back-to-back class a baseball champions 2015-2016
Transcription
back-to-back class a baseball champions 2015-2016
www.drkelseychiro.com 1-304-773-5773 Wahama White Falcons BACK-TO-BACK CLASS A BASEBALL CHAMPIONS 2015-2016 A special supplement to the Friday, June 17, 2016 60662058 CONGRATS, WAHAMA!! Wahama White Falcons 2 Friday, June 17, 2016 Point Pleasant Register Wahama outlasts WCC for Class A crown By Bryan Walters [email protected] CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some things are worth the wait. In a baseball game that technically lasted more than seven hours from warm-ups to finish, Wahama managed to secure the program’s fourth state championship Saturday following an inspired 5-4 victory over Wheeling Central Catholic in the 2016 Class A final at Appalachian Power Park in Kanawha County. The White Falcons (22-11) overcame every drop of adversity throw their way, which included a pair of lightning-filled downpours and a three-run deficit through four innings of play. WHS, however, managed to plate two runs in the top of the fifth to close to within a run (4-3) before the second rain storm postponed things with one out in the home half of the fifth. When the Maroon Knights (18-10) returned to the plate following a twohour delay, they never produced another baserunner as Wahama starter Mason Hicks found his second wind as the senior recorded half of his six strikeouts while retiring the final 10 batters he faced. Then in the top half of the sixth, the White Falcons made a charge for the history books as Philip Hoffman started the inning with a leadoff single to left. Hoffman advanced to second on a bobbled third strike, then the junior moved over to third on a two-out error that allowed Jared Oliver to reach safely — giving the guests a pair of runners on the corners. With seven-hole hitter Dalton Kearns headed to the plate, Oliver intentionally got caught up in a rundown between first and second. As Wheeling Central reliever Tyler Riedel stepped off the mound and threw to second, Hoffman took off in a full sprint for home. The relay throw home was wide of its target, allowing Hoffman’s head-first slide to tie the game at four. As the dust settled, Oliver had moved over to third and Kearns finally got his chance at the plate. The sophomore responded with the game-winning RBI after belting a single to the left field gap to plate Oliver, making it a 5-4 contest midway through the sixth. Neither squad produced a hit over the next inning and a half, with Wheeling Central’s final chance coming up short as Anthony Gentile grounded into a 5-3 putout. WHS senior Ryan Thomas’ throw to classmate Tyler Grimm was on target — allowing the Red and White to begin their triumphant celebration. Wahama — which also won the 2015 Class A championship — earned the school’s first ever back-to-back state titles in any sport. The White Falcons also won the 1996 and 1998 Class A crowns in baseball. After a thrilling end to an emotional 2016 campaign, WHS coach Tom Cullen just spoke about the joy — and the relief — of winding up back on top of the Class A mountain. “This is a big thing for the people in the Bend Area,” Cullen said. “We have great support throughout the season and our fans really love these kids, watching this team play. In turn, these kids really love playing and representing this community. “I love them and I’m proud of them for what they endured today to win. These kids have been through a lot of tests since winning state last year. They talked at the beginning of the year about leaving their mark, their legacy. Now they have accomplished their goal.” Both teams had finished infield practice and were prepared to take the field at 1:30 p.m., but a weather bulletin was issued Congratulations! 1/4 mile North Pomeroy/Mason Bridge Mason, WV 304-773-5437 2400 Eastern Ave (across K-Mart) Gallipolis, Ohio 740-446-1711 60662124 Point Pleasant Register that called for strong winds, possible hail, heavy rain and lightning within the next 30 minutes. Officials decided to delay the start due to the threat and called for the infield tarp to be rolled out. After the rains stopped and the field was deemed playable over three hours later, the official first pitch of the Class A title game came at 4:45 p.m. Neither team scored in the opening frame. Wahama struck first blood in the top of the second as Tyler Grimm led things off with a single to left, then David Hendrick entered as a courtesy runner. Hendrick advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hicks, then Dalton Kearns delivered a two-out double to left that plated Hendrick — making it a 1-0 contest. The Maroon Knights answered in the home half of the third as Kevin Keane and Isaac Rine received back-to-back leadoff walks, then Gentile added a one-out single that loaded the bases. Hicks uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Keane to score as both Rine and Gentile moved up a base, making it a one-all contest. Wahama, however, dodged a bullet as Hoffman made a sensational grab at shortstop on a line drive off the bat of Brian Campbell. Hoffman got up and quickly fired back to second baseman Dalton Kearns to double-up Gentile while also ending the threat. Wheeling Central, however, struck a big blow in the bottom of the fourth as Zach McAbee delivered a one-out single, then Deevon Standwich entered as a courtesy runner. Standwich advanced to second on a single by Patrick Brown, then both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Keane followed with a two-out single that plated Standwich, giving the hosts a 2-1 advantage. Rine followed with an RBI single that allowed Brown to score as Keane also advanced to third. Keane later scored on a balk after initially trying to steal home, giving WCCHS a sizable 4-1 edge through four complete. The White Falcons responded in the top of the fifth as Oliver led the frame off with a single, then Ricky Kearns legged out an infield hit — putting runners at first and second with two away. Colton Arrington followed with a full count double to the left-center field gap, allowing both Oliver and Kearns to score as the guests cut the deficit down to a run at 4-3. Wahama White Falcons Friday, June 17, 2016 3 Bryan Walters/OVP Sports Members of the Wahama baseball team leap into a celebratory pile moments after winning the 2016 WVSSAC Class A championship over Wheeling Central Catholic on Saturday, June 4, at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. The second weather-related postponement occurred just before 6 p.m., and play ultimately resumed just minutes before 8 p.m. Overall, the actual duration of the seven-inning affair lasted only 1:48. Hicks — who was the winning pitcher for a second straight year in the Class A title game — surrendered four earned runs, seven hits, two walks and hit a batter through four innings of work, then recorded his third strikeout of the game just before the game was suspended in the bottom of the fifth. After a nearly two-hour layoff, Hicks seemed stronger than ever when he returned to the mound — striking out three of the final eight batters he faced while not allowing a single baserunner. When asked if the delay helped his cause, he noted that it had more to do with personal pride and belief than anything Mother Nature could concoct. He also couldn’t help but smile when referencing that his final start with the White Falcons resulted in another championship banner. “I can’t say that a rain delay ever helps. With two rain delays today, it was an odd championship game,” Hicks said. “With however many hours that ended up being, and that was crazy, you just have to try and stay loose and persevere and get through it. Fortunately, we were able to do all of those things today. “It’s just a great feeling to be state champs, and it means a little more to be part of the first back-to-back championship at Wahama. To bring another title to this school and this community, it’s just a great way to go out.” Both teams had seven hits apiece, with Wheeling Central committing the only two errors in the contest. The Maroon Knights stranded five runners on base, while the guests left only three on the bags. Riedel took the loss for Wheeling Central after surrendering two earned runs, two hits and a walk over 2.1 frames of relief while striking out three. McAbee started for the hosts, allowing three earned runs and five hits over 4.2 innings while fanning three. Dalton Kearns led WHS with two hits, followed by Arrington, Hoffman, Grimm, Oliver and Ricky Kearns with a safety apiece. Arrington and Dalton Kearns each drove in two runs, while Oliver scored a teamhigh two runs. Hoffman, Hendrick and See crown | 12 4 Friday, June 17, 2016 Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register Wahama coaches look back at title run By Alex Hawley [email protected] MASON, W.Va. — Just like last year, the Wahama baseball coaching staff is heading into summer with all smiles. Every season has it’s ups and downs, but for the last two springs the Wahama baseball team has finished at the top of the state. The White Falcons claimed a 5-4 victory over Wheeling Central in Saturday’s WVSSAC Class A state championship game, earning the school’s fourth baseball title and their second straight. “I am truly blessed to have been able to experience this as many times as I have,” 12th-year Wahama head coach Tom Cullen said. “Without (coach Ron Bradley and coach Phil Hoffman) I probably don’t and that’s the way I look at it.” After ending a 16-year regional title and state title drought last year, the bullseye was squarely on the backs of the Red and White this spring, something the 2015 White Falcons didn’t have to deal with. “This year, there was more pressure to do it again,” Cullen said. “When we won the Gilmer County game, it was more of a relief than excitement. Last year it all just kind of came together, we kept getting better from the beginning right on through and after a while we thought, ‘we have a shot at this’.” After a 25-7 2015 in which Wahama rolled to the state title with a 7-0 victory over Man, there were no more doubters, and the White Falcons were underdogs to no one in 2016. “Last year, I know I for one was frustrated that we were winning a lot of games and it seemed like we couldn’t get any recognition throughout the state,” coach Bradley said. “We couldn’t even get in the top-10 and I think the kids kind of took a little offense to that. This year we started out no. 1 in the polls and we were no. 1 through most of the season.” The pressure to make it to state in backto-back seasons didn’t rest solely on the players for Wahama, as coach Hoffman explained. “From a coaching aspect we all have different roles,” Hoffman said. “We all work well together, but it was a grind. There was a lot of pressure, not just on the kids, but from a coaching perspective. We had a lot of pressure to prepare these kids. We were absolutely tough on them, sometimes we pushed them beyond their limits and sometimes they faltered. But, if they could deal with coach Bradley and I, with coach Cullen mediating along the way, they were going to be alright come tournament time.” Coach Cullen also credits his assistant coaches as main factors in the ability for WHS to repeat. “I seen it happen to the ‘97 team and the ‘99 team, they let the pressure get to them when they were trying to get back to the state,” Cullen said. “Thanks to coach Bradley and coach Hoffman pushing this group, they pushed right through it.” One of Wahama’s biggest advantages in getting back to the final four were the the fact that the pitching duo of senior Mason Hicks and junior Philip Hoffman were both back from last year. “I can’t believe that there’s another Class A high school that has two pitchers as good as Philip and Mason,” Cullen said. “If you put their stats together you’ll not find anyone who’s stats are better in Class A, not even close. I don’t thing there’s anyone in Class AAA that has stats to match Philip’s.” For the second straight year, Hoffman pitched the regional semifinal and state semifinal for WHS, while Hicks pitched both the regional and state finals. The duo combined for a 17-7 record on the mound this spring with 263 strikeouts. Hoffman was the captain on the Class A all-state first team, while Hicks was a second team all-state player. Other returnees from last spring include starters Nyles Riggs, Jared Oliver, Ricky Kearns, Dalton Kearns, Jared Nutter, Colton Arrington and Ryan Thomas. Wahama’s only stater that didn’t win a ring in 2015 was senior Tyler Grimm, who stepped in as catcher and cleanup batter for the 2016 White Falcons. “We made a commitment down the stretch that we were going to put the best defensive team on the field,” Bradley said. “When Tyler Grimm could go in and catch for us, it allowed us to be strong at shortstop and get guys where we thought they should be.” Wahama finished 2016 with a team fielding percentage of .934, with 54 errors in 33 games. “Last year we were winning, even making errors,” Cullen said. “We knew we couldn’t keep up with that, we made some switches and the defense really showed in that last game.” The Red and White did not commit an error in either the state semifinal or final. “I truly believe, with what we taught them, that defensive and pitching wins championship games,” Hoffman said. “I think our defense and pitching is what got us another state title.” Another advantage Wahama had was playing in the Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division. The nine-team league fared very well in the postseason this spring as, along with Wahama, Trimble, Eastern, Waterford and Belpre each made the district final, with the Eagles and Wildcats advancing to the regional round. Cullen noted that playing in a league with that many quality teams ultimately helped the White Falcons. “It especially helped this year because the pitching we saw over there,” said Cullen. “Those were some darn good pitchers we faced.” Wahama earned its third straight TVC Hocking title this spring and their fourth in the six seasons since joining the league. The White Falcons are 66-20 all-time in the nine-team league. Ever-focused on the tournament, Wahama lost its final five regular season games of the season, including two tuneup games that weren’t on the original schedule. “Those were just tune-ups, we didn’t really care about them, we just wanted to get Philip and Mason some innings,” Cullen said. “It’s just like a practice game to me, they might feel different, but it’s just a chance to get some swings against some good pitchers. Point Pleasant had some good pitching and you’re not going to get much better pitching than what Nitro had. We saw better pitching in both of those games than what we saw at the state tournament.” Cullen noted a previous experience as why he feels tune-up games are just there for practice. Alex Hawley/OVP Sports Wahama head coach Tom Cullen gets a hug from senior pitcher Mason Hicks in the middle of the seventh inning of the Class A state final on Saturday at Appalachian Power Park. “I have to admit, one year against Roane County, William Zuspan convinced me to leave him in,” Cullen said. “He finished it and we got the win, but he didn’t have anything against Charleston Catholic when we played them the next week. I’ll never let that happen again.” After a loss to start Wahama’s 2016, the White Falcons won 10 straight games. A 19-11 loss to Moorefield ended the Bend Area team’s winning streak, but the Red and White won the next three decisions. Wahama’s season hit a low point following a 7-1 victory over Southern, as the White Falcons lost their next four games. WHS got back on track with a doubleheader sweep of Belpre, but lost back-toback home games headed into the Region 4, Section 3 tournament. Wahama won all three sectional games, but lost a resched- Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register Alex Hawley/OVP Sports The Wahama coaching staff watches from the dugout during the Class A state championship game on Saturday, in Charleston. From left to right are assistant coach Phil Hoffman, head coach Tom Cullen, assistant coach Ron Bradley, assistant coach Wes Bumgarner and statistician Marcia Ortiz. uled regular season game at Trimble and a tune-up game at Point Pleasant. The White Falcons shutout both regional opponents, and then fell to Nitro — the eventual Class AAA runner-up — in a tune-up for both teams. Despite all the ups and downs of the season, the confidence of the Red and White never wavered. “I don’t think they ever thought they couldn’t repeat, especially the seniors,” Cullen said. “The seniors wanted the legacy of being the first team to ever repeat and they wanted it bad. Philip is the most positive thinking kid that I’ve been around, he believed we were going to win it all along.” Part of the reason that the White Fal- cons were so confident is that they always had each other’s back. “They’re an awful lot like a family,” Cullen said. “Family has some arguments sometimes, but family always works it out. Family is your blood and you play for each other. That’s how it’s been all year long, we’re like a second family.” For everything to work, the White Falcon coaching staff had to have the whole team on the same page. “The kids have bought in to the fact that they need to be unselfish,” Bradley said. “If you go to the plate in a bunt situation, we need you to lay down a bunt. Bunting won the Man game. We work on bunt defense, but a lot of these teams don’t. Regardless Friday, June 17, 2016 5 of what sport it is, you can’t expect a kid to go out on the court or field, and do something that you havn’t practiced.” The White Falcons were set to start the state final, when the tarp was pulled over the field and a three-hour and 15-minute rain delay began. After scoring the game’s first run, WHS surrendered four straight runs to Wheeling Central. Just before the second rain delay — a break of close to two hours — Wahama scored two runs and cut the deficit to 4-3. “I told them I was the ghost of baseball past,” Hoffman said. “I told them that you have to look at what the losing side will look like, you have to anguish for three-orfour hours about what it might be like to be a loser. I said ‘now, you have a chance to change it, you’re down 4-3, you can hold them, it’s on you’. They’re champions and now with what they were able to accomplish, they’ll be able to buy into our system more next year.” Going into the long break with a onerun deficit may have been an advantage for the White Falcons, who quickly gained the lead out of the break. “Maybe sitting there and them thinking about how we were behind might have helped,” Cullen said. “We played better after we came out. Sitting there down 4-1 would have been a lot tougher, and it was a big hit that got those two runs in. They showed a lot of character and a lot of kids grew up right there. I think Wheeling Central was sure that we were going to change pitchers after the second rain delay, but I told Mason ‘you’re it, we’ve got nothing else’.” Hicks excelled on the mound after the break, striking out three batters, while not even allowing a base runner of the final 2.2 frames. “There was a difference in Mason’s Congratulations! demeanor when we came out of the second rain delay,” Bradley said. “It was different than it had been all day. I came out of the dugout just before the seventh inning and I told him to finish it. I felt at ease at that point, as much as I could.” For coach Hoffman, sharing the state title with his son, junior ace Philip Hoffman, makes it that much more rewarding. “I’ve not only been a part of two state championship teams, but I have a son that I’ve been able to experience that with too,” Hoffman said. “I just can’t explain how special that makes it.” Along with Philip Hoffman, starters Colton Arrington, Nyles Riggs, Jared Oliver and Dalton Kearns will be back in the Red and White next season. The White Falcons will have to replace graduating seniors Mason Hicks, Jared Nutter, Ian Hook, Tyler Grimm, Ricky Kearns and Ryan Thomas. “We’re not going to change our methods, we’re just going to have different personnel,” Bradley said. “We’ve got some holes to fill offensively and defensively. Hopefully some of these younger classmen can step up and feel these holes for us.” For the White Falcons to return to Appalachian Power Park for a thirdstraight state title run, the Red and White will have a much different path. Wahama’s section — which has been a three-team double elimination tournament featuring Hannan and Calhoun County — will be a six-team sectional featuring Ravenswood, Williamstown, Parkersburg Catholic, Wirt County and Calhoun County. The other side of the region will feature Hannan, Tug Valley, Huntington St. Joe, Buffalo, Sherman, Tolsia and Van. Alex Hawley can be reached at 2100. FINANCIAL SERVICES MID-ATLANTIC CONSTRUCTION, INC. GENERAL & MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS Phone: (304) 675-8810 Industrial Plant Building & General Maintenance Construction Fax: (304) 675-8811 Robert W. McMillan, President 190 Camp Conley Road Point Pleasant, WV 25550 “Pride in Productivity” Pre-Engree’d Metal Buildings 60654904 Steel Erection Piping Systems Equipment Installation 60662183 Boiler Repair A.S.M.E. Code Welding Heavy Rigging Insuring All Your Needs Since 1976 Larry A. Jones 208 11th St., Pt. Pleasant 304-675-1300 Auto ~ Farm ~ Home ~ Life 740-446-2342, ext. Wahama White Falcons 6 Friday, June 17, 2016 Point Pleasant Register Bryan Walters/OVP Sports Alex Hawley/OVP Sports Members of the Wahama baseball team pose for a picture after capturing the 2016 Class A Region 4, Section 3 championship following wins of 11-1 and 6-0 over Calhoun County at Hannan High School in Ashton, W.Va. Members of the Class A, Region 4 champion Wahama baseball team pose for a picture following the White Falcons’ 7-0 victory over Gilmer County in Mason, W.Va. 2016 Wahama baseball results Wahama baseball individual statistics 2016 Wahama White Falcons Schedule March 21 at Point Pleasant 5-3 L 26 at Federal Hocking* 18-0 W 30 vs South Gallia* 24-0 W 31 vs Miller* 10-0 W 18 at Trimble* 2-1 L 20 at Point Pleasant 8-7 L 23 vs Charleston Catholic# 2-0 W 25 vs Gilmer County# 7-0 W 30 at Nitro 10-0 L April 1 at Southern* 12-1 W 4 vs Waterford* 5-4 W 5 at Charleston Catholic 4-1 W 6 vs Eastern* 8-0 W 11 vs Federal Hocking* 18-0 W 13 vs Trimble* 6-4 W 14 at South Gallia* 17-1 W 16 vs Moorefield 19-11 L 16 vs Greater Beckley Christian 5-3 W 18 at Miller* 13-0 W 20 vs Southern* 7-1 W 21 vs Point Pleasant 8-0 L 22 at Waterford* 3-1 L 23 at Williamstown 4-3 L 25 at Eastern* 6-4 L 30 vs Belpre* 10-0 W 30 at Belpre* 14-2 W June 3 vs Man% 3-0 W 4 vs Wheeling Central% 5-4 W Final Record: 22-11 Overall May 2 vs St. Marys 4-0 L 7 vs Charleston Catholic 4-1 L 10 vs Hannan# 15-1 W 11 vs Calhoun County# 11-1 W 11 vs Calhoun County# 6-0 W TVC Hocking Record: 13-3 (tied Trimble, Waterford for 1st place) Regular Season Runs Scored: Wahama 202, Opponents 90. TVC Hocking Totals: Wahama 168, Opponents 24. Tournament Runs Scored: Wahama 49, Opponents 6. Total Runs Scored: Wahama 251, Opponents 96. * — indicates TVC Hocking game. # — indicates sectional/regional tournament game. % — indicates state tournament game at Appalachian Power Park. 2016 Wahama White Falcons Roster (batting average, hits vs. at-bats, runs scored, RBIs; additional highlights) 01 Philip Hoffman Jr (.510, 52-102, 30 RS, 34 RBI; 9-4 in 14 games, 0.44 ERA, 162 K in 79 IP) 05 Jared Nutter Sr (.337, 32-95, 31 RS, 12 RBI; 2 errors in 33 games with 2 assists) 08 Cooper Peters Fr (.000, 0-3, 0 RS, 0 RBI; 1 putout in 2 games) 09 Ian Hook Sr (.000, 0-3, 1 RS, 0 RBI) 11 Colton Arrington So (.340, 33-97, 30 RS, 19 RBI; 22 stolen bases, 16 assists and 5 errors in 28 games) 12 Mason Hicks Sr (.322, 28-87, 18 RS, 24 RBI; 8-3 in 14 games, 2.09 ERA, 101 K in 67 IP) 14 Ryan Thomas Sr (.122, 5-41, 6 RS, 4 RBI; 9 errors and 19 assists in 32 games) 15 Antonio Serevicz Fr (.667, 2-3, 3 RS, 3 RBI; 1 putout and 0 errors in 3 games) 16 Tyler Bumgarner Fr (.222, 4-18, 9 RS, 4 RBI; 1 error and 8 assists in 11 games) 17 Nyles Riggs Jr (.286, 10-35, 7 RS, 7 RBI; 6 putouts and 1 assist in 11 games) 20 Ricky Kearns Sr (.261, 23-88, 26 RS, 16 RBI; drew team-high 26 walks) 21 Jacob Fisher Fr (.000, 0-4, 1 RS, 2 RBI) 23 Dalton Kearns So (.294, 25-85, 24 RS, 12 RBI; 26 assist and 14 errors in 31 games) 24 Anthony Ortiz So (.500, 2-4, 2 RS, 0 RBI) 25 Cass Kimes So (.333, 3-9, 3 RS, 5 RBI) 26 Wyatt Edwards Jr (.000, 0-5, 6 RS, 0 RBI) 28 Jared Oliver Jr (.372, 29-78, 27 RS, 12 RBI; 22 stolen bases, 1 error and 73 putouts in 31 games) 30 Tyler Grimm Sr (.291, 25-86, 13 RS, 25 RBI; 2-2 in 10 games, 3.35 ERA, 33 K in 37.2 IP) 32 Jonathan Frye Fr (.286, 2-7, 0 RS, 3 RBI) 43 David Hendrick Fr (.231, 3-13, 13 RS, 1 RBI) Team Stats: .322 AVG, 5 HRs (Grimm 3, Hoffman 1, Hicks 1), 183 RBIs Wahama Coaches: Tom Cullen, Ron Bradley, Phil Hoffman and Wes Bumgarner Statisticians: Marcia Ortiz Home of the White Falcons: J.C. Cook Field Point Pleasant Register Wahama White Falcons Friday, June 17, 2016 7 Alex Hawley/OVP Sports Members of the Wahama baseball team celebrate after winning the Region 4 championship following a 7-0 victory over Gilmer County at J.C. Cook Field in Mason, W.Va. White Falcons headed back to state tourney By Alex Hawley [email protected] MASON, W.Va. — There’s a first time for everything, and a second time for some. For the first time in program history the Wahama baseball team has won back-toback regional championships, as the White Falcons defeated Gilmer County by a 7-0 count in Wednesday’s Class A, Region 4 final at J.C. Cook Field. WHS — which didn’t allow a run in the regional tournament — will be headed to the state tournament in Charleston to defend its 2015 Class A State Championship. After retiring the the Titans (18-17) in order in the top of the opening inning, Wahama (20-10) got its offense rolling in the home half of the frame. WHS sophomore Colton Arrington drew a leadoff walk and then moved to third on a single by Jared Nutter. Nutter stole 60662059 second base in the next at-bat, allowing Arrington to score the game’s first run on the throw. Wahama junior Philip Hoffman then singled to home Nutter, giving WHS a 2-0 lead still with no outs in the inning. A single by Tyler Grimm advanced Hoffman to third base, and a stolen base by courtesy runner David Hendrick put two runners in scoring position. However, Hoffman was throw out at home trying to score on a grounder to the third baseman. The White Falcons added a third run with one out, as Mason Hicks forced a throw to second base, allowing Hendrick to score on the play. After a 4-3 ground-out moved courtesy runner Wyatt Edwards to third base, Dalton Kearns singled home the Wahama junior, making the lead 4-0. The White Falcons loaded the bases with a Nyles Riggs bunt-single and a Ricky Kearns base on balls, but a 4-3 ground-out stranded all three WHS runners. See TOURNEY | 9 60662118 8 Friday, June 17, 2016 Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register Wahama coaches pay tribute to Gary Clark By Bryan Walters [email protected] MASON, W.Va. — Gone … but most definitely not forgotten. In fact, Gary Clark’s presence in the Bend Area may have never been stronger than it was during the 2016 Wahama baseball season. Clark — who passed away after a sixyear bout with cancer on the final day of 2015 — was a staple in the Wahama community, rather it being as a member of the inaugural 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame class or as a contributor of White Falcon sports stories for over four decades with the Point Pleasant Register. Clark, however, was more than just a supporter or a coach of the Red and White. He served as an inspiration to all that came in contact with him over the years, mainly due to his athletic achievements, his honesty and his passion for doing things the right way. And when that unfortunate day came as the 2015 calendar year ended, the entire Bend Area — a term that Gary coined in his Wahama stories to represent all of the areas in the WHS school district — felt the magnitude of that loss. Since the start of 2016, the Wahama family has started putting the pieces back together as the Red and White try to move forward after losing one of their finest individuals. It hasn’t been an easy process and there is still a long way to go, but the one thing that has helped everyone get back to a sense of normalcy is knowing that Gary’s memory has allowed a lot of people to move forward in a positive direction. This latest baseball season — which ended up being Wahama’s first-ever backto-back Class A championships — definitely had a Gary-type feel to it, particularly on the final day as the White Falcons trailed 4-3 coming out of a rain delay in the middle of the fifth inning of the Class A title game. And, as WHS assistant coach and athletic director Ron Bradley noted following such a triumphant campaign, it was a year that everybody could take a real sense of pride in — especially those with the better seats up above. “Honestly, his presence was there throughout the whole season. We found ourselves constantly talking about him and how nobody loved Wahama more than Gary,” Bradley said. “You know, I really felt his presence with the way things played out throughout the state tournament. “I can tell you that all of us as coaches are pretty proud of the way things turned out in the end, but I promise you that nobody would have been happier right now than Gary.” At the beginning of the 2016 baseball season, the White Falcons painted a large 44 in a circle in the home dugout at J.C. Cook Field — representing the number that Gary wore in high school. Later, the team decided to add both Gary’s initials and his number to a patch that they wore on the backs of their hats. “In all honesty, I think Ricky (Kearns) was the first to mention putting something on the back of the hat,” WHS head coach Tom Cullen said. “I was wanting to do something with the number forty-four, but I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. As it ended up, a handful of coaches and players came up with that idea. Even his tribute was inspired by people working together, which was fitting.” When Wahama hit the road during the tournament, Cullen specifically took a red Wahama jersey with 44 on it so that it could hang in the visiting dugout. “That’s why I kept taking the fortyfour jersey to all of the road games in the postseason, because we weren’t leaving home without taking a piece of Gary with us,” Cullen said. “We wanted the kids to see it in plain sight, knowing that they would remember that we were playing for something bigger than ourselves. It’s just a jersey with a number, but it helped all of us to know that he was there with us.” WHS assistant coach Phil Hoffman noted that both the patch and the jersey did keep the kids focused on playing for something bigger, but he also believed that those items stood as a symbol of what playing baseball at Wahama was truly all about. “I think that in looking back, the kids really took on a lot of Gary’s mannerisms. They checked their attitudes at the door and showed respect to both the game and the community by representing the Wahama family with class,” Hoffman said. “They were less worried about their indi- Alex Hawley/OVP Sports In memory of Gary Clark, the Wahama baseball team had Gary’s initials and number put on a patch that was attached to the team’s hats throughout the 2016 season. The White Falcons also took Gary’s #44 jersey with them to the state tournament at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. vidual accomplishments and were more interested in making the group better. That was exactly how Gary would have done it and would have wanted it, so that was the thing that really stuck out to me about this season.” The White Falcons finished the year with a 22-11 overall record, won a share of their third straight TVC Hocking title and captured the program’s eighth consecutive Region 4, Section 3 crown before posting a pair of shutout wins in their second straight Region 4 championship. Wahama — behind a strong outing from starter Philip Hoffman — dominated Man by a 3-0 count in the Class A state semifinal, then the Red and White battled both the elements and a feisty Wheeling Central Catholic squad before claiming a thrilling 5-4 victory for the 2016 title. The White Falcons — at the beginning of the year — knew that they were wearing a big bull’s-eye as defensing state champions, particularly since everybody else at the Class A level wanted what Wahama had just accomplished. Cullen, however, believed that Gary’s passing gave his team a little bit more incentive in trying to become the first Bend Area team to win back-to-back state championships in any sport. When asked, Cullen acknowledged that Gary Clark may have played his biggest role yet in Wahama sports this spring — albeit in a different kind of capacity. “He probably had more to do with this title than last year’s. We were going for a repeat, but everybody is playing this game every year to win a state championship,” Cullen said. “Gary gave us something else that was worth playing for.” With the program’s fourth baseball title now in hand after also winning titles in 1996 and 1998, the Wahama faithful can now sit back and enjoy something that each individual knows Gary himself would have enjoyed being part of. In some ways with his absence, that part is still hard to deal with — rather it be for the players, the coaches or the supporters in the Bend Area. Then again, as Coach Hoffman pointed out, who knows how much of this could See clark | 12 Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register Tourney From page 7 A two-out walk in the top of the second gave Gilmer County its first base runner of the game, but Hicks struck out the next batter to end the frame. With one-out in the bottom of the second, Hoffman was hit by a pitch and, after a strikeout for the second out of the frame, Hicks was hit by a pitch. Hoffman then scored on a GCHS error, making the lead 5-0 with two outs in the second. Two White Falcons were stranded on base in the second frame, however, as a ground-out to shortstop ended the frame. Hicks struck out the side in the top of the third inning, and Riggs led off the bottom of the of the frame with a double. Riggs moved to third base on a passed ball with no outs, but three consecutive ground-outs stranded the White Falcons junior in scoring position. With two-outs in the top of the fourth, Gilmer County junior Chandler Ferguson — who singled and then moved to second, with one out in the frame — advanced to third on a passed ball. However, Hicks struck out the next batter to retire the side. Wahama tried to add on with back-toback two-out singles in the bottom of the fourth, but a 6-to-3 ground-out ended the inning with both White Falcons stranded. The White Falcons put together some two-out magic in the bottom of the fifth, as Arrington walked, Nutter singled, and then Hoffman singled home Arrington. Hoffman drew a throw to second base during the next at-bat, allowing Nutter to score. A walk and a passed ball allowed WHS to put two runners in scoring position, but a flyout to right field ended the inning. Trailing 7-0, Gilmer County was retired in order for the second straight frame, in the top of the sixth. A 4-6-3 double-play and a strikeout ended the White Falcon sixth inning, before the hosts could add on to their 7-0 lead. A one-out single and a two-out error allowed two Titans to reach base in top of the seventh, but Hicks struck out two of the last three batters to end the game and cap off the 7-0 Wahama victory. “I knew if we got a run or two we had the game won,” 12th-year Wahama head coach Tom Cullen said. “The first inning, (Mason Hicks) was on, throwing strikes. I didn’t think they could catch up with him. Not too many teams have a number two as good as he is. It’s nice that Philip (Hoffman) was on the other night and Mason was on tonight because, to win, we have to have those two pitching their bests. They carried us down the stretch last year, and they’re going to have to do it again.” Hicks was the winning pitcher of record, striking out 14 batters, walking one, while allowing two hits in a complete game shutout. Hoffman picked up the win in Monday’s 2-0 win over Charleston Catholic, striking out 10 in a two-hit, complete game shutout. The Red and White pitching aces were the winning pitchers of record in the state semifinal and final games last season. Jason Montgomery pitched the first two innings and was the losing pitcher of record for GCHS, allowing five runs on five hits, two hit batters and two walks. Hunter Self pitched the next three innings for Gilmer County, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. Jordan Brown hit Friday, June 17, 2016 9 one batter in one scoreless, hitless inning. Brown and Montgomery each struck out one batter. “The first (GCHS) pitcher had some control problems, but when he did bring it in there, it was where they could hit it,” said Cullen. “There were a couple of spots that if we could get a key hit, we could blow it open and make it a 10-run game early. They kept changing pitchers to throw us off balance too, each one of them was a little bit different.” Wahama’s offense was led by Hoffman — who was 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI — and Nutter, who was 2-for4 with two runs scored. Riggs doubled once and singled once in four at-bats, Dalton Kearns was 1-for-4 with an RBI, while Grimm, Hicks and Jared Oliver were each 1-for-3. Arrington was walked twice and scored twice, while Hendrick and Edwards each scored once as courtesy runners. “We started out good and hot, we manufactured some runs,” Wahama head coach Tom Cullen said. “(Gilmer County) is young, they’ve got three seniors with a bunch of juniors and sophomores. They’ll be back, they’re tough.” Ferguson and Hunter Moore were each 1-for-3 for the Gilmer County offense, while Wyatt Helmick reached once on a walk and once on an error. For the game, Wahama had one error and 10 runners left on base, while the Titans committed one error and stranded four runners. The White Falcons will meet the winner of Thursday’s Man/Greater Beckley Christian game, in the state semifinal on July 3, in Charleston. “I don’t care, we’ll take whoever we get,” Cullen said. “Greater Beckley is a solid ball club, they hit the ball hard, and they hit the fastball extremely well. Man, I haven’t seen a lot of them, but I know when they have Simpson on the mound they’re pretty good.” This is Wahama’s seventh regional championship in program history with the other titles coming in 1969, 1978, 1988, 1996, 1998 and 2015. The White Falcons have won the state in their last three trips to the final four, but WHS has never went in back-to-back seasons. “I told them all year long that getting back there is really, really hard,” Cullen said. “They were determined to make history, and they did.” Wahama is missing four starters from last year’s state title team, but 11 White Falcons on back for another run at the state’s top prize. “They have more confidence, it doesn’t mean we’re any better hitting, but they have more confidence,” Cullen said when asked about the difference between last year’s team and this year’s. “They believe in themselves and they believe that they can get it done.” Among returnees from last year’s team are starters Philip Hoffman, Mason Hicks, Nyles Riggs, Jared Oliver, Ricky Kearns, Dalton Kearns, Jared Nutter, Colton Arrington and Ryan Thomas. “The heart of last year’s state championship team is still right here,” WHS assistant coach Phil Hoffman said. “The group that won the state championship last year is still right here, and it’s the same daggone group that’s getting us back again.” Alex Hawley can be reached at ext. 2100. 740-446-2342, Congratulations! 607 Fifth Street P.O. Box 335 New Haven, WV 25265 John Greer • Agent / Owner Congratulations Telephone 304-882-2145 Fax 304-882-3813 www.kenbassinsurance.com 60660467 60662181 10 Friday, June 17, 2016 Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register White Falcons soar past Man in semis, 3-0 By Bryan Walters [email protected] CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The game time temperatures were in the low 90s, but that wasn’t the heat that gave the Hillbillies trouble. Junior starter Philip Hoffman struck out 18 and retired the final 18 batters that Man sent to the plate Friday afternoon during a 3-0 Wahama victory in a Class A semifinal baseball contest at Appalachian Power Park in Kanawha County. Hoffman surrendered a triple in the first inning and a leadoff single in the second frame, then the right-hander proceeded to sit the next 18 Hillbillies (1218) down while racking up the strikeout total. Hoffman — who struck out the side in the first, second, fifth and seventh frames — recorded at least two strikeouts in each of his seven innings on the mound. Hoffman — who also served as the winning hurler in last year’s state semifinal victory over Bishop Donahue — spoke afterwards about his sizzling performance. “It feels just as good today as it did last year, but we still have one more game to win before we can celebrate,” Hoffman said. “I found a pretty good rhythm today, but my defense would have had my back if things wouldn’t have gone so well on the mound. I’m just glad that we’re back in a state final. This is what we’ve worked so hard for all year.” While limiting Man to only two baserunners in the contest, the White Falcons (21-11) produced at least one hit in every inning except the fourth — which ended up serving as a precursor of better things ahead. Scoreless through four complete, WHS started its rally bid with one out in the fifth when nine-hole hitter Ricky Kearns legged out an infield single. Colton Arrington followed by laying down a sacrifice fly bunt, but the relay throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag — giving Wahama runners at first and second with one away. Jared Nutter followed by laying down another sacrifice bunt that went to the pitcher, but Man was late in getting a defender to first base for the relay throw. MHS pitcher Jake Adkins went ahead and threw the ball to first with a defender approaching the bag, but the ball deflected off of the second baseman’s glove and rolled into right field. Both Kearns and Arrington ended up scoring on the throwing error, giving the Red and White a 2-0 cushion midway through the fifth. Wahama gave Hoffman some extra wiggle room in the fifth as Tyler Grimm led the frame off with a double, then Wyatt Edwards entered in as a courtesy runner. Edwards advanced to third on an error that allowed Mason Hicks to reached safely, then Jared Oliver lifted a fly ball to left field that Nick Collins made a diving catch on. Edwards ended up tagging up and scoring on the play, giving Wahama a 3-0 cushion midway through five. Five of Man’s final six outs came by strikeouts, with the lone exception being a one-out flyout to centerfield in the sixth. Wahama outhit the hosts by an 8-2 overall margin and committed none of the two errors in the contest. The White Falcons stranded four runners on the bags, while Man left two on the bases. Afterwards, WHS coach Tom Cullen noted that it wasn’t a perfect performance by his troops — but he also quickly pointed out that the White Falcons will have another chance Saturday to improve on some things. “I’d like for us to hit the ball a little better, but it was all around a pretty good day for us,” Cullen said. “We knew we were going to have to start trying to manufacture some runs by making them make plays. Luckily, that ended up working out for us pretty well. “You know, when Philip is in a groove like he was today … one run becomes very big. Credit Man and their starter because he threw a heck of a game, but Philip just happened to be a little bit better.” Hoffman was the winning pitcher of record after allowing only two hits while striking out 18. Adkins took the toughluck loss after surrendering three runs Bryan Walters/OVP Sports Wahama junior Philip Hoffman releases a pitch during the sixth inning of a Class A state semifinal baseball contest against Man on Friday, June 3, at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. (one earned), eight hits and one walk over seven frames while fanning nine. Arrington and Nutter led the guests with two hits apiece, followed by Hoffman, Grimm, Ricky Kearns and Dalton Kearns with a safety apiece. Arrington, Edwards and Ricky Kearns each scored a run apiece in the triumph, with Oliver providing the White Falcons’ only RBI. Tyler Blair and Kenny Jo Adkins had the lone hits for the Hillbillies. The White Falcons — who have now won seven straight state tournament games — will be appearing in the program’s sixth state final in school history. Wahama won titles in 1996, 1998 and 2015, and also lost in the state finals in both 1978 and 1988. Wahama will face Wheeling Central in the Class A final Saturday afternoon, with a start time tentatively scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Power Park. The Maroon Knights (18-9) trailed 7-1 midway through the third and were down again by a 9-3 margin through five and a half frames, but Wheeling Central scored the seven unanswered runs — including five in the bottom of the seventh — to rally back for a 10-9 win over Pendleton County in the other Class A semifinal. The Maroon Knights will be aiming for their seventh state title, and first since 2011. The White Falcons are gunning for their fourth state title and first repeat championship in program history. “We need seven more good innings from our guys tomorrow, but I do like our chances. After all, you have to be in the state final to win a state championship,” Cullen said. “It does help that we have been here and done this before.” Bryan Walters can be reached at 2101. 740-446-2342, ext. Wahama White Falcons Point Pleasant Register Friday, June 17, 2016 11 Wahama seniors reflect on championship By Bryan Walters [email protected] CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Being part of a state championship is very special in itself. Knowing you’ll never lose another high school game in your life is something entirely different. Wahama seniors Jared Nutter, Ryan Thomas, Mason Hicks, Ian Hook, Tyler Grimm and Ricky Kearns are living the rarest of dreams after ending their collective prep careers Saturday with a 5-4 victory over Wheeling Central Catholic in the 2016 Class A baseball state final at Appalachian Power Park in Kanawha County. These half-dozen recent WHS graduates have been involved in the White Falcon baseball program since their junior high years, and each has had a varying role with the varsity program over the last four seasons. The sacrifices and hard work, however, paid off in a big way — and that was even before Saturday’s victory. Since the spring of 2013, the White Falcons have claimed four consecutive Section 4, Region 3 titles, three straight TVC Hocking crowns, the program’s second consecutive regional championship, and now they have repeated as Class A state champions So now, after all of the hard work and sacrifice to reach such a pinnacle, these six proud Wahama graduates head out into the world already perched high atop the mountain. “We’ve put in the work from day one and it’s been a total team effort, from the players to the coaches to the community,” Grimm said following Saturday’s title. “Ultimately, all the hard work paid off in the end … and it’s a really special feeling to once again end the season on top.” For some, Saturday was simply a final feather in the cap in an otherwise fairy-tale prep career. “My first semester of high school, I came in and was part of a state championship in football. My last semester as a high school student has also resulted in a state championship. There was even another state championship in baseball in between,” Nutter said. “It won’t be too hard to look back on my high school career and have the same sort of smile that I have right now.” For others, it was about proving something to a lot of nay-sayers throughout the Mountain State — particularly after losing four starters from the 2015 Class A title team. “This is such an awesome feeling to do it again, mainly because of what we lost from last year’s team,” Thomas said. “Not many people thought we could do this again, but here we are celebrating another state title. It feels good to prove a lot of people wrong.” Heck, even some of the most die-hard believers in Wahama’s chances to repeat still needed a moment to realize that the ultimate goal had become reality. “It’s very hard to describe this feeling, outside of it being amazing,” Hook said. “All of the work and everything that we’ve had to do to get to this point, it just feels really good to have it all work out in our favor. We all knew that this was possible at the beginning of the year and we believed that we could do it, but it is still hard to believe that we actually pulled it off again.” A third of the seniors couldn’t help but reflect on how fortunate they were to have been part of something special, and they weren’t referencing the back-to-back state crowns. Instead, the blessed feeling that each shared had more to do with the place that they call Bryan Walters/OVP Sports Wahama assistant coach Wes Bumgarner, left, celebrates as senior starting pitcher Mason Hicks just wears a smile after the White Falcons won the Class A baseball championship with a 5-4 win over Wheeling Central Catholic in Charleston, W.Va. Bryan Walters can be reached at 740446-2342, ext. 2101. Congratulations! 60662062 Congratulations White Falcons Pomeroy, OH, 700 W. Main St. 740-992-2891 home. “Our community is a living thing in itself,” Kearns said. “Everybody comes from all around to watch us for one game, and there just aren’t too many communities that can honestly say that. It’s been special that we have had that kind of support in every game this year and in our careers. I’m just glad that they get to enjoy this one as much as we do, because they deserve this.” Hicks — who served as the winning pitcher in both the 2015 and 2016 championship games — agreed whole-heartedly with his left fielder. “This community deserves this because the support we have had is second to none,” Hicks said. “It feels great to be part of history in winning back-to-back titles, but I want to thank all of the people in the Bend Area for all of their support during each of these championship runs. Everyone associated with Wahama has played a big part in each of these titles.” The White Falcons will lose five starters to graduation headed into the 2017 campaign. AEP River Operations 60662128 Wahama White Falcons 12 Friday, June 17, 2016 Crown From page 3 Ricky Kearns also crossed home plate one time apiece. Gentile led the Maroon Knights with two hits, followed by Rine, Campbell, McAbee, Brown and Keane with a safety apiece. Keane scored a team-bests two runs, Standwich and Brown also scored a run apiece. Rine and Keane each knocked in a run during the setback. Wahama is now 10-3 all-time in state tournament baseball contests, which also includes a current eight-game winning streak. The White Falcons appeared in their first state tournament in 1969 and were state runners-up in both 1978 and 1988. It was the final baseball game for seniors Jared Nutter, Ian Hook, Mason Hicks, Ryan Thomas, Ricky Kearns and Tyler Grimm in Wahama uniforms. The White Falcons’ remaining 2016 roster included juniors Philip Hoffman, Nyles Riggs, Wyatt Edwards and Jared Oliver; sophomores Colton Arrington, Dalton Kearns, Anthony Ortiz and Cass Kimes; and freshmen Tyler Bumgarner, Cooper Peters, Antonio Serevicz, Jacob Fisher, David Hendrick and Jonathan Frye. The White Falcons defeated Hannan (15-1), Calhoun County (11-1), Calhoun County (6-0), Charleston Catholic (3-0), Gilmer County (7-0) and Man (3-0) en route to the Class A state final. Jefferson repeated as Class AAA champions after defeating Nitro by an 11-2 count in the final championship game Saturday, while Bridgeport three-peated as Class AA champs by posting a 9-4 win over PikeView in the opening game Saturday. All three 2016 state champions won their respective titles a year ago, making it the first time in WVSSAC history that all three state championships went to the same schools in consecutive years. Wahama’s contest against Wheeling Central was the only state final that endured a weather-related delay of any kind. Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101. Point Pleasant Register Clark From page 7 have been possible if it wasn’t for Gary’s countless contributions to the White Falcons during his tenure. “It’s funny because when the four of us were sitting on buckets during a game, we had close to 100 years of coaching experience between us,” Hoffman said. “Yet, when a big situation came up, we almost always deferred to Gary to see what he thought. He just had a wealth of knowledge about this game, the kind of knowledge that left any of us almost feeling inferior in those situations. “Gary always thanked us for letting us be part of the team and allowing him to work with the kids, because it was something he truly enjoyed. In reality, we were the ones that should have been thanking him for making us a better team and better people. If it wasn’t for Gary, I don’t know how much of the last two years would have happened.” This year’s roster took a great pride in honoring Gary’s memory, especially on the final day of the 2016 season as they hoisted the Class A championship trophy. In at least knowing and being around Gary Clark, they joined a fraternity that covers over four decades of the greatest athletes in Wahama’s storied past. The trio of baseball coaches interviewed all had sons that played baseball at Wahama while in high school, and each of those young men are probably better individuals for having known and been around Gary Clark for a brief spell — or at least that was the belief of Coach Bradley. “I think all three coaches would agree that we are very proud and fortunate that our sons got to know and be around Gary during their high school careers,” Bradley said. “He always had good advice to pass along to the players and the kids really looked up to him. He was always looking out for their best interests and tried to make them not only better players, but better people in general. And he never expected anything in return.” If Gary ever did want anything in return for his efforts, Saturday’s final outcome against Wheeling Central Catholic would have been his only request. Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101. Farmers Bank would like to congratulate The Wahama White Falcons on another State Championship! #BacktoBack FB Farmers Bank 60661895