South Cal completes mission,

captures Class 3 championship

Capsule previews

for South Callaway,

Class 3 Final Four

The number of the day is One for the South Callaway Bulldogs and their hometown of Mokane. Below,  Kaden Helsel drills a single up the middle to drive home the first run during the third inning of the Bulldogs' 4-0 win over Valley Park in the Class 3 championship game in O'Fallon.

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State champs!

June 1, 2017

O'FALLON, Mo. --- This team was on a mission ... and it was not going to be denied.

It didn't matter if the other guys came from a Knob or a Valley ... this team was not going to be denied.

The mission for the South Callaway Bulldogs didn't start on the first day of practice in February, it didn't start with the first game of the season in March, and it certainly didn't start with the win-or-go-home games that began with the district tournament in May.

It started almost one year ago to the day, June 2, 2016 --- so it took 364 days for it to come to fruition.

Mission possible. Mission accomplished.

State champions.

Actually, we should make that ...

STATE CHAMPIONS!!!

"This feels pretty nice right now," said winning pitcher Grayson Peneston, who tossed a five-hit shutout in South Callaway's 4-0 win over the Valley Park Hawks in the Class 3 championship game Thursday at CarShield Field. "It hasn't really 100 percent sunk in, but I feel like I'm on top of the world.

"The mission started last year with that final out (when the Bulldogs finished fourth). We got here last year, but it didn't end like we wanted. So we came back this year with a little chip on our shoulder --- we wanted to get the job done and today, we got it done."

The mission for Peneston, the lone senior on the team, actually dates back even further than last year. His goes back to 2012 when the Bulldogs won the school's first state championship.

"My brother was part of that team," Peneston said, "and I was here cheering them on. I watched that and saw what it meant to South Callaway to win a state championship, and now in my senior year to come and do it, I understand what they felt."

Pure joy.

"I couldn't be more proud of these guys, I could be happier for them," Bulldogs head coach Heath Lepper said. "These guys are competitors. When they walked off the field last year, they started thinking about what they (had) to do from last year until this weekend, and they've done everything they needed to do to get it done."

And they got it done with a bang. This Final Four was all about the team from Mokane that inflicted Mo-pain on the opposition.

In less than 11 innings at the plate, the Bulldogs scored 14 runs. South Callaway pitchers, Peneston and junior Kaden Helsel in the semifinals, both pitched complete-game shutouts, allowing eight total hits, striking out 14 and walking none ... as in zero.

In addition, the Bulldogs showcased more defense than most third-world countries. They made all the routine plays Thursday, but high-quality plays were turned in by Helsel in center and Peneston, while sophomore shortstop Peyton Leeper pulled off two great plays.

Offense, pitching and defense ... ours is better than yours. A lot better.

Good morning, good afternoon and good night.

"I get goose bumps thinking about all three of them," Lepper said. "I can't put my finger on which one was best ... it just goes to show you how hard these guys work on every aspect of the game.

"It's a pleasure to watch them play."

Indeed.

"We've talked about it from the first practice on," Lepper continued, "it's 240 pitches (a rough average for the normal game). We have to be focused and attacking on 240 pitches, whether it's on the offensive side or the defensive side. If they're ready at the start of the pitch, then just let their instincts take over and have fun."

THIS GAME ONLY HAD 198 PITCHES and all the game's runs came on two pitches --- back-to-back pitches, no less  --- in the bottom of the third. The rally for the Bulldogs (28-5), who entered the postseason ranked No. 2, came on consecutive singles by sophomores Drake Davidson and Tyklen Salmons, the No. 7 and 8 hitters.

"We've been doing that from districts on, anybody in the lineup can get us started," Lepper said. "You go back and look at our last seven games and our hitters, 1 thru 9, have all started rallies for us. It hasn't been one or two guys."

With one out, the lineup turned over to Helsel, the leadoff man, who drilled a 2-1 pitch up the middle to score Davidson and make it 1-0.

"I'd seen him one time (Hawks' starter Austin Schmitt) and I was very confident," said Helsel, who walked his first at-bat. "I knew a fastball was coming and I drove it right back up the middle."

On the next pitch, Leeper drove one a lot farther than that, as his three-run shot to right-center made it 4-0.

"I was sitting fastball," Leeper said, "and he gave me one to hit."

It was the second home run in as many days for Leeper, which matched his season total. What's up with that?

"I don't know how I did it, I just did it," said Leeper, who also hit a three-run homer in the 10-0 rout of Knob Noster in Wednesday's semifinals. "I can't explain it ... and I can't explain how happy I am right now."

Helsel, who had a great view of the blast, had a hard time containing his happiness.

"I was right in front of second base ... I kind of got a little excited and jumped up in the air," Helsel said. "But it was awesome to see that thing go over the fence."

Peneston was on deck and did his own jumping for joy --- just probably not as high as Helsel.

"I knew it was out the second he made contact," said Peneston, who will play next season at Hannibal-LaGrange. "He took the weight off my shoulders with that one.

"Peyton and Kaden have been doing it all year. They've been a real force for us."

The major force the rest of the game was Peneston, because this outcome was never in doubt. Dominance? While he did give up five hits, the unranked Hawks (25-3) advanced only one baserunner --- one --- past first base, and he only made it to second.

"Even in warmups," Peneston said, "I was feeling pretty good. I had a little more on my fastball and a little more break on my curve ball. So coming out there, I  just wanted to throw strikes and get the job done."

That 4-0 lead may as well have been 24-0.

"When that kid's got the ball and we have a four-run cushion," Lepper said, "we're extremely confident. He hadn't walked more than two guys in any game all season, he was pitching down in the zone, he was pitching to contact and getting a strikeout here and there --- we just like our chances in that situation.

"Anybody who knows Graysan knows he's a special kid. He's great for the younger guys to look up to, he shows up and works hard every day, he gets there early and leaves late ... I couldn't be more proud of him."

With a big smile, Peneston has already laid down the challenge for next season.

"I know these young guys have a few more years in them," he said, "so I'm excited about coming back and watching them. They're going to do the same thing next year."

Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Graysan --- but having said that, he could very well be right. South Callaway's starting lineup Thursday (including the DH) featured one senior, four juniors, four sophomores and one freshman.

Setting a goal is one thing, but achieving it is another. And there's no shortcut.

"Our kids work harder than any team I've ever had," Lepper said. "We've got great players who have great work ethics and any time you have that combination, you're going to be able to do something special."

Mission accomplished.