Photos by Jeff Serpa
Baseball:
When Covina sprints onto Goodwin Field on Saturday afternoon at 4 at Cal State Fullerton, there is no question that everyone outside of the Colts dugout considers Brentwood to be the prohibitive favorite in their CIF-SS Division 6 title-game showdown.
And the coaches and players from CHS would have it no other way.
Covina is making its first CIF championship game appearance in 38 years.
In 1988, the Colts defeated a stacked South Hills team (8-1) that featured Jason Giambi, Shawn Wooten and the Lidle brothers in the D-4A title game at Angel Stadium.
CHS will battle an Eagles squad that has advantages in almost every statistical category.
In fact, according to MaxPreps, Brentwood (225) is 105 spots ahead of Covina in their current state ranking.
The Eagles enter the game on an eight-game win streak, they have a 43-point (.328-.285) advantage in team batting average and they boast a team ERA of nearly one-run lower (3.56-2.85) than the Colts.
However, Covina picked the perfect moment to be playing their best baseball of the season.
The Colts were actually two outs away from elimination in the first round of the D-6 playoffs.
CHS trailed their visitors from Tustin, 3-1, in the bottom of the seventh, when they rallied for three runs and a 4-3 victory.
Since then, Covina has reeled off three consecutive road victories at Alhambra (15-5), Western Christian (11-6) and Lakewood (6-1).
CHS got 5 2/3 scoreless innings from Isaac Flores at Lakewood, which sets up an opportunity for the program’s ace, Donovan Johnson, to be on the mound at Cal State Fullerton.
Johnson is 6-3 with a 2.75 ERA.
He’s walked 35 and struck out 71 batters in 63 2/3 innings.
Conversely, Brentwood’s ace, Jack Kaplan, went the distance on 103 pitches in their 8-0 semifinal victory over Trinity Classical on Tuesday.
Johnson will be facing a formidable offense, and it starts with Hudson Chase.
Chase is batting .532, with 42 hits, 35 runs, 18 RBIs, six doubles & seven home runs.
Chase leads Brentwood in average, hits, runs and home runs, and he’s second in doubles.
Other Eagles’ offensive leaders include: Jack Kaplan: (.390, 32 hits, 33 runs, 32 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples & five HRs), Joe Weinbach (.366, 26 hits, 20 runs, 11 RBIs & five doubles), Owen Boelke (.333, 25 hits, 12 runs, 26 RBIs, four doubles, two triples & two HRs), Sam Russakoff (.308, 24 hits, 19 runs, 19 RBIs & five doubles), Michael Ba (.286, 22 hits, 24 runs, 25 RBIs, two doubles & six HRs), Hayden Prince (.300, 21 hits, 15 runs, 11 RBIs, nine doubles & one HR) and Charles Balsley (.271, 19 hits, 10 runs, 10 RBIs & five doubles).
It would seem likely that Hayden Prince will get the start on the mound for the boys from OJ Simpson land.
Prince is 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA.
He’s issued 16 walks and registered 53 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched.
The Colts have gotten plenty of offensive production on this postseason run, but no one has been hotter than Lucas Thorpe.
In four playoff games, Thorpe is 12-for-18 with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, he’s scored five times and driven in 10.
Donovan Johnson has also been leading with his bat as well.
He’s 8-for-16 with three doubles, seven runs and six RBIs over the four playoff wins.
For the season, the Covina offensive leaders include Ethan Echeverria (.438, 28 hits, 15 runs, six RBIs & two doubles), Donovan Johnson (.392, 31 hits, 22 runs, 25 RBIs, four doubles & four triples), Lucas Thorpe (.360, 31 hits, 17 runs, 20 RBIs, six doubles, two triples & three HRs), Alexander Galaviz (.354, 17 hits, 13 runs, seven RBIs, three doubles & one HR), Aaron Cordova (.293, 12 hits, seven runs, four RBIs & one double), Isaac Flores (.286, 14 hits, four runs, eight RBIs & two doubles), Aaron Magdaleno (.282, 11 hits, nine runs, five RBIs & one double) and Aiden Ayala (.245, 13 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBIs & two doubles).
Covina vs Brentwood By the Numbers:
Records: C (15-13-1); B (19-7-1)
MaxPreps State Ranking: C (330); B (225)
League Finish: C (second in VVL); B (third in Gold Coast)
Current Win Streak: C (4); B (8)
Runs Scored: C (144); B (206)
Runs Allowed: C (145); B (112)
Team Batting Average: C (.285); B (.328)
Team ERA: C (3.56); B (2.85)
Most Pitching Wins: C (Donovan Johnson & Isaac Flores, 6); B (Jack Kaplan, 6)
Team Base Hits: C (189); B (254)
Most Hits: C (Lucas Thorpe & Donovan Johnson, 31); B (Hudson Chase, 42)
Team Home Runs: C (6); B (21)
Most Home Runs: C (Lucas Thorpe, 3); B (Hudson Chase, 7)
Most RBIs: C (Donovan Johnson, 25); B (Jack Kaplan, 32)
Covina Hitting Leaders:
Ethan Echeverria: .438, 28 hits, 15 runs, six RBIs & two doubles
Donovan Johnson: .392, 31 hits, 22 runs, 25 RBIs, four doubles & four triples
Lucas Thorpe: .360, 31 hits, 17 runs, 20 RBIs, six doubles, two triples & three HRs
Alexander Galaviz: .354, 17 hits, 13 runs, seven RBIs, three doubles & one HR
Aaron Cordova: .293, 12 hits, seven runs, four RBIs & one double
Isaac Flores: .286, 14 hits, four runs, eight RBIs & two doubles
Aaron Magdaleno: .282, 11 hits, nine runs, five RBIs & one double
Aiden Ayala: .245, 13 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBIs & two doubles
Covina Pitching Leaders:
Donovan Johnson 6-3, 2.75 ERA, 35 walks & 71 strikeouts in 63 2/3 IP
Isaac Flores 6-1, 2.97 ERA, 14 walks & 22 strikeouts in 33 IP
Izziah Seieroe 0-3, 6.06 ERA, 11 walks & 15 strikeouts in 17 1/3 IP
Lucas Thorpe: 1-1, 3.94 ERA, 15 walks & eight strikeouts in 16 IP
Diego Lopez 0-1, 3.00 ERA, 16 walks & 24 strikeouts in 14 IP
Brentwood Hitting Leaders:
Hudson Chase: .532, 42 hits, 35 runs, 18 RBIs, six doubles & seven HRs
Jack Kaplan: .390, 32 hits, 33 runs, 32 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples & five HRs
Joe Weinbach: .366, 26 hits, 20 runs, 11 RBIs & five doubles
Owen Boelke: .333, 25 hits, 12 runs, 26 RBIs, four doubles, two triples & two HRs
Sam Russakoff: .308, 24 hits, 19 runs, 19 RBIs & five doubles
Michael Ba: .286, 22 hits, 24 runs, 25 RBIs, two doubles & six HRs
Hayden Prince: .300, 21 hits, 15 runs, 11 RBIs, nine doubles & one HR
Charles Balsley: .271, 19 hits, 10 runs, 10 RBIs & five doubles
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Brentwood Pitching Leaders:
Jack Kaplan: 6-2, 2.33 ERA, 21 walks & 101 strikeouts in 66 IP
Hayden Prince: 4-1, 2.91 ERA, 16 walks & 53 strikeouts in 53 IP
Bernie Zysman: 3-0, 3.54 ERA, 13 walks & 19 strikeouts in 27 2/3 IP
Logan Serpa: 2-1, 2.49 ERA, 16 walks & 30 strikeouts in 19 2/3 IP
Covina Playoff Run:
5/14: CHS 4, Tustin 3
5/19: CHS 15, Alhambra 5
5/22: CHS 11, Western Christian 6
5/26: CHS 6, Lakewood 1
5/29: Covina vs Brentwood at CSUF at 4
Brentwood’s Playoff Run:
5/14: BHS 4, Windward 2 (13 innings)
5/19: BHS 9, Ontario 7
5/22: BHS 9, Foothill Tech 7
5/26: BHS 8, Trinity Classical 0
5/29: Brentwood vs Covina at 4 at CSUF
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