With Bellbrook assist, Oakwood earns rare title

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By Marc F. Pendleton, Staff Writer 10:09 PM Monday, June 6, 2011

It’s rare that Oakwood would ever root for rival Bellbrook in anything, but that’s what played out at the end of the baseball regular season.

Bellbrook had knocked Oakwood out 6-4 in the second round of the Division II sectional tournament. That finished Oakwood’s season at 14-5 overall and a Southwestern Buckeye League (Southwestern Division) leading 8-4. However, Eaton still had four league games remaining.

All Eaton had to do was beat Bellbrook in its final game to clinch an outright SWBL title; Bellbrook won, which meant that Oakwood and Eaton would share the hardware.

A consistently winning program and even the 1997 D-III state champion, it was Oakwood’s first league title in 56 years and only its second in school history.

“One day we’re rooting against (Bellbrook) and six days later we’re the biggest fans they’ve got,” said Oakwood coach Nathan Hyatt.

Oakwood senior pitcher/shortstop Hank Beasore was the Southwestern Division player of the year. Alex Corrado, younger brother of the state title team’s standout pitcher Rob Corrado, was the No. 2 pitcher.

Winning a league title “has been such a focus in the baseball program for so long,” Hyatt said. “There’s not a whole lot of second-place finishes, either. What I’m concerned is our banner will just unravel when they try to stitch (the 2011 title) on.”

Hyatt, a 1993 Oakwood grad, announced his impending resignation at midseason. A Vandalia-Butler City Schools teacher, he has since been hired as the football offensive coordinator at Chaminade Julienne.

The Oakwood baseball position remains open.

Pigskin Classic

Here’s a title that you’ll never read in a headline: The 28th Annual Miami Valley Football Coaches Association White Allen Pigskin Classic High School All-Star Football Game.

The game will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Welcome Stadium. Roy Thobe (Fairborn) is the South head coach; Dan McSurley (Clinton-Massie) is the North’s coach.

Presale tickets are available from the players.

Recent signees

• Brandon Reaman (Northmont) has signed to play football and baseball at Wittenberg. A wide receiver and outfielder, he was All-GWOC Central Division in both sports as a senior.

• Fairmont senior pitcher Charlie Jones will play baseball at Baldwin-Wallace. Jones (4-3) has struck out 51 in 49 innings this season, posted one shutout and has a 1.86 ERA.

• Oakwood’s Natasha Wahl has signed to swim at Ball State (NCAA, D-I). She placed in three events at this past season’s state swim meet, including a third-place 400-yard freestyle relay.

• Dixie wide receivers Tony Prater and Josh Bingham have signed with Kentucky Christian (NAIA), located at Ironton, Ky.

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