North Broward Prep Makes County Proud, Comes Up Short In State Title Bid

North Broward Prep fell 5-0 to Pensacola Catholic in their state semi-final game on Wednesday night.

The game of baseball can be humbling at times. Just when all the breaks appear to be going in a team’s favor, a pitcher comes along and slows momentum. That pitcher on Wednesday night was Pensacola Catholic’s Cody Alling. The Crusaders’ ace was too much to handle, even for a hot hitting North Broward Prep team.

The Eagles advanced farther this season than any other team in school history, but their state title hopes ended in a 5-0 loss to Pensacola.

Even with the loss, the Eagles captured the hearts of not only their own fans, but fans all across Broward County.

“I’m proud of my kids. I love them,” said an emotional Eagles Head Coach Brian Campbell after the game. “They’ve given me the best year of my professional career, and they’ve represented this school outstandingly.”

The Crusaders struck first in the opening frame, giving Alling the only run he would need on this evening. After Eagles starter Kevin Fagan struck out JonJon Burkett to start the game, Chase Kiefer drew a walk. A ground out moved Kiefer to second, and the Crusaders’ shortstop came home on a single by clean-up hitter Blake Quillin. Fagan struck out Trey Halstead to end the inning.

Many in attendance were surprised that is was Fagan, and not NBP ace Josean Lazaro that started the game. Lazaro had been nursing an injury, and the decision was an easy one for Campbell.

“He wasn’t ready,” said Campbell. “He had a lat injury. In good conscience I couldn’t put him out there knowing that he was hurting…I’m going to do what’s right for that young man, and I’m not gonna be selfish and put him out there.”

After the first inning run, Fagan settled into a groove on the mound, striking out four of the six batters he faced in the second and third innings. Still, the Eagles offense could not solve Pensacola starter Cody Alling, who set down NBP in order in each of the first three innings.

In the fourth, Quillin struck again, scorching a lead-off double to left, for his second hit of the game. Halstead then made a bid up the middle for a hit, but second baseman Anthony Valeo had other ideas, making a dazzling play for the inning’s first out. Quillin moved to third on the play, and scored on an error.

The error was only the start of the trouble for NBP in the fourth. Cody Henry followed with a double to left, and Chad Westlake launched a mammoth home run, upping the lead to 5-0. That ended Fagan’s night on the mound. The Crusaders would add one more hit in the inning, but James McGhee was stranded at second.

In the home half of the fourth, the Eagles’ Josean Lazaro picked up his second hit of the game, a single to deep short. After a Justin Bard ground-out, Lazaro stole third, but was stranded when clean-up hitter Mike Vigliarolo chopped one back to the mound for the third out.

With the offense struggling to figure out Alling, Sarkis Ohanian was called on to keep North Broward Prep close. The senior did just that, throwing three innings of shutout ball, including a strike out of Quillin, who was 3-for-3 coming into his final at-bat.

In the seventh, NBP had one final shot, but they went down one, two, three.

And just like that their magical season had come to an end.

After the game, emotions were running high for the team that has made Broward proud.

“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” said Vigliarolo, speaking about his team’s tremendous season. “Everyone doubted us, and it brought us close together. It definitely was some of the best moments of my life.”

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