May 22 - No. 8 Paul VI Catholic aims to send coach Jeff Nolan out with a state championship when the Panthers meet Collegiate School tonight in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I final at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.
“Playing in the state championship game is pretty special,” said Nolan, who announced two weeks ago that he would resign following this season. “Shepherd Stadium is the site of a lot of past Paul VI glory, so getting to take this team, which is also a very special group, to Shepherd once again, for all the marbles, is pretty awesome.”
The Panthers (24-7) won four state titles with Nolan as the pitching coach between 2004-12, and also won a Division II title in 1994. Nolan was promoted to head coach prior to the 2013 season. The Cougars (21-5), which defeated Paul VI in last year’s quarterfinals before losing to Liberty Christian in the final, are making their third straight state tournament appearance and fourth in five years under coach Andrew Slater.
Paul VI advanced to today’s final behind 10 strikeouts and six shutout innings from senior Kevin Kelly in Friday’s 6-0 semifinal win over Benedictine. Senior Jack Cunningham, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Player of the Year, pitched four shutout innings in Monday’s 5-0 quarterfinal win over Potomac School, then had three hits and two RBI on Friday.
Both teams’ pitchers got an extra day of rest thanks to the championship game being pushed back a day due to the weather, and Cunningham will be available tonight if called upon by Nolan. Also available for the Panthers are senior Tim Newell, who pitched two innings on Monday, as well as junior lefty Liam McDonnell and senior catcher Devon Adams, who has been used in a relief role at times this spring.
Collegiate, which has won 12 straight since a 4-3 extra-inning loss to Norfolk Academy on April 19, got a complete-game effort from junior lefty Evan Justice, a North Carolina State commit, in its 2-1 win over Norfolk Academy in its quarterfinal on Monday. First-team all-state selection David Angstadt, a William & Mary commit who plays third base when not on the mound, then went five innings before being relieved by Ben Greer in Friday’s 2-0 semifinal win over Flint Hill. Justice is likely to start tonight’s game.
The Cougars also boast first-team all-state catcher Will Allocca, who will play at Virginia and has sparked the team since his return from an injury.
The VISAA all-state teams were announced last week, with Cunningham joined on the first-team by teammate Michael Coritz, and Adams and Kelly being named to the second team. Other locals named as first-team selections include Flint Hill’s Khalil Lee and Justin Taylor, and Bishop O’Connell’s Rafi Vazquez.
O’Connell’s Myles Hudzick, Flint Hill’s Robert Riddick and Potomac School’s Eric Thronson were second-team selections. The state Player of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced following tonight’s final.
Photo of Devon Adams courtesy of Paul VI Catholic baseball
