Photos by Jeff Serpa

Baseball:

The 2026 season officially came to an end on Saturday afternoon.

There were a pair of 210 Prep Sports programs that went deeper in the CIF-SS playoffs than anyone else.

Glendora earned a CIF-SS Division 4 title and a CIF State Division 3 So Cal Regional championship.

Covina made an historic run to the CIF-SS Division 6 finals and earned the program’s first CIF State (D-4) So Cal Regional playoff appearance.

For their success, Covina’s Tim O’Leary and Glendora’s Jerry Lewallen have been named the 210 Prep Sports Baseball Coaches of the Year.

Some believe that accomplishments in Division 4 & 6 are lesser than those in D-1 & D-2.

However, this reporter has consistently believed over my 27-year career that it’s what you do with what you have that should be the measuring stick.

It’s not always the leader with the most talent or the best record that did the best job in any given year.

And the positive impact they’ve had on the lives and baseball careers of these young men should also be weighed heavily.

In both of those categories, O’Leary and Lewallen get high marks.

What had to make 2026 so special for both men isn’t just the fact that they led their programs to deep playoff runs.

It’s equally or even more satisfying because they accomplished these feats for their alma maters.

For the record, this story will serve as a surprise to both O’Leary and Lewallen, as neither of these leaders knew this accolade was forthcoming.

Tim O’Leary is a proud 1991 graduate of Covina High School.

He played football, basketball and baseball for the school he loves.

O’Leary also served with two-time CIF-SS champion Darren Murphy during a title run at SHHS.

Well, they started the season 1-5-1, and they ended the regular season in second in the Valle Vista League.

It was their best showing in the VVL since 2016.

Covina (8-2 in VVL) dropped one game each to Charter Oak and Northview, and they finished one-game back of the champs for COHS.

CHS handed the Chargers their lone VVL setback, 9-4, on April 29th.

On May 14th, the Colts trailed 3-1 in their D-6 opener.

However, CHS scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 4-3 victory over their visitors from Tustin.

It was the program’s first postseason win in exactly 20 years.

They would go on to rack up D-6 wins over Alhambra (15-5), Western Christian (11-6) and Lakewood (6-1) in the second, quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

What made it even more impressive is that they had to win three consecutive road games to reach the D-6 final.

Brentwood would secure a 5-1 title-game victory at Cal State Fullerton.

It was Covina’s first trip to the finals since they beat South Hills in 1988 at Angel Stadium,

Covina fell, 6-1, in the D-4 So Cal Regional opener, but the Colts made Francis Parker work nine innings before they headed back to San Diego.

Aside from the postseason wins, Covina enjoyed another historic occurrence this past May 5th.

CHS ace Donovan Johnson tossed a no-hitter and struck out 11 batters in a 7-0 victory over Wilson.

If you speak to any of his players, they’ll tell you that O’Leary has an even bigger and better impact on his student-athletes off the field than he does on it.

His mantra of playing for each other is something that all Covina players commit to.

Many of the Colts have had O’Leary in their lives for more than a decade, as does South Hills sophomore Hudson Hempel.

While O’Leary has an intense style, his athletes love this man and consider him a players’ coach.

O’Leary and his wife of 25 years, Christi, have two grown children.

Lauryn lives in New York, and Dylan was recently named the head football coach at San Dimas High School.

At 25, Dylan O’Leary is the youngest head football coach in the SGV by many years.

And Dylan is a very proud son to Tim O’Leary and of course his mother, Christi.

Dylan described his father like this: “My dad has always been a dedicated person. He’s dedicated to anyone he is coaching, teaching, and mentoring,’ O’Leary said. “But the amount of time and effort he has put into the Covina baseball program since he got there in 2022 is second to none. He’s always wearing his Covina gear, and it’s the endless conversation we have at the dinner table. The amount of pride he has for Covina baseball can’t be measured. It’s really fun and encouraging to be able to parallel that with my own coaching career.”

Coach Tim would be the first to give all the credit to his players and coaching staff.

That list includes: David Thorpe, Richard Jakob, Pat Lodes, Bryan Gibbons, Chuck Alessi and Rocky Compolongo.

Quotable:

Covina legend, Kevin Glaspy: “Tim and I have been close friends for many years. We both began coaching at a young age, and throughout much of our careers, Tim coached at schools that were rivals of Covina. Despite the competition, there was always a great deal of mutual respect and plenty of friendly banter between us. Deep down, we both hoped that one day he would return to Covina. When I was serving as AD, Tim applied for the baseball position at Covina High School. He made a strong impression on our administration, and I felt he was the right person to lead our baseball program.

He promised to elevate the program and earn respect throughout the SGV baseball community, and he delivered on that promise. Tim is a Colt for life. He knows the community, understands the traditions of Covina High School, and is a coach who holds his players accountable while helping them grow both on and off the field. Beyond being an outstanding coach, he is a great friend and an even better person. I am proud to have worked alongside him, and I’m incredibly proud of everything he’s accomplished for the Covina High School baseball program.

Covina junior, Isaac Flores: “Although this is my first year at Covina, Coach Tim has been a huge part to not only my success, but that of the team. The moment I joined the program, I was welcomed and felt as I was already part of the family. He has pushed all of us to be better ball players and also better humans off the field. Coach Tim was a big contributor to our historic 2026 run. Before anything, he taught us to be a family and always play for each other. He set a standard teaching us to have discipline, be a leader, and play for each other. He led us to a special accomplishment that we all will remember forever. I’m grateful for all the opportunities Coach Tim has given me. The lessons he taught and culture he built has made a huge impact on the program, and hopefully it will carry on to next year and many years to come.”

Covina senior, Lucas Thorpe: “Tim has been my coach since I was seven years old, and he’s taught me almost everything I know about the game of baseball. Over the years, he’s helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person. He’s always pushed me to work harder, stay confident, and be the best version of myself both on and off the field. No matter the situation, he believed in me and gave me opportunities to succeed. What makes Tim special is that he truly cares about his players. He invests so much time and effort into helping us improve and creating a culture where everyone feels like family. He’s been a great coach, mentor, and role model, and the lessons he’s taught me will stay with me long after my baseball career is over.

This season was historic for Covina baseball, and Tim was the driving force behind it. He led us to our first CIF Division 6 championship game appearance in more than 30 years and helped us become the first team in Covina history to reach the regional championships. Those accomplishments didn’t happen by accident. They were the result of his leadership, dedication, and belief in our team. I’ll always be grateful for everything Tim has done for me and for our program. The memories we made this season and the lessons he taught us will stay with me forever. He’s had a huge impact on my life, and I’m proud to have had him as my coach for so many years.”

Covina’s CIF-SS D-6 Playoff Run:
5/14: Covina 4, Tustin 3
5/19: Covina 15, Alhambra 5
5/22: Covina 11, Western Christian 6
5/26: Covina 6, Lakewood 1
5/30: Brentwood 5, Covina 1

Covina’s CIF State D-4 Playoffs:
6/2: Francis Parker 6, Covina 1 (9)

Jerry Lewallen has quite simply put together a two-year stretch that could last for decades to come.

But it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

All this dude does is win.

Lewallen went 43-25 as the GHS football coach between 2012-2017, including a CIF-SS semifinal appearance in 2015.

The 1990 Glendora grad played baseball for GHS legend Clint Harwick, and he was also a linebacker and running back for the Tartans’ lone football title team in 1989.

He was named the GHS athletic director in August of 2019 and the school’s baseball coach in June of 2021.

In year three of the Lewallen regime (2024), Glendora went a putrid 9-18 overall and 2-13 in Palomares League play.

It was the program’s worst showing since the late-great Ronald Reagan occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

However, they say the true measure of a person’s character is how they react to their failures.

And Lewallen, his staff and their players reacted like champions, and I mean that quite literally.

Heading into the 2025 season, Glendora baseball had won just one CIF-SS title and it dated all the way back to 2010 under the tutelage of Dan Henley.

Last year, Lewallen’s Tartans defeated San Dimas, 2-0, in the CIF-SS D-3 title game at Cal State Fullerton.

In 2026, Glendora’s second-place effort in Palomares League play was their best since the 2017 team tied South Hills for first place.

That gets us to this postseason run.

After an 11-5 victory over visiting St. Anthony and a 10-6 win over their hosts from Katella, GHS reeled off three consecutive one-run victories.

They edged Canyon (4-3), Saugus (3-2) and they earned a second ring with a 3-2 victory over Laguna Beach in the D-4 title game at CSUF.

Three days later and with what had to be a spent pitching staff, Glendora outlasted Culver City, 12-11, in 13 innings.

The game lasted four hours on Tuesday and six pitches on Wednesday to complete the win.

It was the program’s first CIF State So Cal Regional playoff victory.

GHS went on to drop a 13-3 ass kicking on Westview of San Diego in the semifinal, and a 7-3 win over Kaiser in the title game after rallying for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

To put Lewallen’s success in its proper perspective, since 2025, Glendora is 10-0 in CIF-SS playoff games and 3-1 in So Cal Regionals.

Lewallen’s talented and loyal staff includes Ray Bundy, Josh Robles, Tony Garza, Race Gardner

Lewallen celebrates the success of his own children and the baseball program with his wife and high school sweetheart, Stacy Roberts-Lewallen.

Quotable:

GHS principal, Rod Tilton: “Glendora High School is fortunate to have Coach Jerry Lewallen leading our baseball program. Some coaches teach athletes how to play the game and become better players. Others help student-athletes become better people. Coach Lewallen does both!
Year after year, he builds championship-caliber teams while developing young men of character who will become outstanding husbands, fathers, leaders, and members of their communities. His success on the field is undeniable, highlighted by Glendora High School’s first back-to-back CIF Championships and this year’s State Regional Title. Equally impressive, however, is the leadership, character, and maturity displayed by the seniors who have led this program over the past two seasons.

Coach Lewallen’s commitment to teaching life lessons through education-based athletics is a perfect example of what makes Glendora High School such a special place. For nearly six decades, the Tartan baseball program has been built on that same philosophy. In its 59-year history, Glendora High School has had only four head baseball coaches: Clint Harwick, Lee Spengler, Dan Henley, and Jerry Lewallen. Each has embraced the belief that baseball is a vehicle for teaching lessons that extend far beyond the diamond. Coach Lewallen is uniquely connected to that tradition, having played for and/or coached alongside the men who came before him. He has carried forward the values, expectations, and traditions they established while continuing to elevate the program to new heights. Just as importantly, Coach Lewallen has assembled a coaching staff that shares his vision, one dedicated not only to coaching baseball, but to coaching life. Together, they have created a culture that measures success by more than wins and losses. Thank you to Ray Bundy, Tyler Greene and Joshua Robles.

Glendora High School is incredibly proud of Coach Lewallen, his staff, and, most importantly, the young men in the program who represent our school with such class, character, and pride. They are a reflection of everything that makes Glendora High School special and a reminder of why it is a great day to be a Tartan.”

GHS senior, Tanner Grable: “Our coaching staff as a whole are all around great people. They care about my teammates and I before anything else. They are always willing to sacrifice for us to be the best baseball players that we can be. The field is always in the best condition for all of us and that goes to their hard work. We would not have been able to have the success that we had without them and all they do for the program.”

GHS junior, Santiago Garza: “I believe our championship runs start from the coaches just having trust in players and constant repetition of brotherhood. All of our coaches put full effort into the team and that makes it easier as players to work even harder. Coach Jerry has made me a better person just by putting his trust in me. I feel like when he looks at me, he has full trust in me and that makes a player want to be better for the team. That same concept is why he has made me a better person as well. He makes me want to win for the team and want to win for the guys around me. Coach Jerry makes it easy to be a team because we put the same care that he gives to us, into our teammates.”

GHS sophomore, Sebastian Lawrence: “Coach Lewallen and his staff had a huge role on this run. They always did what they thought was best and they always believed in us and helped us in whatever way they could, which was huge for us. I would describe his impact as extraordinary because he’s a fantastic leader, and exactly the person and coach we needed to make such a fantastic run.”

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Glendora’s CIF-SS D-4 Playoff Run:
5/14: GHS 11, St. Anthony 5
5/20: GHS 10, Katella 6
5/22: GHS 4, Canyon 3
5/26: GHS 3, Saugus 2
5/30: GHS 3, Laguna Beach 2 (9)

Glendora’s CIF State D-3 Playoff Run:
6/3: GHS 12, Culver City 11 (13)
6/5: GHS 13, Westview 3
6/6: GHS 7, Kaiser 3