Better than good moments of the spring
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
At times this spring season, we've needed a boat, canoe or some other type of water-friendly means of transportation to get to a ballgame in the past month or so, but we managed to get a spring season in. With that comes a variety of things that stand out when you are looking at the details of athletics for a living, so I made a list of some of "the bests" of this past season from games that I attended.
Best Dugout Ritual: And the winner is … McClain baseball and the stomping of paper cups. I think this has been going on for a couple of years now, but the reason I like it is because it's creative, and no other team I've covered does it. Though, at times, I didn't know whether to watch the game or duck for cover because when the cleat connects with the upside-down paper cup, it makes a very loud pop.
Best Hat: Being a big fan of baseball hats and logos, I'm picking the Fairfield Lions 2011 cap. I'm a fan of red and gray together. I also like hats with the mesh back and a solid color in the front with a logo or letter in the middle.
Best Umpire Who Is Also A Varsity Basketball Coach: Matt Carson.
Best “Major League” Field: I have to go with Whiteoak High School. Have you seen them after a game, the way they fix their field, and how much they care about it? Plus, they have a press box and play the "Star-Spangled Banner" before games.
Best Teams Who Send Stats In The Spring: Whiteoak baseball, Fairfield baseball and softball, McClain baseball and softball, Lynchburg-Clay baseball, Hillsboro tennis.
Best Baseball Superstition: Again, the Fairfield Lions. When they were on the front sports page of the Highland County Press … whomever the player was, they would get out of a slump or have a good game the following week. At least that's what they told me.
Best 9th-inning Performance: Game one this spring, the McClain softball team and their five-run 9th inning to defeat the West Union Lady Dragons. Fun way to start the season.
Best David Copperfield Illusion: The Whiteoak baseball team and their "trick play" that won the game against Ripley for the final out on April 14. Really, the Wildcats made the ball disappear, and like magic, it appeared when the Ripley runner was standing off second base. It was magic.
Best Nolan Ryan Lookalike Game: Well, it wasn't from a Highland County team, but Ty Leach from Miami Trace and his no-hitter against MHS. Only no-hitter I covered this season. Leach tossed three no-hitters this season, which is impressive.
Best Mike Leake “I Stole Something” Moment: McClain's Ryan Duff stealing home against the Fairfield Lions. He took the base as quickly as someone exchanging shirts at Macy's.
Best Way Of Celebrating The 70th Anniversary Of Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game Hitting Streak: Fairfield's Kyle Carson and his 15-game hitting streak for the Lions.
Best “Strange” Stat: Against Whiteoak in the district semifinals, Southern's Dustin Carter didn't have an official at-bat as he was hit by a pitch twice and drew two walks.
Best “Dancing With the Stars” Moment: In between the top and bottom of the fifth innings on their home field, the Whiteoak baseball team with their team dance routine. Can honestly say I've never seen anything like that during a game. I'd give them at least a nine.
Best Postseason Streak: When it comes to sectional titles, the Fairfield Lady Lions are like the Atlanta Braves of the '90s when they won 14 straight division titles. FHS is now at 10 in a row, so possibly in four years they will reach that mark.
Best Athletic Feat I'm Jealous Of: Anytime I'm at a track meet, I'm jealous of all the athletes with their speed, leaping, hurdling and distance running. I can't do any of that in my dreams, much less in real life. One of my athletic dreams is to be able to run the hurdles, but I'm lucky if I can jump over a credit card.
Best Individual Performance: I'm going with tennis with this one. The player was Reese Leibreich, and it was the first singles match against London. I don't know a whole lot about tennis, but in terms of just good athletic competition, the performance by Leibreich tops this spring. It was a fun match to watch and was on one of the few sunny days of the season.
Best Dressed: I'm not much of a fashion expert, as I come from the Bill Belichick School of Dress, wearing a hoodie every day. If I had to pick a favorite jersey, I'd go with the black Whiteoak baseball.
Best Headline: Abracadabra! Trickery wraps up Wildcat win over Blue Jays. I think I had a good day with that one. Even I can hit a Texas Leaguer once in a while.
Best Game: This is a tough one to narrow down. There were some good extra-inning games, games with great endings, dominating games, and games that just demanded my attention. The game that I feel was the best one I attended of the spring would have to be … Fairfield vs. McClain softball, and here's why. This game had a pitcher's duel, a late-inning comeback, clutch hits and went into extra innings. It had everything I could want from a high school athletic event.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.
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Best Dugout Ritual: And the winner is … McClain baseball and the stomping of paper cups. I think this has been going on for a couple of years now, but the reason I like it is because it's creative, and no other team I've covered does it. Though, at times, I didn't know whether to watch the game or duck for cover because when the cleat connects with the upside-down paper cup, it makes a very loud pop.
Best Hat: Being a big fan of baseball hats and logos, I'm picking the Fairfield Lions 2011 cap. I'm a fan of red and gray together. I also like hats with the mesh back and a solid color in the front with a logo or letter in the middle.
Best Umpire Who Is Also A Varsity Basketball Coach: Matt Carson.
Best “Major League” Field: I have to go with Whiteoak High School. Have you seen them after a game, the way they fix their field, and how much they care about it? Plus, they have a press box and play the "Star-Spangled Banner" before games.
Best Teams Who Send Stats In The Spring: Whiteoak baseball, Fairfield baseball and softball, McClain baseball and softball, Lynchburg-Clay baseball, Hillsboro tennis.
Best Baseball Superstition: Again, the Fairfield Lions. When they were on the front sports page of the Highland County Press … whomever the player was, they would get out of a slump or have a good game the following week. At least that's what they told me.
Best 9th-inning Performance: Game one this spring, the McClain softball team and their five-run 9th inning to defeat the West Union Lady Dragons. Fun way to start the season.
Best David Copperfield Illusion: The Whiteoak baseball team and their "trick play" that won the game against Ripley for the final out on April 14. Really, the Wildcats made the ball disappear, and like magic, it appeared when the Ripley runner was standing off second base. It was magic.
Best Nolan Ryan Lookalike Game: Well, it wasn't from a Highland County team, but Ty Leach from Miami Trace and his no-hitter against MHS. Only no-hitter I covered this season. Leach tossed three no-hitters this season, which is impressive.
Best Mike Leake “I Stole Something” Moment: McClain's Ryan Duff stealing home against the Fairfield Lions. He took the base as quickly as someone exchanging shirts at Macy's.
Best Way Of Celebrating The 70th Anniversary Of Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game Hitting Streak: Fairfield's Kyle Carson and his 15-game hitting streak for the Lions.
Best “Strange” Stat: Against Whiteoak in the district semifinals, Southern's Dustin Carter didn't have an official at-bat as he was hit by a pitch twice and drew two walks.
Best “Dancing With the Stars” Moment: In between the top and bottom of the fifth innings on their home field, the Whiteoak baseball team with their team dance routine. Can honestly say I've never seen anything like that during a game. I'd give them at least a nine.
Best Postseason Streak: When it comes to sectional titles, the Fairfield Lady Lions are like the Atlanta Braves of the '90s when they won 14 straight division titles. FHS is now at 10 in a row, so possibly in four years they will reach that mark.
Best Athletic Feat I'm Jealous Of: Anytime I'm at a track meet, I'm jealous of all the athletes with their speed, leaping, hurdling and distance running. I can't do any of that in my dreams, much less in real life. One of my athletic dreams is to be able to run the hurdles, but I'm lucky if I can jump over a credit card.
Best Individual Performance: I'm going with tennis with this one. The player was Reese Leibreich, and it was the first singles match against London. I don't know a whole lot about tennis, but in terms of just good athletic competition, the performance by Leibreich tops this spring. It was a fun match to watch and was on one of the few sunny days of the season.
Best Dressed: I'm not much of a fashion expert, as I come from the Bill Belichick School of Dress, wearing a hoodie every day. If I had to pick a favorite jersey, I'd go with the black Whiteoak baseball.
Best Headline: Abracadabra! Trickery wraps up Wildcat win over Blue Jays. I think I had a good day with that one. Even I can hit a Texas Leaguer once in a while.
Best Game: This is a tough one to narrow down. There were some good extra-inning games, games with great endings, dominating games, and games that just demanded my attention. The game that I feel was the best one I attended of the spring would have to be … Fairfield vs. McClain softball, and here's why. This game had a pitcher's duel, a late-inning comeback, clutch hits and went into extra innings. It had everything I could want from a high school athletic event.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.
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