CVL captures state title at Peabody
Staff writer
A Cottonwood Valley team made up of seven Peabody teens, two Marion and Whitewater-area teens, and one each from Hillsboro, Moundridge, and El Dorado won the state Babe Ruth 16-and-younger championship Saturday in Peabody.
The team defeated Fredonia 22-1 in a game shortened to four innings.
“A large part of this team has played together since they were 9 years old, when they went to Harper for their first state tournament,” head coach Jim Philpott said.
They’ve been doing this every year since.
“Our goal over the years has always been to win the sportsmanship award, which we did three times,” Philpott said. “We finished one time in the tournament in third place.
“This is the last year for most of the boys in this division of Babe Ruth baseball.”
Cottonwood Valley started the tournament beating Fredonia and Humboldt on Thursday.
On Friday, they beat Fredonia again, 6-5, on a walk-off ground-rule double.
Humboldt forfeited its Friday game against Cottonwood Valley due to weather.
That put Cottonwood Valley in the championship Saturday against Fredonia, a team they had already beaten twice.
“This group of young men has been a joy to be around and coach,” Philpott said. “They are a tight-knit bunch and will do anything for each other.
“My two older sons, Jess and Clayton, have played a huge part in helping coach this team and connect with the boys so well.”
Cottonwood Valley will represent Kansas in a Midwest regional tournament this week in Goddard.
The team will open up 9 a.m. Thursday against East Central Colorado and play again at 11:15 a.m. against the Rapid City Sliders from South Dakota.
Cottonwood Valley will play Friday afternoon against Buckley Bombers from Colorado before the bracket portion of the tournament begins 6 p.m. Friday.
“If we win the first bracket game, then we play in the championship game Saturday morning at 9 a.m.,” Philpott said.