Baseball is hard.
Winning at baseball is even harder.
In years past, the Iola Highs Mustangs had developed loads of baseball talent, guys Id put up against anybody, and we couldnt quite get it done, head coach Mark Percy said Saturday.
That changed on Friday in Salina, when Iola collected the Class 4A-II state championship, the schools first state title in baseball.
The community joined in on the celebration Saturday.
The rally was preceded by a parade from the high school to the courthouse bandstand, where scores of supporters donned blue and gold to hail the conquering Mustangs.
I think sometimes these guys dont understand just how big a thing it is, Percy said. Its huge. You can have an outstanding team, and if things just dont go quite right, or somebody else is really good and hitting the ball better, you dont get it done. But these guys found a way.
The state title sealed by winning three games over two days was illustrated by the different paths Iola took to win each game.
Some timely hitting and clutch defensive plays paved the way for the first win, a 4-2 triumph over Wichita Trinity.
The semifinal, a 6-0 win over Anderson County, was paved by the clutch pitching performance of Ethan Tavarez, who tossed a shutout in his first start in more than a month.
And finally, the 11-6 win over Bishop Ward to claim the crown was highlighted by an offensive outburst in the second inning, a key pitching performance from Isaac Vink, and several key defensive plays.
I dont think theres a better defensive team in the state, Percy told the crowd. Ive seen a lot of good plays state champion plays to get it done.
Percy closed the rally with a testimony toward his players behavior off the field.
Its easy to coach these guys, he said. They bust their rears for you. They believe in what were doing. Ask them to do something and they give it 100 percent. There may be better talent, but it takes not just talent but the type of person and the type of teammate you are to win.
When we go to restaurants, they behave like gentlemen, he continued. They like having fun, but theyre not getting out of line. Youve got enough to worry about as a coach to not have to worry about that stuff.
Special recognition was given to Iolas two outgoing seniors, Tavarez and Vink, while introducing members of the squad.
