Riverheads state champs
- Thread starter Baseball215
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This one was such a mismatch that Gladiator fans were wondering as early as the second inning if the slaughter rule would apply to the state title game. That question was answered definitively in the bottom of the fifth inning when Grant Painter smashed a bases-loaded triple deep to left center field that chased all three runners home and gave Riverheads a 13-1 lead. The game did continue for the required 6 1/2, but mercifully ended with that as the final score.
Unlike yesterday's semi-final, it was not that Honaker was sloppy in the field as they only had one error all day, as did Riverheads. Instead, the Tigers' major weakness was their pitcher as he walked a ton of Gladiators, which directly led to several of the runs that were scored. Fans wondered why he was not replaced until the sixth inning when all the damage had been done, but we can only assume that the Tigers simply did not have the bullpen depth to handle the demand of three state tournament games in a four-day period.
Elijah Dunlap on the other hand pitched a gem of a game for RHS, going the distance and scattering five hits. Only a Gladiator scoring error in the top of the second prevented the Big Red from pitching a shut out.
He sent the Tigers down 1-2-3 in the first, two of those outs coming by KO. That gave him some early confidence and also helped get the Big Red bats off to a quality start in the bottom of the first frame as they scored two runs on two hits.
In the top of the second, Honaker got one of those runs back. A single put a man on base and they advanced him to third with a teammate at the opposite corner. They tried to execute the old double steal by having the first base guy take a huge lead and appear to head for second. RHS did not fall for it and instead tried to nail the guy that was leaning off third. Dunlap's throw got away from third baseman Braeson Fulton (not sure who was charged with the error) as the runner scampered home with what would turn out to be Honaker's only run of the game.
So for a short while, the Tigers had every right to feel as if they were back in the game, but that bubble burst in a hurry with an explosive bottom of the second in which the Gladiators sent 11 men to the plate and scored eight runs on only three hits. That stat gives you an idea as to the pitcher's control problems as the Big Red loaded the bases at least three, maybe four times in the inning. In addition to all the free passes, a misjudged Jakob King triple to deep right field brought home two runs and a two-base throwing error scored two more.
That took care of all the scoring until Painter's base-clearing bomb in the bottom of the fifth accounted for the final score. Although they did not score any more, Honaker occasionally made solid contact with the ball and if anyone came close to leaving the park, which no one did in either Gladiator game, it was a Tiger today as he took RHS left-fielder Zach Gray all the way to the fence late in the game before he snagged the deep fly at about 325 feet.
So state title number two in the last five years is in the books for Riverheads and given the extreme youth of the team, they should be factors for at least two more years. As for Honaker, a disappointing way to end the season, but you can be sure their coach has told them that there are 50-60 other schools scattered around the state that would have loved to be in their place today.
Unlike yesterday's semi-final, it was not that Honaker was sloppy in the field as they only had one error all day, as did Riverheads. Instead, the Tigers' major weakness was their pitcher as he walked a ton of Gladiators, which directly led to several of the runs that were scored. Fans wondered why he was not replaced until the sixth inning when all the damage had been done, but we can only assume that the Tigers simply did not have the bullpen depth to handle the demand of three state tournament games in a four-day period.
Elijah Dunlap on the other hand pitched a gem of a game for RHS, going the distance and scattering five hits. Only a Gladiator scoring error in the top of the second prevented the Big Red from pitching a shut out.
He sent the Tigers down 1-2-3 in the first, two of those outs coming by KO. That gave him some early confidence and also helped get the Big Red bats off to a quality start in the bottom of the first frame as they scored two runs on two hits.
In the top of the second, Honaker got one of those runs back. A single put a man on base and they advanced him to third with a teammate at the opposite corner. They tried to execute the old double steal by having the first base guy take a huge lead and appear to head for second. RHS did not fall for it and instead tried to nail the guy that was leaning off third. Dunlap's throw got away from third baseman Braeson Fulton (not sure who was charged with the error) as the runner scampered home with what would turn out to be Honaker's only run of the game.
So for a short while, the Tigers had every right to feel as if they were back in the game, but that bubble burst in a hurry with an explosive bottom of the second in which the Gladiators sent 11 men to the plate and scored eight runs on only three hits. That stat gives you an idea as to the pitcher's control problems as the Big Red loaded the bases at least three, maybe four times in the inning. In addition to all the free passes, a misjudged Jakob King triple to deep right field brought home two runs and a two-base throwing error scored two more.
That took care of all the scoring until Painter's base-clearing bomb in the bottom of the fifth accounted for the final score. Although they did not score any more, Honaker occasionally made solid contact with the ball and if anyone came close to leaving the park, which no one did in either Gladiator game, it was a Tiger today as he took RHS left-fielder Zach Gray all the way to the fence late in the game before he snagged the deep fly at about 325 feet.
So state title number two in the last five years is in the books for Riverheads and given the extreme youth of the team, they should be factors for at least two more years. As for Honaker, a disappointing way to end the season, but you can be sure their coach has told them that there are 50-60 other schools scattered around the state that would have loved to be in their place today.
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Congratulations again to the Men In Red..Just curious or if you know, how many "Individual State Titles" (Boys/Girls) do the Gladiators have?? ie, T&F, Tennis etc. And No, I'm not trying to be an A$$Hat.. I'm just wondering.. They seem to do pretty well as a "TEAM" overall in several sports and I know Coaching has a lot to do with it on both levels ie, Team Vs. Individual, but I've seen them compete in other Individual type sports and just haven't seen much competition.. They did have a couple of boys runners the past few years that were pretty good if I recall.. Regardless, their baseball program is going to be very good and hard to beat the next few years..
Yeah, I knew the "Red Team" have had several good wrestlers in the past, I'm just not that familiar with the other programs outside of football, baseball and a few years of T&F.. Congrats to those kids on their success this year and the future is looking pretty good as well..
It's hard to believe that it's dang near time time for those Friday Night Lights again..
Thanks and that’s pretty special group of baseball players they work hard to be good they would catch ground balls and take bp 24 hrs a day if someone hit and pitch to them
if anyone will know it will be longtimers fan, and yes Friday night lights will be here soon, and the red team should have a good chance at another title, since we won on a rebuilding year, GO BIG RED
Oh don't put that kind of pressure on me, because I admit that I do not follow every sport. I think our team titles would still number 12-15, just from picturing the banners across the gym. But since the person is asking about individual or duo titles, I have to honestly say I don't know and that I would not have the information on me anywhere.
Just from memory, I am pretty sure that we have had at least 4-6 state champion wrestlers, maybe a tennis duo or two, and probably some cross country winners. But I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to how many total state champs.
For me personally I still want to see a basketball title some day. We did make it to the state final in 2004, when we had by far the tallest team we have ever had. Ironically we made the state quarter-finals this past year with one of the SHORTEST teams we have ever had. That was a very young team, just like this baseball bunch, and they will return a ton of talent next year. If we only had a true big man to go with all that speed and shooting, we might be serious candidates. Sorry for getting a bit off topic there....
Just from memory, I am pretty sure that we have had at least 4-6 state champion wrestlers, maybe a tennis duo or two, and probably some cross country winners. But I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to how many total state champs.
For me personally I still want to see a basketball title some day. We did make it to the state final in 2004, when we had by far the tallest team we have ever had. Ironically we made the state quarter-finals this past year with one of the SHORTEST teams we have ever had. That was a very young team, just like this baseball bunch, and they will return a ton of talent next year. If we only had a true big man to go with all that speed and shooting, we might be serious candidates. Sorry for getting a bit off topic there....
At least 6 of this baseball bunch played basketball this past year. They are good athletes and competitors. Should do well again next year.
No doubt "this area" has produced some great "team and Individual" competitors over the past 10-15 years..
My intent wasn't to disrespect any one School/Team or sport however, In my opinion, the "Red Team" and "The Fighting Blues" for a 1A classification and as small as they are, are more than competitive and more times than not more successful than the majority of the 2A and 3A schools with which we compete in most all sports..
Sometimes it's more about heart and the desire to be better than the other guy/girl/team than #'s.. I know the "Red Team" had several good wrestlers as did the Blues, at one point winning several back to back individual wrestling titles for years...
Say what you want, I enjoy/prefer the 1A/2A competition far better than I do the 3 and up!!
I've always told my kids and the kids I've coached over the years,...
The only thing that makes a team or person from a 2,3,4,5 or 6A school bigger than you, faster than you, stronger than you or better than you is YOU!!!
Best wishes to the Gladiators in the future,
And as always, GO BLUE!!!