By Scott Roblin

Colts stampede over Mohawks to win high school league championship

May 26, 2018 | 9:45 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A clinical performance from the Monsignor McCoy Colts baseball team Saturday, bringing home a Southern Alberta High School Baseball League title over their arch rivals.

The Colts picked up a 7-2 victory over the Medicine Hat High Mohawks at Athletic Park to earn the league championship, their first since rejoining the SAHSBL.

Starting pitcher Reese Whelen got the call on the mound and was nearly flawless, throwing a complete game with just two runs allowed, five hits, and three strikeouts.

Whelen said it was a great feeling getting the start in the championship final and earning the confidence of his coaching staff.

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“I mean I figured there’s probably some reason I’m in there,” said Whelen. “Just do what I can do and that’s all I can do, I guess. My defence did a great job behind me.”

The Mohawks got out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Dane Weiss, which scored a pair of runners to put Hat High ahead.

McCoy settled down during their next at bats however, as the Colts added a pair of runs in the second inning to knot up the score at 2-2.

Staying tied until the fourth inning, the Colts took the lead for good thanks to a Mohawks error to lead 5-2.

Adding runs in the fifth and sixth innings, McCoy rode Whelen for the rest of the afternoon and got Jayden Ball to pop up to end the game in the seventh.

Colts head coach Paul Schlosser said Whelen was dialed in on the mound, while the rest of the team executed the game plan to perfection in the field.

“He threw three pitches for strikes, he kept our defence in it,” said Schlosser. “Our infielders, every throw was chest-high to our first baseman. We made no mistakes and when you throw well and play good defence, you’ll beat good hitting.”

It was an upset victory for McCoy, as the Mohawks led the SAHSBL Tier I standings with a 10-2 record in the regular season.

Whelen said it’s always great to win a championship, but it was made a little sweeter knocking off their cross-town combatants.

“That team, we’ve been back and forth with them all year,” he said. “We really wanted that win and they wanted it too just as bad, and we came out on top.”

Saturday’s game was the final time Mohawks seniors Zach Stark, Dane Weiss, and Travis Small donned the green and white.

As for the Colts, it was Cavan Kolody, Ethan Bartram, Ethan Boutkan, and Wyatt Bergen all ending their high school careers on top.

Schlosser said it was a special group of Grade 12 players this year who have stuck with the program through some trying seasons.

“Four kids who have played hard, who worked hard, who listened,” he said. “Two kids who were sick this whole week and gutted it out, Kolody who got injured a couple weeks ago and came played and played through it, a lot of bumps and bruises.”

As for the Tier II tournament, the Crescent Heights Vikings defeated the JV Mohawks 16-7 on Friday night to finish their season.

The Tier II championship was played between Okotoks’ Holy Trinity Academy Knights and High River’s Highwood Mustangs, however a score was not available as of Saturday night.