By DAVE BELCHER
The Progress
The Moapa Valley High School baseball team is experiencing something of a blast from the past this season. Due to ongoing construction on the Pirates’ home field, the team will be playing on the baseball diamond at Mack Lyon Middle School in Overton.
This was actually the home field for Pirate baseball prior to 1993 when the new MVHS campus was built in its current location. The field has seen a lot of key moments in Pirate baseball history, and there will be room for a few more this season.
This year’s Pirate team has lost some experience from last year including much of their leadership. But the team looks to build this year. And with some help from the talented younger players the Pirates could even be in the hunt for the state tournament.
“We will have a strong pitching staff this year,” said MVHS head coach Justin Williams. “Garrett Hadley, Lucas Pettingill, Tahj Totten, Logan Schouten, Trent Wadswoth and freshman Derek Nava should all be strong for us.”
Totten, Dane Overson, Wadsworth, Dalton Marshall and Charlemagne Serrano will play important roles. “We will rely on Lucus and Tyson and the seniors to lead us,” Williams said. “When we put it all together we will be fun to watch.”
There is a lot of excitement for some of the vintage Pirate baseball players of a generation back as the lights on the old field of Moapa Valley High School are switched on again.
It was 47 years ago, in 1977 to be exact, that the Pirates last won a state baseball title. Just the second one ever for the school. And it was on that same field.
No, it’s not surrounded by corn stocks where players from the past will step out asking ‘Is this heaven?’.
But a few from that championship team may be watching this season from the stands of the old field and reliving the past. The 1977 team included Rod Leavitt, Mike Lewis, Jan Newman, Terry Stewart, Wayne Phillipenas, Robin Ozaki, Barry Holifield, Shannon Yada, Eloy Dominguez, Gabe Arias, Brad Case, Darrel Goodman, Penn Leavitt, Kenny Dotson, Greg Waite, Randal Ozaki; as well as coaches Gary Batchelor and Alan Lewis.
On that day in May, the Pirates beat Battle Mountain 5-1 and 5-3 to sweep the defending state champion Longhorns in a best of three series.
Maybe, just maybe, that magic will return as the Pirates return to their vintage “Field of Dreams” for a season! At least that is what the fans are hoping.
By the way, watch out for ghosts!
