Playing its first 17 games away from home should have been a disadvantage for Georgetown Prep. But somewhere on the long road to exotic outposts such as Cocoa Beach (Fla.), Mercersburg (Pa.) and Middleburg (Va.), the Little Hoyas discovered their identity.
What they found was a team of modest talent that exceeds the sum of its parts. By winning its first nine games in the Interstate Athletic Conference, Prep claimed the regular season title and earned the top seed in this week’s IAC tournament.
The Little Hoyas (22-5, 9-1 IAC) have done it with pitching, defense, and an amazing propensity to perform in the clutch. Prep is 8-1 in games decided by one run.
“Not having a field the first month of the season helped us greatly,” said Prep coach Kirk Krikstan. “We didn’t have a place to practice. We just got on the road and started playing games.”
The Little Hoyas former facility — wedged between a motor pool and a gymnasium — was a casualty of the massive renovations underway at the school. Nobody misses it. The new park is a lush, spacious field of green on higher ground in a pastoral setting on the vast Prep campus.
The Little Hoyas won their first four games there before losing in extra innings Thursday to Landon. Even in defeat, the Little Hoyas’ timing was impeccable. They had already clinched first place.
Prep charted the course for its success with a pair of victories, two days apart and both by one run, over defending conference champion St. Albans. In the process, Prep trumped Bulldog aces Will Krasny (Stanford) and Jeremiah Meiners (Coastal Carolina).
“That was the biggest win for us — to beat Meiners,” said Prep shortstop Matt Kneiss. “He no-hit us last year.”
True to form, Prep did it by coming from behind. The Little Hoyas scratched out single runs in the final three innings to win, 3-2.
“Kirk is the type of coach who forces other teams to make mistakes. He’ll steal, hit-and-run, bunt with two strikes — anything to keep the defense off balance,” said Bullis coach Doug Mayhew. “If a kid gets on base, He’ll find a way to get him home.”
Prep has leaned heavily on a veteran infield that returned intact from last season. Seniors David Dudish (third base), Andrew Aldrich (second) and Joe Seib (first) combine with Kneiss to form a tight, sure-handed unit.
Pitchers Tim Wallerstedt, a senior, and Brad Lipman, a sophomore, have been outstanding in their first year in the rotation. Neither is overpowering, but both throw strikes.
“They’ve been better than anyone could have imagined,” said Kneiss.
The statement could apply to all of the Little Hoyas.
Quality losses
» Two of Prep’s five losses came in March to Virginia private-school power Notre Dame. The scores were 5-4 and 2-0.
» Prep also lost to Mercersburg, which owns doubleheader sweeps of St. Albans, Good Counsel, and Bullis.
» Prep’s top hitters bat 3-4-5 in the lineup — catcher Chris Horning and outfielders Brett Depenbrock and Mark Minich.
