Providence, Ardrey Kell and Marvin Ridge ALL go down in Round 1

Everyone is asking - why did AK and PHS lose? In my view, the CPC comment sums it up the best. Those boys played from the heart and were focused because they were playing the big bad SW4A with all those major league / college prospects. AK and PHS go through the entire season hearing how good they are. Nationally ranked, long history of success, etc... Their families, friends, scouts, coaches, newspaper, blogs, other players, tout their success, but baseball is not like football, i.e., you can't over teams with players 6'6, 6'6, 6'5, 6'4 etc... and expect to win. You must catch, throw and hit the baseball. Lacking a bit of fear and maintaining a focus on routine grounders, 2 strike pitches and just throwing strikes and not walking batters, wins games, not what others think.

So how does a coach keep a club hungry and focused with all the above going on? That's the challenge and I don't have the answer. I know Bags and Higgy are still searching for the answer.

Maybe there downfall was all their success? Remember, these are 15, 16, 17 and 18 year olds!

 

As always, no offense intended to anyone - the poster or coaches mentioned or left out - but I can't see how Bagwell is searching for anything. He just has to look down at his hand at that ring...

 

Until the guy down off HWY 51 gets a ring or at least makes a deep run in the playoffs, you cannot put him and Bagwell in the same catagory as coaches. All Bags did this year was coach a team that lost 90% of their offense from the previous year (granted he had great pitching) to a share of the SW4A Championship. The other guy replaced a great catcher with another great catcher and somehow filled his glaring hole at SS by getting Ricky P's kid to move in from Winston. When has a Bagwell coached team EVER underacheived???? That would be NEVER!! Cannot say the same for the other guy. Not Hating, only stating facts.

 

Believe me, Bag's or Higgy have the drive every year to win the State Championship. Hal is just as hungry to win another one as he was with the first. To this day, it still brings him nightmares losing in the State Championship series. It's what keeps him hungry.

What Catcoach mentioned in another thread is exactly how Coach Hignight feels right now: A deep hurt for his seniors...knowing this is the last time he will seem them in a Panther's uniform. Anybody has the right to criticize any coach, but you won't find any better HS coaches in our state than Hal Bagwell and Danny Hignight. If you don't want to believe me...go ask his players. They are the only one's whose opinion matters.

 

Maybe I just missed it, but I haven't seen any recaps or descriptions of how these games played out. I'm sure many TBR faithful are interested to know the facts.

 

Low & Slow..........

ROGER THAT!!!

 

Story of the AK/Reagan game - Errors

Unfortunately for Ardrey Kell, they uncharacteristically committed at least 7 errors in their first-round playoff loss to Reagan. To Reagan's credit, they were able to take advantage of the errors and mental mistakes to pull off the upset. I have heard it was a similar story in the Providence/Mount Tabor game.

 

Marvin Ridge/South Rowan

Marvin Ridge scored 3 in the bottom of the first off of SR's starter and struggled to get anything going after that. 8 walks by MR pitching including 2 in the top of the 7th led to South Rowan getting back into the game. Marvin Ridge had some hard hit balls that were right at their guys and they made plays when they needed to. Gotta give credit to South Rowan for hanging in there and clawing back with a run in the 5th, 6th and 2 in the 7th to take the lead. Our guys got complacent and couldn't deliver that knockout blow. It was a good lesson in that nothing in a one-and-done format is given and you have to earn it every game in the playoffs. Sounds like a similar story throughout south Charlotte on Friday. Hopefully all of the underclassmen returning will take a page from this week and apply it to next week when the playoffs roll around! Good luck to Weddington who is not only one of the last teams from South Charlotte but also from the SCC. They have the players to make a run and I hope they do!

 

I would have agreed with you about last Saturday or Sunday,,,, but to be honest, at this point the teams that lost in Round 1 are history and I'm more interested in hearing about teams who are still playing.

 

Enjoyed this year

Have to agree with CatCoach on this one.

Watched all 3 teams play exceptional baseball this year. All coaches and players should be proud of their accomplishments, playing hard, giving great effort. Parents also for giving support. Best of luck preparing to take your skills to the next level. Really enjoyed watching you play.