This column originally ran in the Aug. 5, 2009 edition of The Mercury.

There is a handful or so of familiar teams lined up for Thursday’s opening rounds of American Legion baseball’s eight national regional tournaments. Among them are four that have won all but two of the last six World Series.

None is more recognizable, though – for Boyertown fans, that is – than South Richmond, Va.

A year ago, Post 174 (or the Blue Bombers for the color of their uniforms and what their bats did to the baseball) rallied twice to defeat the Bears, 8-4, in the Mid-Atlantic Regional winners’ bracket final. They went on to win the title, advance to the World Series in North Carolina, and finish third.

Boyertown led 2-0 after two innings and 3-2 after five. But South Richmond roughed up previously-unbeaten ace Shayne Houck and a couple of relievers for four go-ahead runs in the seventh and two additional runs in the eighth to put it away.

So guess who could possibly meet again this week, or Friday to be specific?

If the Bears (37-8) get by Mount Laurel, N.J. (33-4) in their opener, and

South Richmond (25-6) gets by host Morgantown, W.Va. (31-10) in its opener … yep, you got it, a rematch.

And considering there were a few choice words exchanged during as well as after last year’s meeting, there’s no doubt Friday’s second-round nightcap could add a little heat to the already blistering forecast.

Boyertown will have considerably fewer members from last year’s cast in the lineup. Brandon Sullivan, Ryan Zakszeski and Aaron Wilkins started in the game and are back, as are Ryan Schwager, who appeared as a pinch-runner; and Bryer Eshbach, who threw two-thirds of an inning of relief. South Richmond on the other hand, returns Bradley Shaban, Dustin Sollars, Chris Ayers and Joe Cujas – four of its top four hitters in national play last year.

Apparently that foursome hasn’t exactly cooled off, either. During last Friday’s 17-9 rout of Albemarle in the state final, Cujas – the tournament MVP – unloaded three home runs and knocked in five runs; Shaban had a home run and two other hits; Ayers belted a two-run homer; and Sollars contributed four RBI.

South Richmond invoked the 10-run rule in its first two wins, and put up 54 runs overall in its four-game sweep.

“These kids know how to play the game,” coach Byron Ballard told the Richmond Times-Dispatch following the championship.

“They come from quality [high school] programs. It’s great for them to come together, like each other and gel.”

*

The other Mid-Atlantic Regional openers feature Stahl Post, Del. against Rensselaer, N.Y. (32-5), and South Charleston, W.Va. (41-10) against Mount Airy, Md. (33-14).

Rensselaer – Melvin Roads Post 1231, that is – won its very first New York state title on a tiebreaker. Roads, as well as Smith Post and Jurek Post entered Sunday’s final day with identical 3-1 records before rained washed out play. State officials determined the champion by who owned the fewest runs allowed per inning average from the previous four games, and Melvin Roads (.400) edged Smith Post (.444).

Tony Abone Jr., the Smith Post manager, reportedly contacted an attorney to see if his team has any options in overturning the decision. He also contacted national American Legion officials to let them know he is considering legal action.

Stahl Post won its third state title in four years and 22nd overall; Mount Laurel was denied its first state title by Flemington and comes in as the Garden State runner-up; South Charleston won its third state title, with the previous two 34 years apart (1995 and 1961); Mount Airy won it second title to go with the first back in 1999; and host Morgantown, which was the two-time defending West Virginia state champion before South Charleston ended the run last week, has won 11 overall.

* * *

A glance at the other seven national regionals, which get under way Thursday morning:

NORTHEAST

At Manchester, N.H.: Portland, Me., which defeated Boyertown en route to the 2004 World Series title in Corvallis, Ore., won its second straight state title and sixth since 1996 to qualify. Portland (20-3) opens against Londonderry, N.H. (15-6), whose only previous state title was four years ago. … West Warwick, R.I. (26-13), with 10 state titles, opens against Colchester, Vt. (23-16), which just won its very first state title. … Flemington, N.J. (27-1), making its first regional appearance, takes on the only unbeaten team still playing this week – Newburyport, Mass. (29-0) – which is coming off its first state title. … Berlin, Ct. (29-5) won its second state title last week and debuts against host Manchester, which owns 27 state titles in its storied past.

SOUTHEAST

At Sumter, S.C.: Call it the host with the most. Sumter, which won three of the last five state titles – 11 overall – and is the defending regional champion, caps the first day of play against Salisbury, N.C. (32-7), which just won its fifth state title. … Shelbyville, Tenn. (19-14), which turned things around last month and won its second state title, opens against Bayamon, P.R. (34-4), no stranger to national play with 11 state titles. … Tuscaloosa, Ala. (47-6), which has won three straight state titles, six of the last seven and 19 overall, takes on Bradenton, Fla., coming off its third state-title performance. … And Irmo, S.C., with three state titles of its own, starts up against newcomer Conyers, Ga. (29-4), which won its first state title last week.

MID-SOUTH

At Enid, OK.: Like Sumter, Enid (40-13) has won 11 state titles, but it also swept the 2005 World Series championship. The Oklahoma power closes out the first day of play against Shelbyville, Ky., which last week won its second state title and first since 1983. … New Orleans Post 288, La. (25-7) won its first state title to earn a meeting with none other than Oklahoma runner-up Omaha Post 374, which was denied its 41st state title last week. … Hattiesburg, Miss. (19-10), which won its first three state titles in 1941, 1942 and 1953, added a fourth last week to qualify and meet up with two-time state champion and defending Mid-South Regional champion Jonesboro, Ark. (31-10). … And Midwest City, Okla. (68-9) – which split two games with Boyertown in the 1987 World Series in Stevens Point, Wisc. – opens against Texarkana, Tex. (24-3), which owns 10 state titles.

GREAT LAKES

At Appleton, WI: Pennsylvania state runner-up Nor-Gwyn (26-14) plays Game Two on Thursday against Rochester, Minn. (34-11), which last won a state title in 2003, or the year it rolled on to win the World Series in Bartlesville, Okla. … Midland, Mich. (44-7), which has won seven state titles since 2000 and 16 overall, is the defending regional champion and opens against Sandusky, Ohio (29-12), coming off its second state title. … Wassau, Wisc. (36-10) plays Hammond, Ind. (24-5), which won its second state title, and first since 1950. … The final game Thursday features Palatine, Ill., which won its second state title (and first in 20 years), taking on host Appleton, which swept its first state title in 1932 and added seven more since.

CENTRAL PLAINS

At Minnetonka, MN: Two of the most successful programs in American Legion baseball – Rapid City, S.D. and Omaha Post 1, Neb. – are featured in Thursday morning’s doubleheader. Rapid City (43-19), which won 18 straight state titles from 1970 through 1987, 25 of 29 through 1998 and 33 overall, captured the 1993 World Series championship, too. The South Dakota power opens against Festus, Mo. (34-3). … Up next will be Omaha, which won the very first state title in 1928 and 46 overall as well as the 1939 World Series. The Nebraskans take on Dubuque, Ia. (12-3), which won its third state title last week. … Dickinson, N.D. (38-9), which has won its first state title last year and its second last week, debuts against Minnesota runner-up Apple Valley (38-9). … Pittsburg, Ks. (28-3), like Dickinson in winning its first state last year and second last week, takes on host Excelsior in the nightcap.

NORTHWEST

At Medford, OR.: Corvallis, Or. (32-17), the host of the 2004 World Series, defeated Medford, 6-2, last week for its first state title since 2003 and sixth overall. The win earned Corvallis a tough opening-round draw with Billings, Mt. (45-14), which won 14 straight state titles from 1954 through 1967 and has won three of the last four to push its overall total to 35. … Cheyenne, Wy., which won seven in a row before coming up short last year, won its 15th overall last week and opens against Anchorage, Ak. (25-8), which warmed up its fans with its second state title in the last three years last week. … California runner-up Covina (25-4), making its national regional debut, opens against Bellevue, Wa. (33-12), which won its sixth state title last week. … Lewiston, Id. (35-18) plays host Medford (40-10), which owns 10 state titles overall.

WESTERN

At Fairfield, CA.: The one thing that hasn’t stayed in Vegas the past year is Las Vegas Post 76’s World Series championship and amazing 75-7 overall record. The defending national champions, coming off their fourth straight state title, open Thursday’s play against Albuquerque, N.M. (39-8), which has won three straight state titles of its own and 20 overall. … Greely, Co. (49-19) goes up against Kailua, Hi. (18-7), which won its first state title since 2001 and sixth overall. … Tucson Post 59, Az. makes its national regional debut against San Bernadino, Ca. (21-6). … The nightcap features Murray, Ut. (20-9), making its first appearance in national play, against host Fairfield (27-10), which has never won a state title.

* * *

All eight regionals are scheduled to be completed Monday, with the respective winners advancing to the 83rd World Series in Fargo, N.D.

Forty years ago, when Boyertown won its first Pennsylvania American Legion state title with a 3-0 shutout of Chambersburg out in York, an area sports writer called the Bears’ exploit “a fairy tale.”

But it was real, of course.

Fast forward to this past Saturday, when Boyertown won its record 22nd Pennsylvania American Legion state title with a 2-0 shutout of Nor-Gwyn at Bear Stadium. Close to a handful of sports writers called the Bears’ exploit just about everything, from unbelievable to unimaginable (perhaps a splicing of the greatest episodes from the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits).

But as unreal as it may have seemed, it was indeed real.

This one, unlike any of the previous 21, was special.

So extraordinary that someone should put an asterisk next to it in the annual Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Guide.

You see, summers begin – for the Boyertown Bears at least – with high expectations. They don’t dream about winning Berks County League, Region Two and state titles, and they don’t come to the ballpark hoping they can win them.

They expect to win them … all of them.

But this past May, after tryouts ended and after manager Rick Moatz penciled in his roster, nearly everyone – the Bears themselves as well as their coaching staff and their loyal fans – took a different, if not bizarre, stance.

“I honestly don’t think anyone really thought we’d be where we (were Saturday),” Moatz explained.

Especially veterans like Brandon Sullivan and Ethan Moser, who were part of the Bears’ state championships the last two years.

“I didn’t think we could do this, not at all,” an ailing Sullivan said Saturday, recalling his preseason mindset. “I just didn’t think we had a chance to do this.”

“I didn’t know a lot of the guys, and didn’t know all the young pitchers we had when we started out,” added Moser.

There were, for the record, a handful of familiar returnees from last summer – Moser, Nate Schnell, Sullivan, Aaron Wilkins and Ryan Zakszeski. Others, like Bryer Eshbach, Dane Hiryak, Travis Kreitz, Ryan Schwager and Chris Werner, were pretty much limited to cameo roles in the 53-3 run of a year ago.

Moatz didn’t exactly add eight household names to the aforementioned crew back in May, either. Andrew Gehringer, Brock Hallman, John Mur

row, Josh Schnell didn’t really knock the leather off the ball or throw it past anyone during the high school season this past spring, and Taras Letnaunchyn, Paul Mills, Steve Price and Ben Skean don’t even begin their junior years in high school until next month.

“We knew from the beginning we would be playing in the state tournament (as the host),” Moatz said. “So the obvious thing for us was to get better, get competitive … so we could at least compete in the state tournament.

“But did I think we had the horses to do this? No … absolutely not.”

Anyone who did, especially during an unprecedented three-game Berks County League losing streak in the final week of June, must not have been wearing a helmet in their own playing days.

That skid denied the Bears their normal top-seed for the league playoffs. But somehow they managed to regroup and win their 30th league title and advance to the Region Two tournament instead of sitting around and practicing for a full week or so prior to the state showdown.

“We had some practices after the regular season ended and the (Berks) playoffs started,” Sullivan said. “We talked a lot about attitude, about being aggressive. And we worked hard. I think that’s what may have really turned it around for us.”

“When we started winning in the playoffs, I think most of us felt we had a good team, a good fundamental team,” Moser added. “We knew we had a good program, or system here. And even though some people didn’t think we had a chance to do much of anything, we may have started to think we’re better than we first thought. We started to surprise ourselves.”

Hatfield, with a lineup comprised of a lot of players from North Penn’s PIAA-Class AAAA state championship team in the spring, had a surprise of its own for the Bears. In the Region Two opener, Eric Ruth fanned 17 Boyertown batters and Hatfield humbled the Bears in an abbreviated 13-3 rout.

Facing yet another layoff until states, the Bears bounced back again. This time it was four straight wins, and then a rain-shortened 2-2 stalemate with none other than Nor-Gwyn.

Co-champions doesn’t exactly have that familiar Boyertown ring to it, but it was good enough considering.

“We saw, at the end of the Berks County playoffs, that these guys weren’t intimidated,” Moatz said. “And at the (state) regional, watching them come through the losers bracket… The guys just didn’t go away, didn’t give up, didn’t quit.”

That was evident early last week, with their four-game sweep through the first four days of the state tournament – a familiar ringa-dinga-ding in the Boyertown neighborhood.

And if there was a defining game in that stretch it was the three-hour, 11-inning victory over NorChester on Thursday night (or Friday morning). They erased a 2-0 deficit, went ahead 3-2, then endured a strikeout binge – 18 of them, to be exact, by the end of the affair – to pull out the win in the 11th.

The overlooked saviors in the upset? Murrow, who allowed just two runs in eight innings, and Hallman, who provided 2-2/3 innings of hitless relief.

The win set up yet another final-day showdown with Nor-Gwyn.

The Bears could’ve easily folded again after getting blanked 4-0 in Game 14 by the Hawks’ Michael Bradstreet. But there was a Game 15…

With his pitching staff all but out of innings and appearances – not to mention Nate Schnell still sidelined since last week and Price unable to go since Thursday morning’s game – Moatz and Bears pieced together a 2-0 gem. Moser worked the first six innings, Letnaunchyn the next two, and Eshbach closed it out with another spotless two for the save. Kreitz ended the string of zeroes on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Wilkins doubled the count with an RBI double in the seventh.

For the week, the Bears hit a punchless .228 – about 200 or so points lower than their average in last year’s state tournament. Only two regulars – Moser and Josh Schnell – hit over .300.

But combine their 42 hits with the other 58 baserunners (walks, hit-batsmen and errors) and a pitching staff that owned a 1.67 earned run average, well, you get just a wee bit of an idea how they did what they did.

“We tell the guys it’s not always about talent,” Moatz said. “It’s about nine guys playing together, nine guys executing, or performing within the system we have.

“We have to go with what the kids are able to do. We have a system, but it’s a system that not everyone can conform to, or one that not everyone is suited to. Sometimes it’s a little give and take. But it sure worked this week.”

Forty years ago, when Boyertown won its first Pennsylvania American Legion state title, Ken Stimmel – who threw 10 scoreless innings of relief in the shocking run – said it was a “team effort.”

This past Saturday afternoon, when Boyertown won its record 22nd Pennsylvania American Legion state title, Moser – named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player – said it was a “team effort.”

A lot has happened in 40 years ago, and a lot of things have changed.

But in Boyertown, when it comes to baseball, a lot of things stay the same.

* * *

Saturday’s celebration was a all-in-the-family moment for Moser. His cousin, Corey Hannahoe, was part of the Bears’ state championship in 1989, and his uncle Todd Hannahoe – Corey’s father – was part of that first championship in 1969. … Boyertown (2004, 2006-09) and Nor-Gwyn (2005) have now accounted for the last six American Legion state titles. ... Boyertown, which has won 22 of the 24 state finals it has appeared in, advances to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Morgantown, W.Va. The Bears (37-8) open at 1 p.m. Thursday against New Jersey state runner-up Mt. Laurel.

A quick glance at Boyertown’s opening-day roster would’ve revealed some slim pickings.

The only everyday starters returning from a year ago — when the Bears won a record 21st state championship, finished third at the Mid-Atlantic Regional and 53-3 overall — were catcher Ryan Zakszeski and shortstop Brandon Sullivan. A couple of pitchers, Nate Schnell and Aaron Wilkins, who provided some valuable innings and more than a few wins, along with the versatile Ethan Moser, were also back.

That was pretty much it, too.

But the no-name lineup wasn’t exactly easy pickings, not at first, mind you.

The Bears won 21 of their first 22 games this summer, and sure looked like they were well on their way to another Berks County League title.

Then they hit the skids ... or slid into a very, very uncharacteristic slump — losing three straight league games for the first time in at least 40 years — and five of six heading into the playoffs. And there wasn’t any one particular aspect manager Rick Moatz could put his baseball finger on, either. The Bears simply weren’t getting the pitching they’re accustomed to, weren’t playing the kind of fundamental defense they’re accustomed to, and they sure weren’t putting the ball in play enough or producing the offense they’re accustomed to.

“That was surely one of the longest streaks we’ve ever gone through,” Moatz said Friday.

It didn’t last beyond the week most prefer to forget about, because the Bears snapped out of their funk and back to their customary ways by running the table in the Berks County League playoffs — five straight wins to earn a trip into this morning’s (9:30) opening round of the Pennsylvania Region Two Tournament at Hostelley Field in Upper Gwynedd Township.

“We just noticed the kids were not playing aggressively,” Moatz said of the woeful week. “Maybe they were thinking too much. But they weren’t laying it on the line.

“So we talked to them about their attitude, about knowing where they were from, about our expectations. We talked, because we wanted to ingrain that into their psyche. We had a few tough practices, too. I think they responded in a very positive manner, too.”

Moatz admitted their response wasn’t perfect, and recalling those six errors in a 6-5 win over Muhlenberg would attest to that.

“But they battled through it, played through it,” Moatz explained. “They really showed some mental toughness.”

And won a 30th league title in the process, something neither Moatz nor anyone else on his staff may have thought was possible when pulling the gear out of Bear Den 2 and swinging into the season less than eight weeks ago.

“I know we got out to 20-1 or 21-1,” Moatz said, who won his 1,000th career game during that early stretch. “But I don’t know if we were playing well or the other teams were getting off to a slow start. Because of the new (league format, or reduced schedule), we didn’t get a lot of non-league games in. And there were a lot of rainouts, too. It was tough finding out exactly where we were.”

One of the reasons was because of the lack of experience. The coaching staff knew Sullivan and Zakszeski, were well aware of what Schnell, Wilkins, and Moser could bring to their team.

“But there was that inexperience,” Moatz said. “Even for Moser, who came back from college this year after pitching and playing a little outfield and first base for us last year. He never really developed into what he is now. It was a maturing process for most of our kids. It took time for a lot of them to understand what they had to do, too.”

Whatever they may not have understood before the early July skid, they sure understood after.

“Our pitching up to that point was very inconsistent,” Moatz explained. “We get a good game or two, then we’d throw a klunker. We just couldn’t put together a lot of good games.”

Couldn’t because of a defense that self-destructed at times, and an offense that didn’t bunt the ball well and put up an unusual amount of strikeouts — many of which came with runners in scoring position.

“We just lacked that ability to execute Boyertown baseball,” Moatz said. “We had to adjust. We had to work harder to get where I wanted them to be.”

For the record, the Bears did adjust ... and now they’re not only where Moatz wanted them to be, but where most Boyertown teams are at this juncture of the season -- at the state regional.

“In the beginning of the season, I was hoping we’d be where we are right now,” Moatz said. “I just didn’t want to go two weeks or so of not playing (until the state tournament at Bear Stadium on July 28). But I feel they’re ready to go now. We’ve had some good practices, and they’re focused on going out there to win.”

Boyertown (28-6) will likely go with Schnell (5-1) in this morning’s opener against Hatfield (23-4), which is expected to throw Eric Ruth, who may only be 4-0 this summer but was 12-1 and the ace of the North Penn High School team that won the PIAA-Class AAAA state title last spring. ... The Bears have won three straight Region Two titles and five of the last six.

REGION THREE

NorChester is the Region Three Tournament’s three-time defending champion and will take a swing at four in a row when it debuts in today’s opening round against Narberth at Spring-Ford High School’s Ram Stadium.

The Bulldogs are unquestionably the area’s hottest team. They have won 23 games in a row — including fives straight en route to the Chester County League championship last week — and own an eye-opening 29-2 overall record.

“There was a time when NorChester would be happy just to make the playoffs,” said manager Corbin Stoltzfus. “But this is something we expect out of our kids now.

“We start every season with the intention of winning our league. We’ve won a few league titles, a few (Region Three) titles, so we certainly can’t hide from anyone anymore. The kids know that now.”

They’ve responded quite well, too.

Stoltzfus has a very good, and very deep, pitching staff with Jeff Kelly (8-0), David Vining (3-2), Tyler Setzler (5-0), Jeff Wiand (5-0) and unsung Tim Ponto. The Bulldogs can play defense behind every one of them. And they can hit ... boy, can they hit.

From one through nine, there just isn’t a weak spot. Brandon Engelhardt, who leads off and plays second base, may well be the MVP of this area’s summer baseball season. Catcher Ryan Chesler is an excellent leader behind the plate, and combined with designated-hitter Ryan Deitrich and Jeff Wiand, gives the Bulldogs quite an offensive punch from the third through fifth spots in the order.

“These guys have been through a lot with us, so they know what we expect from them and they never seem to be bothered by the pressure,” Stoltzfus said. “They’ve been through this, through the playoffs ... a lot of tough games. None of this is new to them.”

Spring City is serving as the Region Three host for the third time in 10 years. Manager Jamie Scheck’s ballclub is 27-7, well-rested and definitely a contender, too.

“You don’t want to look past that team,” Stoltzfus said last week. “I know we won’t.”

Scheck has a very respectable rotation that features Mike Haslam (8-1), Sean Larkin (7-0) and Matt Hamilton (4-0).

Also worth keeping an eye on is J.P. Mascaro, which features most of the players from the Methacton High School team that finished second to Owen J. Roberts -- or most of the NorChester players -- in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Final Four championship last May. The Haulers are coming off their seventh straight Greater Norristown League title run.

This column was originally published in the Feb. 6 edition of The Mercury.

HERSHEY – There’s no question Boyertown took one heck of a seesaw ride the past week.

It began during last Friday night’s semifinals of the district duals. The Bears, nowhere near 100 percent with one starter out of the lineup and another hobbling on one leg, beat Council Rock North. And you had to be impressed with what unfolded in the match, because it was the fourth straight win this season over the Indians, who were much better and a considerably bigger challenge than they were in those previous three meetings.

But as high as the Bears may have been that night, they were that low, if not lower, less than 24 hours later. They had their singlets and headgear handed to them by Quakertown. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong did go wrong. The 54-16 loss wasn’t just unexpected and ugly, it was Boyertown’s worst loss in a long, long time, worse than any of its previous four setbacks this season, and they were to state powers Central Dauphin (No. 1), Northampton (No. 2) and Cumberland Valley (No. 5), and Delaware dynamo St. Mark’s – all nationally ranked rivals.

If there was one consolation, and you

had to bet head coach Pete Ventresca, his staff and the Bears themselves were desperately seeking something to soothe their devastated wrestling souls, it was the fact they had already earned a spot in the PIAA-Class AAA State Duals.

Most people, at least those outside Boyertown, didn’t expect the Bears to get rid of the hangover before Tuesday night’s state-opener at La Salle College High, either. But in what may have been their most physical challenge in recent memory, the Bears did. They rocked and socked their hosts – a team whose only loss was a three-point thriller to Quakertown, by the way – keeping their composure and giving a handful or so of foul fans something to whine about the rest of the winter, by sweeping nine of the individual bouts in a 41-21 romp.

The Bears didn’t let down Wednesday night at St. Pius X, either. They took all but one match against the Lions and clinched no worse than a share of their third straight Pioneer Athletic Conference title.

Whew … what a ride.

It’s brought them, for the very first time, here to the Giant Center – the arena wrestlers crave to visit this time of year as much if not more than the next-door amusement park youngsters crave to visit throughout the summer.

It could be a thrill, like the Coal Cracker, Great Bear and Kissing Tower rides offer in the adjacent park. But Boyertown will be stepping onto the mat this morning (10:00) against Central Mountain, which has given many an opponent few thrills and a whole lot of chills this winter.

Yes, Central Dauphin and Northampton – even Cumberland Valley – have been grabbing most of the headlines all season. But Central Mountain is ranked right behind those two – No. 3 in the state and No. 6 in the nation – and aren’t just a threat to beat up on the Bears (20-5) but a threat to beat up on everyone else out here.

The Wildcats (10-0) line up with five returning state qualifiers, three of whom are two-time state medalists – Jordan Rich and the unbeaten Alton brothers you’ve heard so much about. They were third at the prestigious Ironman, and swept the team honors at the Mountain League Tournament, the King of the Mountain, and the Escape The Rock Invitational at Council Rock South. They cruised to the District 6 title by humbling both Bellefonte (53-15) and Indian Valley (47-15), and come into this morning’s bout with the Bears with a ridiculous average winning spread of 47 points.

There’s no shame in being the underdog. As a matter of fact, a lot of coaches kind of covet that tag. But Boyertown, rest assured, is the underdog in this one … and for five big reasons – Rich, Andrew and Dylan Alton, and returning state qualifiers Forrest Bechdel and Glenn Barnes.

Those five will likely go against five of the big Bears. Ventresca isn’t likely to admit it, but for his team to survive this one he’ll likely have to go with Adam Kolb (13-9) against Bechdel (18-11) at 103; Jon Neiman (15-8) against Rich (26-5) at 125; Alex Pellicciotti (30-3) against Andrew Alton (28-0) at 140; Ryan Kemmerer (20-1) against defending state champion Dylan Alton (29-0) at 145; and Zach Heffner (19-3) against Barnes (24-7) at 215.

Central Mountain will be favored in three or four other bouts, but the Bears have countered some mountain-like odds in the past, too.

And they’d sure like to ride this one out (in other words, forget the seesaw).

* * *

The survivor of the Boyertown-Central Mountain affair gets treated to a quarterfinal meeting with unbeaten District 11 champion Northampton (19-0). … District 1’s third-place Council Rock North will be wrestling this morning, too, against District 7 runner-up Connellsville. District champion Quakertown takes on the winner of the Blue Mountain-Clearfield bout in the 2 p.m. quarterfinals.

* * *

Five of the 12 teams here in the Class AAA bracket are nationally ranked. Central Dauphin (No. 4), Northampton (No. 5) and Central Mountain (No. 6) top the list, which also features Blue Mountain (No. 14) and Cumberland Valley (No. 19). … Rich (102-22) career) was seventh and fourth at states the last two years; Andrew Alton (115-8) has a pair of third-place finishes; and Dylan Alton (113-5) was seventh two years ago before grabbing the gold last March. All three are juniors.

* * *

Central Dauphin is the defending champion, defeating Northampton, 37-21, last year. … In state duals competition, which began in 1999, Quakertown is 0-1, Boyertown is 1-2, and Council Rock North is 4-5. The rest of the AAA teams and their respective overall records in state duals competition coming into this morning are Blue Mountain (1-0); Central Dauphin (5-3); Central Mountain (4-1); Clearfield (1-4); Connellsville (9-5); Cumberland Valley (14-9); Erie Cathedral Prep (3-4); and Northampton (5-2). District 7 champion Bethel Park, which doesn’t open until this afternoon’s quarterfinals, is making its debut.

This column first appeared in the Sept. 26 edition of The Mercury.

Mark Scisly sure has enjoyed the last two weekends. First, he helped end Boyertown’s football woes, namely an eight-game losing streak that stretched all the way back to last season, and got his first win along with it. Then he started another streak, going the other way that is, by winning again.

All of a sudden, Scisly — Boyertown’s rookie head coach — finds himself in a very big game that, unlike the previous two, may reveal just how good the Bears are as well as dictate their stance for the remainder of the Pioneer Athletic Conference season.

Pottsgrove sure has a history of bringing that out in a team … especially now that the Falcons have played up to all the preseason hype and postured themselves as a legitimate frontrunner (or, if you prefer, contender).

The Falcons are 2-0 in the PAC-10, so that isn’t any surprise. But the Bears have matched that start, too, and because of the more than handful of new names situated in front of and around veteran quarterback David Crognale and a new coach coming in to sort out as well as coordinate the personnel, well, that is a bit of a surprise. And Owen J. Roberts, sitting alongside Pottsgrove and Boyertown with a 2-0 record despite reconstructed offensive and defensive lines, has opened more than a few fans’ eyes, too.

So, yes, tonight’s game in Boyertown is indeed a biggie.

“It’s just a great opportunity for us,” Scisly said. “I don’t know if everyone knows it, but there are only three undefeated teams (in the PAC-10), and we’re one of them. We’d like to take advantage of the opportunity.”

Mind you, it won’t be easy, though.

“You usually run into one good back, a quarterback or a running back, every week,” Scisly explained. “But Pottsgrove has three — a quarterback, a fullback, and a tailback. They don’t just give you one guy to worry about, they give you three.”

The Falcons’ quarterback is Terrell Chestnut, the fullback is Preston Hamlette, and the tailback is Maika Polamalu. And yes, all three are, for the lack of a better word, dangerous with a football in their hands.

They’re quick. They’re fast. They’re fancy free when given a little room to run. Together, the threesome have combined for all but one of the Falcons’ 13 touchdowns and for all but 12 of the Falcons’ 96 points thus far. They can, as they’ve already proven, turn any dilemma into a score, and from anywhere on the field.

But defense, which the Bears have played quite well the past two weeks, may not be as much a key as offense — Boyertown offense, that is. There’s nothing like a ball-control, clock-eating drive here and there to keep Chestnut, Hamlette, and Polamalu off the field.

“Our defense has been playing well,” Scisly said. “We got the shutout two weeks ago, then up until their final drive last week, kept Spring-Ford under control.

“But I think we have to come out and control the football. We have to do that, and we have to play defense.”

A lot of those responsibilities will fall heavily on Boyertown’s fast-improving front alignment of Wilmer Barndt, Ian Repko, Brandon Weller, Doug Muller, Ian Beidler, and tight end Ty Showers. Behind them is running back Logan Herb and quarterback David Crognale, who knows a little about big plays and big wins in his four years taking the snaps and practically rewriting the Bears’ passing record book.

“This is a huge game for us,” Scisly said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

Boyertown will induct four men into its Football Hall of Fame during halftime tonight. They are Randy Boyer (1957 graduate); David “Daisy” Erb (1954), Don Grim (assistant and head coach from 1959-1987); and Bob Reinhart (1962).

THEY MEET AGAIN

Phoenixville visits Pottstown tonight, and it’ll be the 97th time the two schools have played one another. The two teams first met in 1905, although it was Phoenixville’s “second team” — known as the Colonials — that battled the Trojans to a 0-0 tie (one of eight in the series). Phoenixville’s varsity was 8-0 and unscored upon that year.

Pottstown picked up its first win, 9-5, the following year, and won 4-0 on Thankgiving Day in 1907. Phoenixville’s first official varsity victory over the Trojans occurred in 1908’s season finale, 11-0.

MAKING A POINT

Unofficially, Owen J. Roberts — which hosts Spring-Ford tonight — and Pottsgrove are tied for third and seventh place, respectively in the District 1-Class AAA playoff points standings. The top eight qualify for the playoffs, which kick off the weekend of Nov. 7-8. Both teams can pick up big points this evening with wins over their Class AAAA opponents. … Boyertown, in a tie for 24th spot in AAAA, will need a solid run from here on out if it hopes to get into the Top 16.

DISTRICT BIGGIES

In a AAAA showdown, Ridley (4-0) visits Upper Darby (4-0) in a game that is likely to go a long way in determining the Central League championship. Ridley has won the last two titles with spotless 9-0 runs. … Cheltenham (3-1) travels to AAA Upper Merion (3-1) in a big game; Garnet Valley (4-0) renews its long rivalry at Conestoga (2-2); Souderton (2-2) looks to halt its two-game slide against visiting Pennridge (3-1); and Springfield-Montco (3-1), coming off a stunning setback, looks to right the ship when it hosts unbeaten Class A entry Jenkintown (4-0).

Around the state, District 4’s big game is the AA showdown with six-time state champion Mount Carmel (4-0) visiting Central Columbia (3-1). … District 7 has a pair of unbeaten features with Fort Cherry (4-0) traveling to Clairton (4-0) in Class A and Seton LaSalle (4-0) entertaining Sto Rox (4-0) in Class AA. … Out in District 10, high-scoring Saegertown (4-0) — coming off a 78-6 romp — will finally be playing someone, namely host Iroquois (3-1). … Up in District 11, all eyes will be on Emmaus (4-0), which has given up just six points thus far, when the Hornets head up to take on the Konkrete Kids of Northampton (4-0). But the feature game in District 11 may be Class AA Panther Valley (4-0) and its defense, with two shutouts this season, trying to slow down record-breaking Zach Barket and Schuylkill Haven (4-0).

STATELY NOTES

Gary Campbell, who followed the legendary George Curry up at Berwick, picked up his 100th career win last week when the Dawgs thumped none other than Curry and Wyoming Valley West, 34-7. … Jeannette has yet to be scored on. The Jayhawks have blanked East Allegheny (43-0), Brownsville (41-0), South Allegheny (45-0), and Waynesboro (49-0). The defending PIAA-Class AA state champions will look to keep the zeroes flowing tonight when they visit WPIAL Interstate Conference rival Charleroi (1-3). … William Penn out in York scored a season-low 48 points in last week’s rout of Red Lion, but is still averaging 53.8 points a game. That figure could go up even more this week when the Bearcats visit winless Dover, which is allowing 39-plus points a game. … Towanda’s Travis Chesla was credited with 38 tackles in the Knights’ 33-28 setback to unbeaten Canton up in District 4, and Waynesboro’s Dylan Spangler was credited with 25 tackles in the Indians’ 30-6 loss to unbeaten Middletown out in District 3. No one likes to question a devoted statistician’s work, but was anyone else playing defense for Towanda and Waynesboro last week?

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Cody Kulp, Brent Ruminski and Nole Saylor have all been part of more than 175 baseball games the last three summers. That number stretches up to well over 200 for Shayne Houck.

In oher words, there hasn’t been a whole lot of time to sleep in, hang with friends at the mall, spend a weekend or week at the beach, or even be part of a family vacation.

Not when you play for Boyertown.

“This is something we choose to do,” said Kulp, who like Ruminski, Saylor and Houck has been part of three straight Region Two and state championship teams and Friday night was playing in his third straight Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament. “No one is stopping us from doing all those other things, or anything else. This is our choice.”

For most of the Bears, their season actually starts before the end of the high school season, with the non-league portion of the playing schedule beginning the third week of May. Like the two teams before them - and the countless teams before them - the Bears are still playing.

So any hopes of squeezing a trip to the shore or anywhere else with mom and dad into the last day or two of summer isn’t likely to happen. And worrying about being home for the beginning of fall sports practices or getting off for the start of college, well, that will have to wait, too.

The Bears aren’t in a hurry to pack up the baseball gear yet.

Never have, and likely never will.

That’s because they line up each and every season with one thing in mind, one goal - get to and win the American Legion World Series.

It’s what they heard of as toddlers, and what they watched as youngsters.

So few of them opt for other programs.

“We hear about the reputation when we’re pretty young, then we grow up watching the guys play,” Kulp said. “We always go to the games when we’re younger. We envy (the players).”

Saylor said it’s the only thing he thought of doing since he was old enough - or strong enough - to swing a bat.

“It’s the program, the coaching, the stadium, the community,” Saylor said, explaining what attracted him to Boyertown baseball. “It’s the reputation, the tradition.”

Success breeds success, as they say. That’s never been more evident than in Boyertown ... summer after summer after summer.

But it takes a commitment not everyone is willing to make. There is nary a free night, not with games nearly every day and practices when one isn’t penciled in on the calendar.

In other words, by the time most Boyertown baseball seasons are over there are upwards of 55 to 65 games.

“Some people think that’s a lot, but I miss playing when we don’t have a game for a few days,” Saylor said

“With all those games and practices, I guess I miss hanging out or going on vacation, but I love to play baseball, so I could care less about the other stuff,” added Kulp.

Saylor and Ruminski are both 19 years old and both cane back from college to play another season with Boyertown. It’s something both intended on doing, but something both were encouraged to do by their college coaches at Kutztown and Lebanon Valley.

“Some college coaches don’t want you to do this or don’t even allow you to do it,” Ruminski explained. “But a lot do because of where we’re playing ... in Boyertown, where we’ll play a lot of games and play against good competition.”

Even if it means playing well into August, like they are now.

And while it may sound like a lot of fun traveling up and down the eastern part of the country, or to ballparks around the country for World Series - as so many Boyertown teams have - there is also the frustration of spending a lot of time in motel rooms with nothing to do but wait for the bus to take you to the ballpark.

Friday was one of those days.

The Bears were scheduled to play the last game here at Shepherd Stadium. But a severe thunderstorm rolled in during the afternoon, pushed the third game of the day back nearly two hours, and the Bears didn’t get on the field for their game with the host Buccaneers until 9:30 p.m.

“Oh, it can be annoying,” Saylor said.

“It seems to happen a lot to us,” added Ruminski, recalling last year’s World Series nighmare in Bartlesville, Okla., when the Bears played one game first thing in the morning and came back to play their next at 11 p.m. “But a lot of us have been around long enough to know what we can do and what we can’t do.”

They’ve been pretty good at knowing what to do ... and doing it, too.

NOTES

Defending national champion Columbia, Tennessee, remained alive in the Southeast Regional by bouncing back from Thursday’s opening-round loss with a win Friday over Leesburg, Ga. ... Eden Prairie, Minn., which finished second in the series and was the team that eliminated Boyertown, also remained alive in the Great Lakes Regional by coming back from an opening-round loss and crushing host Chillicothe, Ohio, 14-1. Also at the Great Lakes Regional, Bradford - the Pennsylvania runner-up to Boyertown - was thumped 14-1 by Midland, Mich.

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Nate Schnell admitted he had an up-and-down (mostly down) summer on the mound.

Now that’s a wee bit hard to believe when you look at his numbers — an unbeaten 6-0 mark and a 1.93 earned average. But the Boyertown right-hander wasn’t fibbing.

Throughout the regular season he did in fact struggle.

But he sure did an about-face once the playoffs began last month.

And he probably was never better than Thursday afternoon, when he rescued ace Shayne Houck and his teammates with six superb innings of relief to help the Bears get by Gaithersburg, Md., 11-10, in the Mid-Atlantic Regional here at Shepherd Stadium.

“Nate was the star of the game,” said right fielder Cody Kulp, who may have gotten some votes of his own after slamming a pair of home runs to go with a triple and single. “He did a heck of a job.

“We were scoring runs, but he shut (Gaithersburg) down.”

Schnell, who came up big in the Berks County, Region Two and state tournaments to help the Bears get to this juncture of the postseason, credits his quality innings to the extra time he spent working on drills and mechanics with pitching coach Pete Hiryak.

“There was a time I was struggling,” Schnell said. “I couldn’t get my curveball over the plate, and I had trouble with my fastball, too. I just didn’t know where the ball was going when I was throwing earlier this season.

“But then something clicked. Everything just started coming around. I just think working hard on my mechanics and getting some

experience helped me turn it around for tournaments like this.”

Schnell was expecting to throw a couple of innings Thursday — so-called mop-up innings after Houck and Bears built up a big lead.

That never happened, of course, and Schnell found himself warming up in the third inning ... and traipsing to the mound in the fourth.

“I was told the most I’d throw would be two innings,” he explained. “But we were forced to throw all the chips in.

“I was watching (Houck) and saw that all (Gaithersburg) was hitting was fastballs. They’re good hitters on that team, but they didn’t hit the curveball like they did the fastball. So I made sure I got my curveball over, stayed ahead of the hitters, and spotted my fastball, maybe taking something off it at times like a change-up.”

Schnell’s assortment of offerings baffled Gaithersburg. Except for an unearned run — no fault of Schnell’s considering he followed up the infield error with two groundball outs and a strikeout — and a fastball that he left out over the plate that resulted in a two-run homer, he kept the Maryland state champions from putting together rallies similar to the ones in the first and third innings that resulted in seven runs.

“What a yeoman’s effort,” manager Rick Moatz said of Schnell’s performance. “He got his curveball over, got his slider around the plate, and kept (Gaithersburg) totally off-balance.

“Nate pitched great, but he’s been pitching great for us the last two weeks. Today he did the job in shutting that team down.”

Considering it was the first time all year Houck hadn’t come up big, either on the mound or at the plate, Schnell’s timing couldn’t have been better.

“Houck didn’t have is normal game ... it was definitely an off-day for him,” Moatz said. “But someone else stepped up, and that’s a credit to this team because everybody knows it takes more than one person to win a ballgame.”

ANOTHER SOUTHPAW

Gaithersburg’s starter catcher Gary Schneider is left-handed ... a rarity in baseball.

“He hears some of the things people say,” head coach Rick Price said before the game. “Until they see how well he plays.”

Schneider blocked countless pitches in the dirt Thursday and had Houck thrown out at second on Boyertown’s only stolen base attempt of the game before his teammate dropped the throw.

Oh yeah, Schneider can hit, too. He drilled a three-run homer in the second inning that, at the time, gave Gaithersburg a 7-3 lead.

YOU DON’T SAY

Charlie Daniels is part of the local Colonial Heights’ volunteers, with his main duties making sure each team gets transported between the hotel and ballpark on time. Well, Mr. Daniels — one of 15 children —happens to know the Pottstown area quite well.

He has two sisters, Lucy Keifrider and Sandra Yanocha, who live in Pottstown and Linfield, respectively.

“And I also remember the Pottstown Firebirds, too,” Daniels said. “I remember seeing them play down here in Richmond when I was a kid.”

Todd Speilman could’ve made Boyertown High School’s track team Saturday afternoon.

Shame the lil’ fella is already in college.

There was no question who was first on the field racing to the mob-like celebration just beyond the second base bag after the Bears won their third straight Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament championship with a 16-0 rout of Bradford.

This time last year, Speilman missed the last 2-1/2 games of the state tournament in Royersford when he tore his hamstring stretching for a throw at first base. He hobbled out to share in the celebration when that was over. He was also sidelined the following week, and again hobbled out to share in the celebration when the Bears won the Mid-Atlantic Regional in West Lawn. And he was still sidelined and limping when the Bears battled through four games at the World Series in Bartlesville, Okla.

“That just wore on me and wore on me ever since,” Speilman said Saturday. “Even when I was up at Alvernia (College) this year, I wanted to be part of that team real bad. But this is where I wanted to be.

“I wanted a state championship, and I wanted to be on the field for it this time. And I wanted to be on that pile out there.”

Speilman did his part in helping Boyertown to its third straight state title, fourth in the last five years, and record 21st overall. He had five hits, scored seven times, and knocked across four runs at the plate; pulled in the throws and played errorless ball at first base; and the southpaw walked just one, fanned 10 and had a 2.89 earned run average in 9-1/3 innings of work on the mound.

“Todd is one of the reasons we were able to get through this and win it,” manager Rick Moatz said. “Shayne (Houck), Todd, and Nate (Schnell) just threw so well. They were all a big plus for us.”

Speilman was having a great tournament a year ago, at least until he tore a hamstring in his left leg while fully extended grabbing a low throw. It occurred in the eighth inning of the winners bracket final against State College.

Sitting out the remainder of the postseason, well …

“I can’t even begin to explain how hard that was,” Speilman said of being sidelined. “I don’t know what to say.

“I know we came out here wanting this. But I don’t know if anyone wanted it more than me. I wanted this one real bad.”

Trying to inject some sense into Shayne Houck’s season isn’t easy.

“I guess it is ridiculous,“ Houck said following Saturday’s rout of Bradford and after receiving the tournament’s Outstanding Hitting, Pitching, and MVP awards.

Actually, ridiculous may not cover it.

There were a lot of oohs and aahs during last week’s Region Two Tournament up in Coplay when Houck hit .625 with five home runs. But jaws were dropping in disbelief this week when he hit an absolutely “ridiculous“ .833 (15-for-18) that included four walks, eight runs, four stolen bases, eight RBI, and a 1.111 slugging percentage.

And that doesn’t even include his 2-0 record (and one save) and 0.00 earned run average in two starts and 13 innings of work overall on the mound.

“I’m just feeling really relaxed up there,” Houck said. “I just have a lot of confidence that whoever is out there (pitching) and whatever they throw I’m going to hit it. I just feel as though I’m going to get a hit.“

What Houck has been doing the past two weeks isn’t exactly a fluke, mind you. The 18-year-old standout came into the state tournament with a .535 average through 49 games. Saturday, he picked up his 100th hit of the season — that’s season, not his career.

“Shayne is just on fire,” said manager Rick Moatz. “He’s doing just a fantastic job. Sometimes you have to ride the shoulders of a guy who is on hot like this.”

Hot?

Has Moatz ever seen anyone so hot?

“Probably not,” he deadpanned, breaking into a smile.

Boyertown’s 41-game winning streak is believed to be a record for the organization. The team’s 53-1 overall mark is believed to be the best of any previous Boyertown team, bettering the 47-1 mark the 2004 Bears ballclub took into the Mid-Atlantic Regional (and the team that finished 54-4 after a fourth-place effort in the World Series).

Ford “Skip” Carnes, Pennsylvania American Legion’s state activities director, announced Saturday the state tournament will return to Bear Stadium in 2010. Next year’s affair will shift to the western part of the state in St. Mary’s.