Class A Baseball St. Joseph 4 Lamar 1 (FINAL)

[bd97]

Game 2 in Lamar tomorrow at 6

 

[30middle]

Sure is amazing how a team that struggled to win games or for that matter make routine plays at SCISA level no more than 3-5 years ago is a win away from being a State Champion at the SCHSL level. Makes you wonder.

 

[gugenhiem61]

It may be a strong correlation between when the coach got to St. Joseph's.
I have done some field work for the school and was very impressed with how practice was run and also the coaching staff in general. I know where you are going with your comment and trust me, my boys played AA and have had Bishop England to worry about, but give some credit to the coaching staff. Bishop England has always been well coached and the kids have talent but more than anything, they usually don't make mistakes. It sound like your team needs to step it up a notch and get better. Nothing is going to change in the rules concerning private schools in public school athletics, so just get better.

 

[Jhawk4]

Originally posted by 30middle:
Sure is amazing how a team that struggled to win games or for that matter make routine plays at SCISA level no more than 3-5 years ago is a win away from being a State Champion at the SCHSL level. Makes you wonder.

Not really they have had talent there in the past plus the money put into the program.

 

[30middle]

The only resource i have found has been maxpreps for previous seasons and up until last year they werent fielding all that competitive of a ball club. Im not saying they arent talented or well coached because they are. However coinciding with their admission to the HSL which from what i was told was a bit of a shock, their teams have seen a huge rapid turnaround. Thats not just limited to baseball either, the soccer programs and other sports have seen rapid improvement as well. I have no doubt that given time the other major sports will rise to the same level. What they are doing isnt illegal. If I had the opportunity to send my son or daughter on scholarship to a school the level of St Josephs, Christ Church or any other private school i would too because all offer top notch education. Just puts the public schools they have to compete against at a competitive disadvantage.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

"offer top notch education" Really?

 

[12-6er]

30 Middle you might want to do your research before you claim that they will get a better education at a private school. Not in this state you won't. The amount of kids that drop out in college that went to a private school is shocking. Truth is most teachers at a private school do not have to be certified or even a college graduate.

 

[slyfox21]

Private schools should have to play a level up. To make it even for the other schools. Private schools get to pick and choice who they want to come to the schools other high schools do not have that option if you live in that area you must attend that school. To keep private schools numbers down they don't to let kids in.

 

[Polar Bear SC]

Hats off to the St Joseph program. It's still 1A ball.

 

[30middle]

I never put down the Public educational system. My uncle is a teacher in the Pickens County School District with a Masters Degree. So i know the type of quality teachers that are out there. I know that CCES has or at least used to have some excellent instructors and I do believe St. Josephs is a nice school but that wasnt a putdown to the public educational system and that wasnt the topic of the conversation anyway.
This post was edited on 5/16 12:15 PM by 30middle

 

[Lcards012]

Having watched this program over the past few years it does leave you wondering at the huge increase of talent just over the past two years. Yes I do also give credit to the coaches who seem to be top notched but it was kinda shocking at what they brought to the field this year over last.

Then again we played them two great games this year with only ourselves to blame for letting them get away errors,runners left on, etc.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

I have not made a comment all year on here, but i just have to chime in on this conversation. Both my sons played baseball at a private 1A school and in 2010 my oldest son was Region II A player of the year and I assure you that he was not receiving any "scholarship" from the school he was attending and this year my youngest son made the All-Region Team and he has never received any money to play at this school. My sons have been playing ball at that private school since 2004 and there has never been any recruiting or "scholarship" money paid to any ball player. I would hope if our school was going to recruit and pay money that we could get better talent then what we have had (haha). I even remember this year when we were playing another team in the Region and it was a close highly emotional game there were comments from the other team about us recruiting and paying scholarships. Absolutely crazy that someone thinks that we recruit. Again if that is the case our recruiter did not do to well....actually we have great kids who are good ball players that go to this private schools for other reasons. The schools that actually recruit are the public schools trying to pull talent out of the private schools, which my son was asked by 3 different schools to transfer to play ball. Here is the reason St Joe's is winning....their coach, JB!!!

 

[30middle]

Fanatic,

I will say that I never heard of anything going on at Southside Christian. Which is why they werent named. If It really is all coaching at St. Joseph's then they need to send JB to the red sox. Maybe he can turn them around in the same pace. Speaking of coaches I'm still wandering why you guys got rid of Coach Halbert. Had competitive teams all three years I saw them (05-07). Finally made upper state in 07 and then they got rid of him and with the exception of one year haven't been the same since.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

Well I think you are saying coaches actually matter based upon your comments. Another good example is Landrum has not been the same since Coach Henson left. He was a very good coach and i always looked forward to playing his teams. I deeply believe that JB is a solid coach, leader, and role model, and he will continue to have that team in a position to win championships. By the way the Orioles do look good this year don't they? Maybe they can win 90 games and get in the playoffs while the Red Sox are down.

 

[Jhawk4]

Well is also helped that Henson had pitching out the wahzoo when he was at Landrum. Alex Burrell, Justin Henson, Mark Cann just to name 3 off the top of my head. Coach McCalister has not had the same quality of arms come through there. Coaching is great but if you dont have the Jimmy and Joes many times the x and o's dont matter.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

Orioles are 24-14 and only need to win 66 more games to get to 90 wins and they have 124 games remaining. I think they can do it.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

You are correct that you have to have the horses in the stable but it seems odd that there are a handful of coaches that seem to always find a way to win with the talent they have. For instance Coach Burnett at Gilbert seems to alway have his teams in the hunt for championships and he just won this year.

 

[gugenhiem61]

Coach Burnett at Gilbert has his down years like everyone else, but his program breeds winning. Listening to interview of winning pitcher last night on the news, he mentioned that he was a 7th. grader when Gilbert won in 06". He mentioned Chris Owings, Kyle Owings, Bryce Davidson as his hero's at the time and he wanted nothing more to feel what they had just felt. This year's senior class were taught not only by the coaching staff but by older players in the system what it would take to wear a ring. Yes a state championship is always the goal, but at places like Gilbert it is also expected! That attitude and commitment is what makes a difference in the long run!

 

[Jhawk4]

What ever happened to Nick Mershon from St Joe's? He was supposed to be so great then never heard anything else from him. I think he went to Furman for a year.

 

[citadel87]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but Assistant Coach Frick is the reason for the improvement at St Joseph.

Originally posted by Upstate Fanatic:
I have not made a comment all year on here, but i just have to chime in on this conversation. Both my sons played baseball at a private 1A school and in 2010 my oldest son was Region II A player of the year and I assure you that he was not receiving any "scholarship" from the school he was attending and this year my youngest son made the All-Region Team and he has never received any money to play at this school. My sons have been playing ball at that private school since 2004 and there has never been any recruiting or "scholarship" money paid to any ball player. I would hope if our school was going to recruit and pay money that we could get better talent then what we have had (haha). I even remember this year when we were playing another team in the Region and it was a close highly emotional game there were comments from the other team about us recruiting and paying scholarships. Absolutely crazy that someone thinks that we recruit. Again if that is the case our recruiter did not do to well....actually we have great kids who are good ball players that go to this private schools for other reasons. The schools that actually recruit are the public schools trying to pull talent out of the private schools, which my son was asked by 3 different schools to transfer to play ball. Here is the reason St Joe's is winning....their coach, JB!!!

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

When did coach Frick start at St Joe's?

 

[citadel87]

I believe Coach Frick has been helping out for two yrs now.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

So I get back to my point that their coaching staff has done a nice job from where they were two years ago when they seemed to get 10 run ruled every game.

So I have to ask the question.....is there some evidence that they are actually recruiting and paying players to play like it was implied in earlier posts?

 

[30middle]

Im sure theres no paper trail floating out there but if coaching was all it took here then this JB must be the next Bobby Cox. Good coaching may take you from being 10 runned to being competitive but not to winning State Championships. It would be interesting to know how many of the starters have enrolled in St Josephs in the last 4 year time frame. One would think if they had this championship caliber talent the whole time then they wouldnt have been getting 10 runned just a short time ago. Not just losing but 10 runned. There is similar progression in other sports as well. You still have to play the games of which they execute well but if some of you think that St Josephs at the very least (and they may not be the only ones) is not offering scholarships or at least helping find grants for student athletes under the guise of providing what is perceived as a top notch education then your fooling yourselves. Why wouldnt you do it? Its not illegal and theres nothing the HSL can do to stop it. Ive heard other schools such as Oakbrook prep in Spartanburg is wanting in too and they have even less regard for the rules from what i hear.
This post was edited on 5/22 8:35 AM by 30middle

 

[smallball14]

I do know that St Joes 3 years ago started 6 8th graders on the varsity. Those same 6 started as soph's this year and played with good summer programs and got better each year. So you add up good high school coaching and year round reps and you get players that at one point that were getting run rules 3 years ago to players that are run ruling opponents this year. Don't know whats so hard to figure out. I will say this there is not a better person coaching in high school(my opinion) in the state than JB.

 

[Polar Bear SC]

It's 1A baseball. I don't think you have to recruit to win a SC. Just have kids that play year round. Most 1A schools don't have that.

 

[carolinacombat]

In reply to JHawk, Mershon went to Furman then Spartanburg Methodist, I think he joined one of the military services later on after injuries.

Guys don't down scisa ball they get almost no attention and I've seen them hang with and beat 1a all the way to 4a public schools...obviously the competition is better in public school 3a and 4a top to bottom though.

I've spoken briefly with St. Joes coaches before, and you can tell when you're talking to someone that knows the game. They get it over there, and they have had some youth.

Now the recruiting thing is a whole different can of worms (cough, cough, Bishop England, etc.)
This post was edited on 5/24 2:52 AM by carolinacombat

 

[Dogvendor]

I really can't see many of these private schools "scholarshipping" athletes. Simply because of the non-athlete kids whose parents are paying through the nose for their kid's tuitions. I know first hand that in the 90's some folks at another very well known upstate school attempted to scholarship Basketball players. When the administration found out, all involved were immediately fired, including the Coach. All of the potential scholarship receipiants were denied admission.

When a parent is paying 10k a year in tuitions for academics excellence, they really don't want to hear that an athlete is attending for a free or reduced fee. College it ain't and athletics in high school aren't generating profits for scholarships.

 

[Jhawk4]

Every decent baseball player that comes out of Clinton or Laurens suddenly gets a scholarship to go to Laurens Academy to play. This years Clinton's team was really good due to the fact that most of the good baseball also played football and they couldnt get those kids.

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

Polar Bear,
I know you are not suggesting that 1A baseball is "not good"?

1A schools just don't have the depth. but there are schools that consistently compete against higher enrollment schools.

I will give you some facts over just the last three seasons SCS has played 2A,3A,4A schools

2012
Woodmont - SCS crushed them
Greer - SCS lost in extra innings
Hillcrest - SCS lost by 2 runs (1 bad throw in the 7th inning or it would have been extra innings

2011
Newberry - SCS crushed them
Union - SCS lost by 1 run

2010
Clinton - SCS crushed them
Mauldin - SCS lost late in the game

Further back than this I cant remember all the scores, but SCS has beaten Woodruff, Liberty, and Wade Hampton.

I bet there were not to many 3A & 4A schools would have wanted to play Landrum between 2003 thru 2008. Or going to play the 3 or 4 top teams in Region III

 

[Upstate Fanatic]

Polar Bear,

I will throw another idea at you......

I bet if you picked an All-Star team of 18 players from Region II & Region III 1A schools, and played the All-Star team of 18 players from the corresponding regions of 3A baseball or 4A baseball, that it would be a competative 7 game series. You can just flip the coin on who would win.

 

[Polar Bear SC]

I would give you 4-1 odds. Every team mentioned above was llower tier teams in their regions.

 

[Jhawk4]

Originally posted by Polar Bear SC:
I would give you 4-1 odds. Every team mentioned above was llower tier teams in their regions.

Union in 2011 was the upperstate champion and region champion. not a lower teir team. however against SCS Petty pitched a kid who hadnt pitched all season on the varsity. Woodmont is awful. Greer didnt pitch any of their top 4 against SCS and really were rebuilding this year. Hillcrest was bad this season.

 

[Polar Bear SC]

Sorry, overlooked Union. It's hard to compare, because no 3A or 4A school is going to throw any top pitcher against a 1A school. Kind of like USC playing PC, PC won a game against Carolina this year, but we all know there is no comparison between the teams.

 

[smallball14]

I have to totally agree with Polar Bear on this one. Have seen them all play this year. PB I think your odds are generous.Upstate I would take Greenville or Byrnes(region champs in AAA and AAAA) and play your allstar teams. This is not to say there aren't some good individual players in A but have seen playoff games and 82-85 from the mound absolutely dominates. That same velo gets ripped in AAA and AAAA if pitcher doesn't have a strong secondary pitch.