philly fan
Thanks for your take on my comments and for your thoughts on Division 3 baseball. Great comparison using last years beach finish as an example.
Obivous my son is on cloud 9 even tho he has not been in uniform for the past 15 games or so. He really enjoyed this past season and said even if the team did not advance past the ODAC it was a great experiance just being part of the college atmosphere on the ball field. Even though they played with crowds averaging 100 to 200 spectators the intensity and competition level during a game is like a high. While in high school you may have 1 or 2 rivals that you look forwad to play.... well in college it seems like every game has that atmosphere and it is very vocal on the field. I thought there could be no way you could match the intensity of a Cox FC game or GB & WB. I'm telling you there is nothing like a Randolph Macon game day or Lynchburg, wow, I've never heard so much trash talk or croch grabbing in my life, all 3 games!!! I've always been a VWC fan, the next thing you know your son is playing against them and one of your son's HS teammate plunks him with the 1st pitch you see, well hello, welcome to college ball, where you let everything out on the field and then shake hands and go on to the next game.I tell you what, tournament time, wow, you better bring your A game. My son told me just being on the bench and being a part of whats happening is a dream come true. The players may be bigger in division 1 and they may play in front of 10,000 fans or more but the intensity level on the field at a division 3 ball game is as good if not better.
As for your take on the schools you listed. You are right. those guys can play. Our game with Methodist and MWU was rained out. In the 1st game of the year they went to CNU and spanked them pretty bad. Well i thought from that game on this team could be for real. We lost to Lagrange at their place in the 9th inning 4-3, Schoenholtz's only lost came when Coach K brought him in the 9th inning with Sydney leading 3-2. H-S did beat D2 Newberry. Playing tuff competition and winning against Bridgewater, Lynchburg, W&L, and VWC which has beat 4 ranked teams during the season, gave the boys a lot of confidence they belong. Coach Kinne has brought in some good young talent this year and is continuing the teams improvment next year by getting ArizonaReds son Brian Nichols to come to Sydney this fall along with the CF from Godwin. Both of these kids have D1 potential. For some reason the talent in VA doesn't seem to get recruited by big colleges and the D3 schools in VA and NC just keep getting better and better.
Your right, with the improved talent in this region I hope the NCAA recognizes this and enlarges the field. The talented teams you mention that did not get sellected could put togethter one heck of a region and the winning team could easly go on to the world series and win it all.
As far as H-S 1st round opponent Rowan, I know they been ranked #1 in the nation for most of the season but I don't think Sydney will be intimidated. They started the ODAC tournament against Bridgewater and former ODU pitcher Jimmy Green and then in the 1st game in the south region they went against #1 seed and 12th ranked Salisbury in their home town and....as you stated... right now these guys are playing great baseball. They are getting great pitching..the defense has been fantastic and they are hitting up and down the order.
Go Tigers
fc v dad