SCOTLAND – “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”
ABC’s Wide World of Sports host Jim McKay made the phrase famous; members of North Penn’s baseball team have lived it.
Last year, the heavily favored Knights opened up a 5-0 lead in their PIAA Class AAAA opening round game against Hempfield only to watch it slip away in a devastating 6-5 loss.
One year later, the Knights – after eking out the fifth and final state playoff berth from District One – are on their way to Altoona where they will face Parkland in Friday’s state title game, thanks to their 12-1 rout of District Seven champion North Allegheny on Monday.
“That’s a distant memory for me right now,” senior Robbie Zinsmeister said of the loss to Hempfield. “All we’re thinking about is that last game. We’re all extremely excited to play in it.”
Justin Davey was part of last year’s heartbreaking finish in baseball, and the senior centerfielder, who is also the quarterback of the Knights’ football team, had another dose of bitter disappointment last fall when the Knights – then the state’s top-ranked team – fell to Bethlehem Liberty 21-14 in the state semifinals.
“This means the world,” Davey said after Monday’s win over North Allegheny. “It’s basically the worst feeling in football followed by the greatest feeling ever.
“Just to get (to the state championship) means a lot, but it will mean 10 times more if we win. We know everybody will put their hearts into the game Friday, and it’s going to be a great game.”
The Knights made a statement in Monday’s romp over a North Allegheny squad that was 23-2 and brought a 13-game winning streak into the game.
While everyone knew North Penn had an impressive one-two punch on the mound in Eric Ruth and Mike Bradstreet, no one could have expected the kind of offensive display the Knights put on in Monday’s rout, making it a very short day for pitcher Ryan Oglesby.
The Tigers’ junior mound ace, who brought a 9-0 mark into the game, was lifted after facing just one batter in the third. By that time, the Knights led 3-0, and they were just getting started.
“It’s a crazy game,” coach Bob McCreary said. “The last game (a 3-2 win over Council Rock North) we only scored two, and we really struggled to score two.
“We definitely swung the bats today. We put some very good swings on the ball and came up with a bunch of runs.”
Although the Knights – who pounded out 13 hits – made it look easy, McCreary insisted it wasn’t.
“It’s never easy,” he said. “It’s a lot of work. These guys have been working for a very long time, especially on their hitting. Coach (Frank) Yanni has been working with them and (coach Kevin) Manero with the pitchers. It’s an accumulation of a lot of work.”
The Knights have won 13 of 14 games since staggering through a three-game losing streak early in the season.
“Obviously, at the time, it was bad, but it might have been the best thing for us,” senior Matt Albaugh said. “It was a wake-up call, a big wake-up call.
“We couldn’t just come out every day and say, ‘We’re going to win this game.’ We knew we had to work hard every day.”
That hard work has paid off. The Knights are one of two Quad A teams in the state still standing.
“It’s certainly an honor,” McCreary said. “It’s something you shoot for since the beginning of the season. Most teams don’t get their shot, but we’re going to get ours.
“We’re very happy to get an opportunity.”
“It’s a great feeling,” said senior Scott Christy, who drove in four runs in Monday’s win. “It’s good to go with this group because we all have been together for a while.
“Getting there is a good first step, but we still have one more game.”
The Knights will take on District 11 champion Parkland on Friday, 4:30 p.m., at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona when they’ll be looking to feel the ‘thrill of victory’ yet one more time.
- Log in to post comments
0
