By Connor Hawthorne, Staff Writer
The River Hill High School varsity baseball team recently achieved an incredible feat, winning the state championship in a thrilling match against Charles Milton Wright High School. The team, led by their exceptional pitcher Henry Zatkowski, defeated Charles Milton Wright with an extremely close score of 1-0. This victory was a result of their relentless preparation, determination and teamwork throughout the season.
Zatkowski, the ace of the team, played a pivotal role in winning the championship title. Reflecting on the team’s triumph, he explained how “It was great. All the guys had a great time.” His faith in his teammates was evident as he acknowledged, “I could trust my guys behind me, I just made my pitches and the team did its part.” Teamwork and cooperation was the key component of River Hills’ amazing season.
This triumphant win however, did not come from nothing. After beginning the season with a rocky start, the team refocused themselves, and through hard work and practice. They gained experience and were winning most of their games by the end of the season. Alex Toone, a sophomore, recounts how “we started the season three and four, and we ended it twenty one and five.” This success did not come from nothing, and it took many hours of practice before the team started winning games. Zatkowski describes how “We definitely had a lot of bunt practice which is really important since you never know when someone is going to bunt.” The team’s commitment to honing these essential techniques in their regular practices contributed to their ability to execute critical plays during crucial moments in the championship game.
Along with their defensive skills, the River Hill team spent a considerable amount of time honing their batting skills. Zatkowski noted how in “Preparation for hitting, we spent a lot of time in batting cages.” This relentless practice of the fundamentals made them seem almost second nature during their games, and allowed them to focused on working together, a critical component of their victory in the state championship.
The championship game was no easy match for River Hill either. Charles Milton Wright was a team that had defied all odds, and made it to the state championship as the seventh seed in the tournament. Alex Toone, a sophmore on the team explained how “They had a type of Cinderella run, being the seventh seed in the tournament… they upset the two seed and got to states.” The competition was fierce. Zatkowski admitted “The other team was really good, top to bottom, there were only two guys in the lineup where I knew I was going to get them out, which is not very common.” Despite this, Zatkowski pitched a complete game shutout which led his team to victory.
Looking back on the season, Zatkowski reflected on their journey, stating, “I definitely knew we’d make it far, but now that I think about it, it’s crazy how far we actually got.” Throughout the season the baseball team certainly had their challenges. A pivotal moment for the team after a loss to Glenelg, which served as a wake-up call. Zatkowski recalled, “Losing to Glenelg, because after that loss, we felt like we can’t just screw around. We got to take this seriously.” This loss inspired the team to work harder, and give it their best during both practices and games.They consistently brought their best, working together with utmost focus and dedication.
As the season ends, many look forward to defending their state championship title next year. Only a junior, Henry Zatkowski will be back next year and hopes to win another state title. Although the team will be losing many of its key players next year, Zatkowski is optimistic about the future of the team. He explains how “Next year looks good, we have some really good freshmen, we got Ryan Walsh in the outfield, we have a great catcher, Anderson Dang, who’s a sophomore this year, going to be a junior who I’m going to pitch to, so we’re looking pretty good next year.” Needless to say, River Hill will be excited to see whether the baseball team can carry on the streak.