Beaver living its senior moment in 4A championship
Beaver has 17 players on its roster, 14 of whom are seniors.
That large, veteran group came into this spring having endured three consecutive losing seasons, meaning this was their final chance to figure out something important.
“We had to learn how to win and learn how to win when we got behind. We couldn’t bow down,” senior catcher Vinny Mastrangelo said.
At some point, the light came on and the Bobcats began playing lights out, so much so that next week they will play for a WPIAL title for the fourth time in school history.
Beaver (13-7) will face perennial power Blackhawk (16-4) in the Class 4A championship. Beaver is 3-0 in WPIAL championship games, claiming titles in 1983, 2008 and 2013. The 1983 team had two future Major League players — John Burkett and Doug Piatt.
This year’s team has a pair of Division II-bound seniors in Mastrangelo (Seton Hill) and shortstop Harrison Pontoli (IUP). Among the other standouts in the senior class are Mike Champ, Jack Yanssens, Alec Berg and Mason Rose.
First-year coach Noah Medich spent five years as an assistant at New Brighton before taking off last year to “recharge.” After a 5 -6 start, his team seems reenergized. Beaver has won eight of its past nine games.
“When we came in it was a complete mentality change,” Medich said. “The talent has been there. It was just a matter of playing for each other and believing in each other.”
Beaver, the No. 6 seed, shut out its first two playoff foes, but found itself in desperation mode in the semifinals, trailing No. 2 Yough, 20, in the seventh inning. But the Bobcats didn’t back down, scoring seven runs in their final at-bat.
Mastrangelo drew a walk with the bases loaded to put Beaver ahead, 3-2, and Berg followed with a back-breaking three-run triple.
Beaver’s only loss in the past month came at Blackhawk, 3-2, in a game that decided the Section 2 title. Beaver defeated the Cougars, 6-2, April 17.
“It’s a huge rivalry in every sport,” Mastrangelo said. “After that loss, it feels good to get another shot at them. We were kind of rooting for them in a way.”
Laurel Highlands
Coach Scott DeBerry felt his Laurel Highlands team could reach its WPIAL final ... next season.
“To be honest, I thought we were a year away,” said DeBerry, who is in his sixth season. “We replaced eight starters, but you never know. We got put into a new section. Ultimately, I think that helped us out because we were exposed to teams we didn’t normally play.”
Laurel Highlands (14-6), the No. 6 seed, will make its championship debut when it takes on No. 5 Shaler (14-7) for the Class 5A title.
The Mustangs have a couple of excellent pitchers in junior left-hander Andino Vecchiolla and junior righthander Justin Brestensky. Vecchiolla is 7-1 after picking up wins in the team’s first two playoff games. DeBerry called Brestensky’s performance Wednesday in a 4-1 upset of No. 2 Franklin Regional “awesome.” He gave up just four hits in 6⅔ innings to help end Franklin Regional’s 14game win streak.
Winning quickly
Beaver’s Medich is one of two coaches who have led teams to the WPIAL final in their first season. The other is Steel Valley’s Pat Loughran, an assistant under Tim Vickers when the Ironmen won a title in 2014.