach and did'nt get to see it. When he got home I asked him where was the ball, and he said in all the excitement he forgot to get it. Kids huh........

 

LOL.........

 

For me it was watching Porter Ridge go to State Quarterfinals 2 years in a row.Now my son (Nick Cappello) is moving on to play college ball @ Greensboro College with his teammate Josh Roeder. We have met so many good people on this journey and I will miss seeing them.

 

That East Meck group was definitely a special bunch!

 

SW4A Highlights

S……andwich pick Brett Austin the 54th overall pick selected by the San Diego Padres, the highest drafted player out of the SW4A since South Meck’s Chris Jones in 1998, thrilled league fans for four seasons with his sweet swing from both sides of the plate and a his quick hands and feet couple with his strong arm that resulted in over half of would be base stealers heading back to the dugout.

O…..pening day of the season when Chris McCue fanned 11 of 17 batters faced, flashing the form that would result in him being drafted in the 35th round by the New York Yankees.

U…..psets?? Sure #7 seed Myers Park upended highly ranked Ardrey Kell in the opening round of the SW4A tournament with 46th round draft pick of the Texas Rangers Tyler Powell on the bump, but when the league is as full of stars as the SW4A is, that is not an upset, that is just baseball.

T…..win – or shall we say Co-Players of the Year in AJ Larson and Logan Ratledge. Ratledge, a senior shortstop established 19 new records for his Knights while Larson a junior right fielder will return to lead the Bulldogs in 2012.

H…..ignight and a slow clam walk to the mound for the coach of the year who lead his team to their third consecutive title and back to back league tournament championships.

W…..ow! How many times do you say that after a great play in a SW4A season? In the 50+ SW4A games I saw this season it surely is in triple digits.

E…..ast Meck/CBC spring break tournament has blossomed into one of the best around in just two short years. The games have been incredibly exhilarating, the atmosphere fun and exciting, and the tournament committee and staff welcoming and first rate.

S…..ink, Jack Tournament – “The Grand Daddy of them All” continues to produce awe inspiring baseball season after season. Especially fun is the public vs. private school format. It was noted that this year, long time Myers Park fixture and friend Roy Bradley and his bride Jane were not there to greet you at the gate for the Mustang contests. Roy is now homebound with Alzheimer’s. Also missed was former coach and AD Greg Clewis.

T…..axi Squads, more commonly known as JV teams are loaded with fresh talent that sparkled in the afternoon sun all spring. Those players are now anxiously waiting for their turn under the prime time lights.

E…..xiting seniors Alex Leach, Brandon McWhirter, James Snover, and Chris Pearlman who’s efforts were rewarded with all-league honors plus all the other departing players who made SW4A baseball special.

R…..eturning players from 2010 Ty Buttrey, Jackson Campana, Dalton Eishenbath, Chase Gehringer, Mike Herbert, Nick Salisbury, Logan Sherer and Trent Thornton who earned All-Conference honors in 2011 and will return to lead their teams in 2012.

N…..ewcomers Devron Galloway, and Xander Maddox who splashed on the scene and made immediate impacts with their clubs earning All-League status in their first season of SW4A action. Galloway a freshman and Maddox a junior will both return next season.

4….. year starters in the SW4A is not unheard of but this year’s class may have set the record for the most in one class and in productivity. Not surprisingly all were All-Conference honorees and what an impact they had on the league over the last four seasons. Besides the afore mentioned Brett Austin and Logan Ratledge; David Daniels, Jake Fincher, Carson Plyler and Lou Trosch all completed four starting seasons in the SW4A and it has been a thrill to follow their careers on the field.

A…..ssistant Coaches Skeets Wright, Justin Rummage, Ray Korn, Spencer Stecher, Matt Yates, Rick Sambrotto, Josh Franklin, Blain Reynolds, Wendell Robertson, John Reisterer, Robbie Bray, Daniel Cooke, Roger Hailey, Pete Kritzer, Randy Manus, Steve Blalock, Rafael Mendez, Mike Spencer, John Capps, Heath Brown, Tommy Little, JD Detwiler, Will Little, Joe Colandro, Robin Tench, Kevin Hill and the assistant staff at Rocky River who work diligently behind the scenes to help make the baseball in the SW4A some of the very best in the state. Salute!




Southwestern4Abaseball.com would also like to thank Don Hutchins with the South Charlotte Panthers, Lou Trosch representing East Meck, David Eisenbath representing Butler, Mike Plyler representing Independence, Tom Patterson representing Ardrey Kell, and Phil Youtsey representing South Meck for supplying the website scores, updates and game summaries. Your time is appreciated in helping make Southwestern4Abaseball.com a viable and reliable source of information for the league. Hope you all have a great summer.

 

What a great post, Mincmi. You are the man!!!!!

As far as I'm concerned, you do more for the SW4A than anyone else connected to the league...that includes coaches. They should build a statue in your honor that kind of looks like this:

People...since there are over 11 million hits on TBR, you better believe many of them were coaches clicking on Mincmi's updates on the games.

 

You hit the nail on the head Braves, Mincmi needs a whole page in the Observer sports section. Dedication and love for the game....... sweet job, both of you !!