The Final week of the season is usually a mixture of excitement, tinged with a little sadness and a definite measure of relief as the hopes and aspirations of a season culminate in the playing of that one game of the year that really and truly matters.
By all measures, the club is in a healthy position. Our committee is united, our teams are full, our coaching staff is highly regarded, and our teams are playing good baseball. I believe that opposition clubs respect us and our track record over the past four years in collecting the Junior Club of the year award is dynastic.
For all of this, the measuring stick from within is our ability to convert on Grand Final Day, and as always we attempt to do so in the face of determined and talented teams opposing us. In recent years, the West Torrens/Sturt rivalry has become storied with both clubs having exclusively shared the Junior Club of the Year award for the past seven years, so it is no surprise that most of the Junior Grand Finals featured one or both of the clubs.
It is with no small measure of pride that in entering Grand Final Day with our Little League Major team, the Under 14/1 team and the Under 16/1 team we achieved the ultimate success in two of the grades and were runners up in the other. We faced off against Sturt in two Grand Finals, and perhaps appropriately, we shared a premiership each with the Little League Major side falling to a strong Sturt outfit whose experience and talent shone through. This young side still has a few seasons to go at this level and of course it is encouraging to see a group so young, go so close. Well done to Jamie Boydon and Tim Mead for their mentoring of the team, I’m sure you will look forward to many encounters with Sturt in the coming seasons. The under 16/1 team was more fortunate in triumphing 8 – 6 against a fast finishing Sturt team. Once again, these two teams have now made a habit of playing off against each other in the last game of the season; they are very evenly matched and very talented. Needless to say we were completely delighted and more than a little relieved to get the final out, having watched a 7 run lead shrink to just two. A wonderful effort by all involved, Rick Mead as Head Coach and Dave Dunstall his assistant and the squad of players who worked hard all year and overcame many hurdles to be still standing at the finish.
The under 14/1 team were simply magnificent in establishing themselves as the pre-eminent team in this division. Having split the matches one a piece in the first two games with the Dodgers, the Grand Final became the match that would determine which team had earned the number one ranking. The team under David Green played almost flawless Baseball on the day and, by the end of the first innings, had severely deflated the Dodgers hopes and followed this with relentless team oriented baseball that was simply irresistible. The final result, a 17 – 2 win was an emphatic realisation that the team had established its bona fides as the number 1 ranked Under 14 team. Congratulations To Coach Green, assistant Ken Henry and the ubiquitous Robert Baker whose oversight of pitching was exemplary. Brilliant job boys, you were magnificent against quality opposition.
The club scoreboard for this week reads as follows:
WT Result Opponent Season
Division 2 5 defeated Sturt 2 2 – 0
Division 3 5 defeated Goodwood 2 2 – 1 PREMIERS
Under 16 8 defeated Sturt 6 2 – 1 PREMIERS
Under 14 (1) 17 defeated Golden Grove 2 3 – 0 PREMIERS
LL Major 4 lost to Sturt 18 1 – 2 Runners Up
LL Minor 6 lost to Glenelg 14 11 – 7 (4th)
Mead’s men claim prize
In a gripping encounter at Norman Reserve, Rick Mead’s Under 16 team opened up an early seven run lead having batted aggressively against Sturt’s starter. With Bryce Fulton having just won the Medal as the MVP in the League for his efforts on the mound this season, leading off to Todd Dunstall behind the dish, the Eagle defense held tight for four innings before Bryce’s control went slightly off balance and with bases loaded we conceded the first of a pair of runs. With Sturt’s reliever holding us with brilliant pitching, the game tightened significantly and Dylan Duval came on to relieve Bryce and the top of the Sturt order came up with some clutch hitting to narrow the margin to two. At seven to five up going into the top of the final innings, the nerves were jangling and the Eagle bats went to work one final time plating one more vital run on a sacrifice ground ball to the right side by Matt Scharenberg. At the last change, a nervous Dylan Duval got the first out to pop up, but then walked the following two batters to put the tying run at the plate. Coach Mead decided that it was time to move and he brought young Matt Scharenberg to the mound to try and pick up the final two outs. Showing maturity beyond his years but in line with his prodigious talent, Matt held his nerve to get a ground ball to pick up a force at second, conceded a run, but with runners at first and second, now needing just the one more out for the win. Three tension filled strikes later, the last two swinging, the Eagle boys’ gloves launched into the air in jubilant triumph and the celebrations began. Sturt were magnificent in defeat, brave efforts were acknowledged, heroic performances chronicled, and ultimately we were left clutching the ultimate prize this time around. In recognition of the team’s success, the Line up for the Day was: 1. Bryce Fulton
- Todd Dunstall
- Matt Scharenberg
- James Batty
- Thomas Dunn
- Nico Vanderlinden
- Alister Fogarty
- Scott Miller
- Dylan Duval
- Mitch Mead
- Mitch Booker
Interested spectators were Nathan Vanderlinden (Div 2 and U/18), Joel Ettridge (U/18) and Tom McGarry, all of whom were eligible and have made contributions to this team this season but had not qualified having played a different grade or were injured,
Congratulations to all those associated with the team. Of course Head Coach Rick Mead whose calm leadership steadied the team through troubled waters and who managed the extraordinary range of personalities with good humour, and genuine empathy. Thanks also to assistant coach Dave Dunstall whose dedication over the years has been invaluable, to Ian Scharenberg for putting his hand up to be the team manager and handling all those necessary game day tasks that simply must be done. Thanks also to the mums who scored for us this year, primarily Cathy Miller and Yvette Peckham, your availability and reliability is greatly prized. Thanks also to the parents that turned up every week to lend support, make sure that trainings were attended and put up with the grumbling ramblings. Congratulations to James Batty, whose first season as an Eagle yielded his first premiership, as did Alister Fogarty. To all the players, enjoy the off-season and please come back and support us next year.
Green Machine well oiled in bringing home the prize
The Under 14 Green Machine was simply not going to be denied this Sunday. In a fitting match up between the top two teams who both had a win against each other, this encounter was to decide which club would rightly claim top billing. With Head Coach Green pacing the side-lines rather nervously prior to the first pitch, one could be forgiven for being surprised at just how quickly the Eagle boys charged out of the blocks and took a strangle hold on the trophy. With League MVP runner-up Brad Dedrick going on the mound to Ethan Haylock behind the plate, the first batter slapped the ball to second baseman Sam McGarry, who bobbled an awkward bouncer and the first runner was on board, maybe coach Green had reason to be nervous, but from that point on, the Eagles were completely dominant. The runner was caught stealing by a bullet from Haylock and the 2 to 6 play stripped the runner for the first out and was one of three runners mown down by the Haylock defense, With three up three down, in came the juggernaut and right from the first pitch, you could tell that the boys had come to play. Mason Pickard lined the ball for a single, stole second, Lucas Hunter got on, Ethan Haylock struck out, but the boys kept at it, Brad Dedrick smashed an RBI, Sam McGarry smote a liner down the right field line with first playing well inside for an RBI double. Jack Hambly smashed it, Mitch Duval smashed it, Connor Foley got on and Nathan Byrnes roped one down the left field line. In a trice, we had batted through the order, posted the maximum seven runs and left the Dodgers completely shell-shocked. The defense backed this up with back to back doughnuts and the offense continued to roll on until by the end of three frames, the Green Machine was a clear 10 runs ahead before finally a couple of breaks went the Dodgers way allowing them to score their first run. Once again, however and with bases loaded, the defense calmly removed the runner in the next play allowing the second run to score but with no runner on, effectively killing the rally. We collected the third out and retired the side. After three and a half frames, the game score was 10 – 2 our way, and not to be outdone, the Green Machine bats went right back at it posting 5 more runs to be 15 – 2 up with three to play. At this point, coach Green relieved Dedrick with Lucas Hunter and brought on young Will Bourchier for his first taste of Grand Final action. Hunter posted a three up three down dig and if we could score two runs we would win in a mercy. Duly, the innings was lead off by Mitch Duval who got on base and stole second, Jack Hambly came up and got himself on and then came the fairytale moment of the game, Will Bourchier, in his first year in the game, seeing his first action of the finals series, steps up to the plate, takes a couple of pitches and then launches a line drive to deep left centre to drive in the two runs required! Game over, walk off double. The boys celebrated loudly and proudly in a true show of team spirit showering Will with congratulations.
The Under 14 Green Machine lined up as follows:
- Brad Dedrick
- Ethan Haylock
- Lucas Hunter
- Sam McGarry
- Jack Hambly
- Mitch Duval
- Connor Foley
- Mason Pickard
- Nathan Byrnes
- Will Bourchier
Congratulations to the boys on a fantastic job this season. It was a season with just the one loss, and clearly you were the best team in the competition this year. Thank you to David Green, Ken Henry and Bob Baker for their passion and influence over the team. The discipline, the skills, the knowledge of the game you bring is peerless and the boys are incredibly lucky to have you mentoring their baseball. Thanks to Heather Shilling and Mick Edgar for the team managerial skills always carried out efficiently, thanks also to Michelle McGarry for scoring so effectively. Thanks also to the wonderful supporters who gave such great backing to this prodigiously talented team.
Little League Major brave but undone by stronger opposition
The Little League Major boys headed up to Norman Reserve with high hopes that they had recovered their poise after having been comprehensively beaten in the earlier semi-final against the same opponent. Sadly, from our point of view, the message was the same. The Sturt battery was much too good and held our hitting line-up to just 4 runs and they countered offensively with plenty of hitting power of their own. The pressure exerted on the lads was too much and they wilted under the strain, giving our opponents a hand by committing errors and learning that baseball is a tough game. Congratulations to the Sturt boys. They were too good for us this time winning 4 runs to 18 runs, an emphatic score line that left no doubt about which team was stronger this year. The outlook is not all bleak, as the majority of this team stays together next year and we have the chance to build on our skills and see if we can get ourselves up to the standard that the Sturt boys have set. I understand that many of them will also be back in Little League next year. For the record, the Little League Major team was:
- Curtis Mead
- Jarrod Miller
- Alex Martin
- Cooper Boydon
- Mario Casazza
- Jonty Scharenberg
- Jonah Byrnes
- Jack Pillion
- Griffin Weber
- Brodie Nicol
- Lachlan Eichner
Well-done coaches Jamie Boydon and Tim Mead. The lads were well mentored and are learning a great deal under your tutelage. Thanks Lee Martin for your exceptional managerial skills, thanks to Libby Eichner and Cathy Miller for scoring so efficiently and thanks also to the many wonderful parents and grand parents that followed our youngest teams around cheering on their progress.
Little League Minors fall in final game
The final game of the season for the Little League Minor boys was at home against top side Glenelg. After getting off to a good start, we lead the tigers after the first frame, their hitters proved too strong and they posted 4 runs and then two maximums (5) to shut us down. Having already sealed the title in the weeks leading up to this game, the Tiger boys were presented with the Premiership trophy by club legend and Australian Hall of Famer Andrew Scott, whose son Jacob is playing in our team. Unfortunately with other results going against us the team slid from second position back to fourth spot, but nevertheless, Ron Paulus as Head Coach, assisted by Dave Nicol, Andrew Scott and Andrew Morgan, have set the basics in motion now for this very young team to move forward and step up to the next level of baseball in the coming years and we certainly look forward to that. Thank you to Dave Nicol for managing the team, thank you to Tony D’Angelo for scoring (having started out as a complete novice, he is now primed fro Claxton Shield duty!!!) Thanks also to Cathy Miller who scored on the days when Tony was unable to do so. Once again, I also thank all the many parents and grand parents that came out and watched the youngest Eagles have fun playing baseball for West Torrens.
Presentation Night
A reminder that the wind up for the 2009/10 season will be this Friday 26 March 2010 at the Club Rooms. Players in all Grades are eligible for awards. The Junior Players will all receive recognition of their participation in 2009/10 and premiership players will be awarded medallions in recognition.
Uniform Return
Parents are reminded that with the season now concluded, we require the return of your child’s laundered uniform. The best opportunity to do this is to bring it with you on Friday night at presentations. Little League players must return the playing top and pants, whilst Under 14 and 16 players must return the playing top. Upon receipt of the laundered garment, your $20 refund will be returned to you.
March 28th Grand Final Day
Just in case you were suffering from withdrawal, there is one remaining game to be played for the club and that involves our Division 2 seniors, who are playing Glenelg in the Grand Final next Sunday at Glenelg starting at 2 o’clock
Division 2: Grand Final
Glenelg, Away at Glenelg
Starting at 2.00pm
Thank you all for your support this year. I will be in touch about the AGM. If you would be interested in being on the committee, please consider nominating for a position and put your hand up to get involved at your club.
See you at the Ball Park.
Yours in Baseball
Mark McGarry
Junior Chairman
West Torrens Baseball Club
