On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs (16-17) took one more step toward that goal of a state championship in Ohio’s big-school division with a 7-6 win over the No. 3-ranked Perrysburg Yellow Jackets at Madison Comprehensive High’s Ram Field.
"We set goals early in the year and on the schedule that I made for the kids at the beginning of the year; I listed the sectional dates, I listed the district dates, I listed the regional dates, then, I listed the state dates," said Bulldogs coach Dan Largent. "I asked our players, 'Why do you think I listed those dates on the schedule?' and our catcher, Chaz McGrain, said, ‘Because, we’re going to be down there,’ and here we are."
The Bulldogs play St. Edward (Lakewood) in the second of two Division I state semifinals at Columbus’ Huntington Park on Friday. Should they win, the Bulldogs would have a chance to knock off either the No. 1- or No. 2-ranked team, Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati) or Elder (Cincinnati), for the state championship.
"They did a nice job not falling apart when we made our run," said Perrysburg coach Dave Hall. "Good luck to them."
Olmsted Falls got on the board early with a two-run first inning and all of its offensive production came with two outs. McGrain got the first hit of the game for the Bulldogs with a double to straight-away centerfield. After Erik Kolar walked, Cory Maddocks singled McGrain home. Brennen Laird also got an RBI single when Kolar came around to score on his base hit to right field.
"We came out from the get-go in warm-ups and tried to score runs," Laird said. "We average seven, eight runs a game. We try to come out and get our runs in the first inning. Everybody stepped up today."
The Bulldogs got to Perrysburg starter David Gordon once more in the second inning. After a lead-off walk to Kurt Carlisle, Gordon settled down and recorded two outs. However, David Venezuela singled to left field and drove Carlisle in. Gordon threw just three innings and was pulled after giving up back-to-back doubles to start the fourth.
"That’s the worst David’s thrown in three years," said Hill. "We just couldn’t get ahead in the count and couldn’t get our off-speed going with any of our pitchers. We were a little bit spent. We were a little bit thin, but you’ve still got to throw strikes.
"We played Monday, Wednesday, Friday and today," he added. "That’s a normal week. We still were in the regular season Monday and Wednesday. We were still going for a league title, which we didn’t get."
In the top of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs broke the game open when Cam Trefny belted a bases-clearing double to right-centerfield. It was Trefny’s second double of the game and his second, third and fourth RBI against Perrysburg.
"I just saw guys on base, and we needed some insurance runs," said Trefny. "I was lucky enough to be the guy that came up to bat in that situation. I wanted to do something to help our team. I always like to be the guy in the spot. I like to do whatever I can. I like the pressure.
"I was on Cloud Nine," he added. "I couldn’t think of anything besides getting that clutch hit and we’re making it. It makes me feel amazing. I feel like I was able to help this team out, but it wasn’t just me. It was everyone, clutch hits everywhere."
"I wouldn’t want anybody up except Cam," Laird said. "He’s all-around probably the best player on the team, definitely top five in Ohio. He can do anything; he can pitch; he can field; he can hit. With two outs and the bases loaded, he got up and scored everyone."
Trefny also pitched the last two innings of the game. He shut down Perrysburg in the seventh after allowing four runs in the sixth.
"I’ve been saying for the last two weeks to anybody who would listen that there aren’t too many kids playing better than Cam Trefny right now," said Largent. "We’re just ready to hand him the ball in any situation at any time, knowing that he’s going to handle it for us. He also did it at the plate for us today, knocking in three RBI with that one double."
2. Magnificat (Rocky River) runner Madeline Chambers will get her chance at defending the Division I state championship in the 1,600 meters next weekend at the 2010 OHSAA State Track and Field Championships at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Stadium. Chambers, who also qualified for the state championship in the 800 meters, won the mile in a regional-record time. She also anchored Magnificat’s run to the regional team championship.
"I felt pretty good in my race," said Chambers. "I had fun racing. I wasn’t really shooting to break that record. I was just hoping to improve my time from last week, so I was happy to do that. I just want to go back and run and compete and have fun."
"What’s nice about it is that she’s taking even more teammates down with her to compete," Magnificat coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman said of Chambers. "That makes it especially great for her. She likes the team aspect."
3. Springfield (Holland) did something not many teams have been able to do in recent years: defeat the Elyria Pioneers softball team in the regional tournament. Elyria, the defending Division I state champion, had made four consecutive state finals until the 2-1 loss Saturday.
4. Maggie Steadley has been selected as the new girls basketball coach at St. Joseph Academy (Cleveland). Steadley, a former St. Francis College/Notre Dame College player, comes to St. Joseph after spending three seasons with North Olmsted.
5. Phil Kuchta was recently named the boys basketball coach at Elyria Catholic. Former coach Alan Januzzi was not retained after going 4-17 this past season. Januzzi’s overall record at Elyria Catholic was 35-73 over five years.
Top performers
* Perrysburg junior infielder Alec Schmenk went 3 for 4 with three doubles and three RBI in a loss to Olmsted Falls on Saturday afternoon. Schmenk, the No. 7 hitter in Perrysburg’s batting order, drove in a run on each one of his doubles.
* Midpark junior track athlete Kaila Barber qualified for the 2010 OHSAA Track and Field Championships in four different events, the 100-meter dash, the 4x400 relay, the 300 hurdles and the long jump. Barber won the 300 hurdles regional championship in a record time of 40.88 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Melody Ferris of Lorain Southview.
* Columbus Bishop Watterson junior tennis player Chris Diaz disposed of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy’s Alex Aleman in the Division II state semifinals in less than 40 minutes before cruising to the championship with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Cincinnati Country Day’s Joey Fritz in the finals. Fritz was the defending Division II state champion.
File photo by Michael Noyes
Alex Bolia, Elder
Looking ahead
* Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller vs. Cincinnati Elder, Division I baseball state semifinal Friday morning at Huntington Park in Columbus. It is not every day the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the state meet head-to-head, but that’s exactly what will happen when Moeller and Elder meet. The winner moves onto the state finals Saturday evening.
* Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit vs. Hebron Lakewood, Division II baseball state semifinal Friday afternoon. The Walsh Jesuit Warriors are looking for a return to the state championship after being two-hit in a 2-1 loss in last year’s final against Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.
* Division II state boys track and field championships. The Warrensville Heights Tigers 4x400-meter relay team returns to Columbus’ Jesse Owens Stadium with a chance to defend their state championship from a year ago. They ran the event in 3:50.08 last year, setting a state championship record in the process. Three of the four relay team members were on the record-setting team last season.
Matt's minutes
: There is something to be said for being counted out in sports. Hollywood has made a lot of movies about the underdogs achieving success in the face of adversity. After competing in athletics throughout my junior high and high school days, I learned just how possible the "impossible" really is. It is truly something special to see a team bond during practice and throughout a season and watch as they make plays to beat a talent-laden opponent.
As the spring sports championships begin to be awarded from the OHSAA, this year’s crop of underdogs just may upset a top-ranked team and win a championship or two.
Matt Florjancic currently works as a freelance reporter and sports announcer for WOBL and WDLW.