STATE CHAMPIONS: J.J. Kelly Notebook

RADFORD, Va. — J.J. Kelly pitcher Justin Wilson echoed the sentiments of his teammates on Saturday following the Indians’ 14-9 victory over Essex in the finals of the Virginia High School League Group A state baseball tournament.

“It’s a great feeling,” Wilson said.

The great feeling was due in large part to the fact Wilson was great on the mound.

If the VHSL presented a most valuable player award for the Group A state tournament, Wilson probably would have taken home the hardware.

The hard-throwing right-hander earned the start and dominated in earning the victory on Friday against Luray in the state semifinals. He also earned the win in relief on Saturday in the state title game, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Wilson had thrown 86 pitches on Friday in the scorching heat, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning and overpowering Luray batters during a 15-1 victory. He made himself available on Saturday after Kelly starter Cody Bentley and reliever Zak Sturgill encountered some early problems.

“I told [J.J. Kelly coach David Wyrick] when Cody was struggling, put me in and I’ll throw and do what I could,” Wilson said.

Wilson (7-1) allowed an inherited runner to score in the fourth on a wild pitch. However, Essex managed just two singles against the senior the rest of the way. Wilson finished with four strikeouts and never appeared fatigued.

“It’s this right here,” Kelly catcher Griffin Kopp said of his batterymate, pointing to his chest. “It’s heart. He’s got it.”

Wilson also wasn’t worried after Essex jumped out to a 9-5 lead.

“We got hot at the end,” Wilson said. “I knew we were going to win.”

Meanwhile, Wyrick gave credit to Wilson’s workmanlike performance.

“He pitched his hind-end off,” Wyrick said. “I told him after that game I couldn’t be prouder of anybody than I am of him. He came here as a ninth grader unsure of himself and he walks away here today, he’s a man.”

Drought Over
J.J. Kelly became the first state baseball champion from Southwest Virginia since John Battle claimed the state crown in 2001. Ironically, Battle beat J.J. Kelly in the state finals that year.

Regions A and B had combined to win the last six Group A state baseball titles. However, Kelly brought the title back to the area on Saturday.

“We play awfully good baseball in Region D,” Wyrick said. “I had three or four area coaches call me coming up here. They were wishing me luck and wanted us to bring it back to Southwest Virginia and Region D. That means a lot. Region D sticks together.”

It was the ninth state baseball title in school history for Kelly as the 2008 version of the Indians join the 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1998 teams as Group A’s best.

Good Kopp

Kopp combined to go 8-for-9 with a walk and four RBIs in the state semifinals and finals. His production at the plate meant a lot of work for junior Robert Van Gundy, who served as Kopp’s courtesy runner.

Kopp also provided a calming presence from his catcher position.

“[The pitchers] battled all day,” Kopp said.

While Kelly’s catcher hit all weekend.

Tone Setter

Like he has all season, J.J. Kelly’s Matt Dotson delivered key plays from his leadoff position for the Indians on Saturday.

Dotson had a RBI groundout in the fifth inning, drove in the go-ahead run during Kelly’s five-run sixth inning and added a insurance run with a RBI single in the seventh inning.

He also walked and scored during the first inning.

Bouncing Back

J.J. Kelly actually suffered a 7-6 loss to Honaker in the finals of the Region D tournament. However, the Indians bounced back with impressive wins over Glenvar, Luray and Essex in the state tournament.

“We didn’t want to lose there, but Honaker deserved to win that and outplayed us,” Wyrick said. “I think that kind of gave us a little charge we needed to step it up and we did.”

Long Time Coming

Saturday’s victory also had to be sweet for J.J. Kelly assistant coach Chad Longworth. Longworth was a star slugger/pitcher for the Indians when they lost in the state finals in 2001 and 2002.

So Long

Saturday’s game marked the end of the high school careers of five Kelly seniors – Bentley, Wilson, Kopp, Chris Strouth and Zach Clifton.

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