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COUGARS COLLEGE CHOICES
The following is a list of where former Cougars/Rhinos are headed to college:
(as of May 23, 2005)
CLASS OF 2004
Casey Trela- (East Meck High) UNC Chapel Hill
CLASS OF 2005
Brett Alter- (East Meck High) UNC Chapel Hill (club Baseball)
Dane Arneson- (Providence High) UNC Chapel Hill (Baseball walkon)
Kyle Barthelson- (Charlotte Christian) Virginia Tech (Baseball walkon)
Mitch Besselievre- (Providence High) College of Charleston (Baseball scholarship)
Wes Borden- (South Meck High) Appalachian State University/ Penn State (Baseball scholarship)
Jamar Brooks- (East Meck High) Troy State University / NC A&T
Taylor Bryant- (East Meck High) Western Carolina University/ UNC Charlotte
Josh Cable- (South Meck High) Belmont Abbey College (Baseball scholarship)
Ross Davidson- (East Meck High) UNC Wilmington (club Baseball/ Baseball walkon)
Cory Dunning- (Providence High) University of Louisville (Baseball scholarship)
Chad Heiliger- (East Meck High) Clemson University
Daniel Hill- (Charlotte Christian) Presbyterian College (Baseball scholarship)
Andy Hostutler- (East Meck High) North Carolina State University
Adam Kelly- (Providence High) Pellissippi State Community College / University of Tennessee
Zac Kennedy- (South Meck High) University of Alabama-Birmingham/ NW Shoals Community College/ Campbell University (Baseball scholarship)
Griffin McGuirt- (Charlotte Christian) Wake Forest University
Matt McNichol- (East Meck High) UNC Chapel Hill (Baseball walkon)
Jake Rayner- (East Meck High) UNC Pembroke (Baseball walkon)
Chris Saunders- (Hickory Grove Baptist) UNC Charlotte (club Baseball/ Baseball walkon)
Joey Savago- (East Meck High) UNC Chapel Hill (club Baseball/ Baseball walkon)
Chris Semones- (Charlotte Christian) Wake Forest University
David Simon- (Charlotte Christian) Western Carolina University
Chip Smith- (East Meck High) Appalachian State University (club Baseball)USSSA Baseball EA Ramsey Scholarship
CLASS OF 2006
Blake Besselievre- (Providence High) University of Mississippi
Zack Dunn- (Hickory Grove Baptist) St. Andrews College/ UNC Charlotte (Baseball)
Geoffrey Haigler- (Weddington High) Brevard College
Ryan Jennings- (Hickory Grove Baptist) Wingate University (Baseball)
Shane Ludwick- (East Meck High) Covenant College (Baseball)
Brian O'Dell- (East Meck High) East Carolina University
Justin Schumer- (East Meck High) UNC Asheville (Baseball scholarship)
David Scism- (Providence High) North Carolina State University
CLASS OF 2007
Matt Sheehan- (East Meck High) UNC Charlotte
CLASS OF 2008
Bennett Smith- (Goodpasture Christian) Lambuth University (Baseball scholarship)
CLASS OF 2014
Brooks Kennedy-
TBR Post 5/12/05
Congratulations
I was going to wait until after the season to post, but decided now was the right time. Several years ago, Ken Heiliger, Holger Hill and I put together a group of players out of the Matthews Little League, forming the Matthews Cougars. Of those "original" 13 players, 9 are playing significant roles on their High School teams and 7 were playing in the SW4A tournament last night. Those young men have grown up into not only solid players, but great citizens that the three of us are very proud of. I'm going to list them and their accomplishments, so please bear with me.
Charlotte Christian: Daniel Hill Sr. 3B-P- All State, signed with Presbyterian. Great kid that's had a great season. Team won their 4th straight State Championship.
Hickory Grove: Chris Saunders Sr. 3B-P- All State, pitched a complete game to put team in state finals. Has hit 5 home runs in the last two games and 7 on the year. Team won the State Championship. Will attend UNCC and walkon.
Providence: Cory Dunning Sr. CF- All conference player that is signing with Louisville. Had the game winning hit last night.
Mitch Besselievre Sr. P- Has evolved into one of the best pitchers in the conference. Pitched a 2 hit shutout last night and will play at the College of Charleston.
David Scism Jr. OF- All conference player that has speed to burn. Started the game winning rally last night.
South Meck: Zac Kennedy Sr. OF- 2 time all conference, great lead off hitter that has signed with UAB.
East Meck: Brett Alter Sr. P-1B- Has had a great season, one of the leagues best pitchers who also pitched a shutout last night. Brett will attend UNC Chapel Hill.
Joey Savago Sr. C- May be the best defensive catcher in the conference. Blocks everything and a great leader. Will attend UNC Chapel Hill.
Chip Smith Sr. 3B- Has worked to become one of the best defensive 3B in the conference. Has saved several games with his glove and scored the only run in last night's game. Chip will attend App State as a walk on baseball player.
While I'm extremely proud of these young men, I must also mention the 4 not playing any longer. David Simon is a varsity golfer at Charlotte Christian and will attend Western Carolina. Chris Semones is on the tennis team at Christian and will attend Wake Forest. Chad Heiliger was a varsity baseball player at East Meck until last year and is now focusing on his music. He will attend Clemson on an academic scholarship. Adam Kelly is the best catcher no longer playing. An all-conference football player at Providence, he will be attending the University of Tennessee.
These young men were special for a lot of reasons, but most of all because of their character. Best of luck guys.
Coach Smith
Matthews Cougars
TBR Followup Post 5/12/05
Follow up
One quick follow up. In addition to those "original" Cougars, several other young men played for us that I'm also very proud of. They are:
East Meck: Taylor Bryant- Sr. P-2B- will attend Westen Carolina
Matt McNichol Sr. LF- will attend UNC Chapel Hill
Andy Hostutler Sr. RF- will attend NC State
Jake Rayner Sr. P- has a full scholarship to UNC Pembroke.
Ross Davidson Sr. CF- will attend UNC Wilmington
Justin Schumer Jr. SS Matt Sheehan So. 1B-2B Shane Ludwick Jr. OF-P Brian Odell Jr. P-OF
Providence: Dane Arneson SS- will attend UNC Chapel Hill
Charlotte Christian: Griffin McGuirt Sr. LF- will attend Wake Forest
Kyle Barthelson Sr. LHP- will pitch at Virginia Tech next year.
Hickory Grove: Ryan Jennings Jr. IF-P- Has 9 home runs on the year.
Zack Dunn Jr. IF-C
South Meck: Wes Borden Sr. 2B- signed with App State
Josh Cable Sr. C- signed with Belmont Abbey
We were blessed to have a lot of good kids play with us. I only hope I didn't omit anyone.
Special mention to 4 I never coached but will always think highly of. Jack Magee & Scotty Fry at Myers Park and Daniel Foster & TJ Worrell at S Meck.
Got to know these 4 very well as opponents and they are every bit as special as "my guys".
Good luck to all of you.
Coach Smith
South Mecklenburg High School- 2005 State Finals- 2nd place finish 6/5/05
South Mecklenburg High School finished as the State Western Champions and were 2nd in the State, losing in the finals to DH Conley. The Sabres finished 24-8 on the season. Zac Kennedy finished as a three year starter and 2 time all-conference selection. Zac received a baseball scholarship to the University of Alabama Birmingham. Wes Borden was a two time all-conference selection at 2B and received a scholarship to Appalachian State University. Josh Cable was the Sabres starting catcher and received a scholarship to Belmont Abbey University. Good luck to these former Cougar/Rhinos as they head to college.
Providence High School- 2005 Elite Eight State Tournament- 5/30/05
Providence High School advanced to the Elite Eight of the State tournament before losing to South Meck. The Panthers finished the season at 25-5, winning the SW4A Conference Championship and the Conference Tournament Championship. Cory Dunning was a starter for the 3rd season, hitting over .400 for the year. He was the conference tournament MVP and an all-conference selection. Cory will attend the University of Louisville to play baseball. Dane Arneson started at SS and also batted over .400 for the season. Dane was an all-conference selection and will attend UNC Chapel Hill as a walk-on baseball player. Mitch Besselievre was the Panthers # 1 pitcher, finishing the season with an 8-3 record. Mitch was co-MVP of the conference and an all-conference selection. He will attend the College of Charleston on a baseball scholarship. David Scism will return in 2006 for his senior season after being an all-conference selection in 2004.
East Mecklenburg High School- 2005 Sweet 16 State Tournament 5/22/05
The Eagles advanced to the Sweet 16 of the State 4A Tournament by defeating North Mecklenburg 3-2 before losing to conference rival South Meck. The Eagles finished 16-12 and played in the Conference championship game for the 3rd straight year. Eight seniors left their mark as the team finshed with 69 Varsity wins and 26 JV wins in their 4 seasons. Three seniors (Brett Alter, Joey Savago & Matt McNichol) will be attending North Carolina Chapel Hill. Andy Hostutler will be attending North Carolina State while Ross Davidson heads to UNC Wilmington where he plans to walk on the baseball team. Taylor Bryant will be attending Western Carolina and Chip Smith will be heading to Appalachian State to walk on the baseball team, passing up a scholarship offer to NC Wesleyan. Jake Raynor will be attending UNC Pembroke to walk on the baseball team. Juniors Justin Schumer, Brian ODell & Shane Ludwick and sophomore Matt Sheehan will return in 2006 to lead the Eagles. Justin Schumer, Brett Alter and Matt McNichol were all-conference selections in 2005.
Charlotte Christian 2005 NCISAA 3A State Champions 5/15/05
Charlotte Christian captured their 4th straight State Championship by defeating Country Day twice, finishing the season 26-10. Kyle Barthelson pitched a no-hitter in the 1st round game against Greensboro Day and started the championship game on the mound. Daniel Hill was 2-4 in the championship game and recorded the save. Griffin McGuirt had 2 hits in the first round game to pace the offense. Congratulations to these former Cougars and best of luck as they head to college. Daniel will be playing baseball at Presbyterian College. Griffin will be attending Wake Forest University. Kyle will be playing baseball at Virginia Tech University.
Hickory Grove Lions- 2005 NCISAA 2A State Champions 5/14/05
The Hickory Grove Lions captured the 2005 State Championship by defeating Calvary Baptist 4-3 to finish the season 21-7. The Lions were undefeated in the tournament, beating Asheville Christian 7-3, Kerr-Vance Academy 9-3 and Calvary Baptist 9-1 and 4-3. Chris Saunders won two games on the mound and hit 2 home runs in the series, giving him 8 on the season. Ryan Jennings pitched one win and hit 2 home runs giving him 9 for the season. Zack Dunn had a 3-4 game against Asheville Christian. Chris Saunders and Ryan Jennings were named All-State. Chris finished the season hitting .500 (41-82, 8 HR) and was 5-4 on the mound with a 2.82 era. He will attend UNCC in the fall, walking on to the Baseball team. Ryan finshed the season at .442 (38-86, 9 HR) and was 7-1 on the mound with a 0.95 era. Zack finished the season at .270 (17-63). Ryan and Zack will return for one more season with the Lions in 2006. Congratulations and good luck to these former Cougars.
Cougars 2004 Summer schedule
The Cougars summer schedule includes 5 tournaments and approximately 25-30 games.
June 11-13 USSSA June Sizzler NIT Gastonia, NC
-11 vs. Southeast Charlotte Scorpions 8:30 pm @ Bessemer City High (W)
-12 vs. Ohio Storm 3 pm @ Bessemer City High (L)
-13 vs. Roberson Rams 1 pm @ Forest View High
June 17-20 Tenn. Baseball Classic Jefferson City, Tn
-17 vs. Knoxville Cardinals DC 5:30 pm @SE Baseball Complex (W)
-18 vs. Knoxville Cardinals DC 3 pm @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
-19 vs. Knoxville Cards 8:20 am @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
-19 vs. Western Mtn. Mustangs 12:45 pm @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
-20 vs. Western Reserve (Oh) 10:30 am @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
July 1-4 East Cobb Tournament Atlanta, Ga.
TOURNAMENT CANCELLED- RAIN
- 3 vs. Chapel Hill Panthers 9:00 am @ Walton High School
- 4 vs. Kennesaw Mustangs 9:00 am @ Chattahoochie High
- 4 vs. Jonesboro Diamonds 2:00 pm @ Chattahoochie High
July 15-18 Big South Classic Jefferson City, Tn
- 15 vs. Murfreesboro (Tn) Shoetiques 8:20 am @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
- 15 vs. Lexington (Ky) Angels 10:45 am @ SE Baseball Complex (L)
- 16 vs. Greeneville (Tn) Marlins 3:30 pm @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
- 17 vs. Springfield (IL) Stars 8:20 am @ SE Baseball Complex (L)
- 18 vs. Water Valley (Ms) Baseball 10:45 am @ SE Baseball Complex (W)
July 23-25 NC Wood Bat State Tnm. Mocksville, NC
- 23 vs. Fungo Red Sox 1 pm @ Rich Park (L)
- 24 vs. North Surry Hound Dogs 12:00 @ Rich Park (W)
- 24 vs. Southeast Charlotte Scorpions 2:30 pm @ Rich Park (W)
- 25 Semi-finals vs. West Forsyth Titans 1:30 @ Rich Park (L)
CAREER LEADERS-TOP 5
Matthews Cougars all-time career leaders through the fall 2004 season.
GAMES AB RUNS
1. Chip Smith-198 1. Chip Smith-514 1. Chris Saunders-133
2. Chris Saunders-189 2. Chris Saunders-510 2. Zac Kennedy-126
3. Joey Savago-168 3. Joey Savago-441 3. Chip Smith-113
4. Chad Heiliger-166 4. Chad Heiliger-415 4. Chad Heiliger-87
5. Brett Alter-158 5. Brett Alter-393 5. Joey Savago-84
HITS RBI SB
1. Chris Saunders-184 1. Chris Saunders-116 1. Zac Kennedy-101
2. Chip Smith-166 2. Joey Savago-95 2. Chris Saunders-91
3. Zac Kennedy-153 3. Chip Smith-71 3. Chip Smith-71
4. Chad Heiliger-147 4. Chad Heiliger-70 4. David Scism-66
5. Joey Savago-144 5. David Scism-60 4. Cory Dunning-66
AVG ASSISTS DP
1. Zac Kennedy-.404 1. Chip Smith-322 1. Chad Heiliger-50
2. David Scism-.386 2. Zac Kennedy-244 2. Chip Smith-47
3. Adam Kelly-.376 3. Chris Saunders-217 3. Zac Kennedy-35
4. Cory Dunning-.371 4. Joey Savago-176 3. Chris Saunders-35
5. Chris Saunders-.361 5. Brett Alter-138 5. Daniel Hill-16
5. Mitch Besselievre-.361
WINS SAVES ERA (min 50 ip)
1. Chad Heiliger-24 1. Zac Kennedy-15 1. Zac Kennedy-1.87
2. Chris Saunders-23 2. Chris Saunders-10 2. Chris Saunders-2.32
3. Brett Alter-18 3. David Simon-9 3. Chad Heiliger-2.63
4. David Simon-13 4. Chad Heiliger-7 4. Taylor Bryant-2.92
5. Taylor Bryant-11 5. Brett Alter-6 5. David Simon- 3.01
IP SO CONSECUTIVE GAMES PLAYED
1. Chris Saunders-271 1. Brett Alter-168 1. Chip Smith-198
2. Brett Alter-236 2. Chad Heiliger-134 2. Chad Heiliger-114
3. Chad Heiliger-199.2 3. Chris Saunders-128
4. David Simon-132.2 4. David Simon-92
5. Zac Kennedy-86 5. Taylor Bryant-82
Cougars Finish 5 Years of Excellence
The Matthews Cougars played the last two games in the team's 5 years of existence on October 24, 2004 against Lee County High School in Sanford, NC. Although the Cougars came up short in their last effort, the team compiled an excellent 128-80-3 record over the 5 years, including two State Championships and numerous tournament and league championships. Fittingly, the 4 leading hitters for the Cougars on their last day were the 4 remaining original Cougars. Chip Smith (3-5, run, rbi), Chris Saunders (2-6, rbi), Joey Savago (2-4, rbi) and Brett Alter (2-5) led the offensive attack. These 4 players accomplished quite a bit over their 5 years with the team and are among the team all-time leaders in numerous categories. Chip Smith has the distinction of playing in every game in team history (211 games including scrimmages). Good luck to all Cougars in their 2005 High School season.
Cougars 2004 Fall schedule
Tentative Fall schedule:
Sept 11-12 Impact Challenge Tnm Elon University
-11 vs. Carolina Sting 3:30 pm @ Guilford College
-12 vs. Impact Rookies 12:00 pm @ Elon University
-12 vs. Charlotte Megastars 3:30 pm @ Guilford College
Sept 25-26 Fall State Championship Gastonia, NC
-25 vs. Triad Titans 3:00 pm @ Hickory American Legion Field
-25 vs. SC Bombers 5:00 pm @ Hickory American Legion Field
-26 vs. Shelby Baseball 11:00 am @ Hickory American Legion Field
Oct 3 vs. Hickory Grove East Meck High School @ 2 pm
Oct 10 Doubleheader vs. United Eagles Asheboro, NC @ 2 pm
Oct 15-17 October Feast Tournament Concord, NC CANCELLED
Oct 24 Doubleheader vs. Lee Co. High Sanford, NC @ 1 pm
This schedule is subject to change.
Cougars finish 3rd in Fall State Championship (9/25/04)
The Cougars finished 3rd in the Fall State Championship at Hickory, NC, losing in the semifinals to a very determined Shelby team. Brett Alter pitched the opening win for the Cougars, going 4 innings and allowing 0 earned runs. Taylor Bryant recorded the save, striking out 3 in 1 1/3 innings. Jake Rayner and Ryan Jennings also pitched well in starting roles. Leading the offense for the Cougars were Taylor Bryant (3-6, HR), Chip Smith (3-9, 3 runs, 3 SB), Justin Schumer (3-9, 4 runs, 3B, 2 SB), Ryan Jennings (3-9, 2 2B), Chris Saunders (3-10, 3B, 4 rbi) and Joey Savago (2-9, 2B, 3 rbi).
Cougars finish 3rd in NC Wood Bat State Tournament 7/25/04
The Cougars finished 3rd in the 18u NC Wood Bat State Tournament, finishing 2-2. The Cougars received excellent pitching, allowing only 10 runs over 4 games but lost two low scoring games. Taylor Bryant allowed 0 earned runs and pitched a complete game in a losing effort to the Fungo Red Sox 4-0. Jake Rayner pitched a 1 hit shutout as the Cougars defeated the North Surry Hound Dogs 12-0. Chip Smith pitched his 1st game in 5 years, going 4 innings to get the win against the SE Charlotte Scorpions 6-5. Brett Alter was a tough luck loser in the semi-finals, pitching a complete game in a 1-0 loss to the West Forsyth Titans. Leading the hitters were Chris Saunders (5-12, 5 rbi), Joey Savago (4-12), Casey Trela (3-9), Ross Davidson (3-11), Brian O'Dell (3-11), Chip Smith (3-14), Taylor Bryant (2-7) and Andy Hostutler (2-7).
Cougars finish Big South Classic 3-2 (7/18/04)
The Matthews Cougars finished the Big South Classic in Jefferson City, Tn. with a 3-2 record. The Cougars defeated the Murfreesboro Shoetiques 19-3, Greeneville (Tn) Marlins 11-8 and Water Valley (Ms) 7-6. The Cougars lost a pair of 2 run games to the Lexington (Ky) Angels 2-0 and the Springfield (IL) Stars 5-3. Leading the hitters were Chip Smith (9-20, 6 r, 4 sb), Chris Saunders (7-19, 5 sb), Brian O'Dell (6-16), Andy Hostutler (6-16, 3 sb), Brett Alter (5-14, 3 sb), Joey Savago (5-16), Justin Schumer (5-18), Jake Rayner (4-14), Casey Trela (3-10), Ross Davidson (3-14, 5 rbi), Taylor Bryant (2-10, 2 HR) and Bennett Smith (1-4).
Taylor Bryant, Chris Saunders and Jake Rayner recorded the wins on the mound.
2004 COUGARS COACHES
(L-R) Joel Clark, Carter Smith, John Savago
Cougars claim Tennessee Classic Championship 6/20/04
The Cougars finished 5-0 in the Tennessee Classic Tournament in Jefferson City, Tn to claim the 16-18 division championship. The Cougars defeated the Knoxville Cardinals twice by scores of 12-5 and 8-6. The Cougars then defeated the Knoxville Cards 17-0, Western Mountain Mustangs 8-1 and Western Reserve (Ohio) 9-2. Taylor Bryant (2-0, 6 inn, 9 so, 1er), Jake Rayner (1-0, 5 inn, 3 so, 1 er), Justin Schumer (1-0, 1 save, 5 inn, 5 so, 0 er), Brian O'Dell (1-0, 3 inn, 3 so, 1 er), Chris Saunders (1 save, 2 inn, 3 so, o er), Brett Alter (1 save, 4 inn, 2 so, 5 er) and Ryan Jennings (1 save, 3 inn, 6 so, 0 er) provided the pitching for the Cougars.
The offense totaled 54 runs and 52 hits in the 5 games. Leading hitters were Chris Saunders (8-13, 8 r, 10 rbi), Justin Schumer (6-13), Chip Smith (5-12, 8 r, 4 sb), Ross Davidson (5-12, HR, 7 rbi), Andy Hostutler (4-11), Ryan Jennings (5-11), Brian O'Dell (4-12), Casey Trela (4-6, 4 rbi), Matt McNichol (3-6, 6 r), Joey Savago (2-4, 3 r), Taylor Bryant (2-6, 3 rbi) and Jake Rayner (3-11, HR).
Cougars place 3rd in NIT- 6/13/04
The Cougars placed 3rd in the rain shortened June Sizzler NIT, finishing 1-1 in the tournament. Taylor Bryant (4ip, 5 k, 3 er) was the winning pitcher in the 13-5 victory over SE Charlotte. Brian O'Dell (1 ip, 1 k, 0 er) finished the game to pick up the save. Jake Rayner (5 ip, 5 k, 1 er) was a tough luck loser in the 4-2 loss to the Ohio Storm. Chris Saunders (2 ip, 1 k, 2 er) closed the game for the Cougars. Leading the offense were Chip Smith (4-5, 2 r, 3 rbi, 2B, 2 sb), Taylor Bryant (4-5, r), Joey Savago (3-5, r, 3 rbi, 2B) and Justin Schumer (3-6, 2 r, 4 rbi). Brett Alter (2-6, 2 r, 2B), Ross Davidson (2-6, 2 rbi), Matt McNichol (1-4, 2 r, 2 rbi) and Andy Hostutler (1-3, r, sac) also contributed to the attack.
Charlotte Rhinos News (2003)
Citadel Classic
June 29, 2003 - -- The Charlotte Rhinos traveled to Charleston, SC to play in the Citadel Classic and finished 4th in the 10 team tournament. The Rhinos finished pool play at 3-1, losing only to the Middle Georgia Tigers by a run scored in the bottom of the 7th inning. The Rhinos defeated the Carolina Lookouts 1-0 in pool play, a team that currently has a 21-5-1 record. The Lookouts would go on to claim the co-championship of the tournament with the East Cobb A's. The Rhinos received complete game shutouts from Taylor Bryant and Chad Heiliger for two of their wins. Chris Saunders pitched 4 2/3 innings of 1-hit shutout relief to claim the 3rd win. DJ Lingefelt pitched 6 strong innings against the hard hitting Tigers and Brett Alter pitched 6 2/3 innings of excellent baseball against the Roswell Redwings in a losing effort in the 3rd place game. Leading the offense were Chris Saunders (5-12, 5 rbi, 2- 2B), Zac Kennedy (5-17, 4 r, 3 rbi), Joey Savago (4-11), Matt McNichol (4-12, 6 r), DJ Lingerfelt (4-9, 2 rbi), Chip Smith (4-12, 2B), Adam Kelly (3-7), Chad Heiliger (3-10, 3B, 2 rbi), Taylor Bryant (3-10, rbi) and Griffin McGuirt (4-16, 2- 2B, 2 rbi). Josh Cable scored 2 runs on 2 hits and Ross Davidson scored a run and drove in one on 2 hits.
Big South Classic- Jefferson City, Tn.
July 20, 2003 - -- The Rhinos played in an 18 and under tournament in Jefferson City, Tn., finishing with a 3-2 record. Brett Alter, Chad Heiliger and Taylor Bryant pitched complete game wins for the Rhinos. The Rhinos rallied from behind twice on the first day, defeating the Ron Hunt Independents from Missouri 5-3 behind Alter's complete game and came from 4 runs down in the 7th inning to defeat the Jackson Michigan team 7-6. Chad Heiliger pitched a complete game win, with Josh Cable driving home the winning runs. Chip Smith was 4-4 on the game. The Rhinos wasted a complete game effort by Chris Saunders in losing to the NE Georgia Storm from Athens, Ga. 6-1. Taylor Bryant's complete game win against the Pro Concepts team from Jefferson City, Tn gave the Rhinos their 3rd win of the tournament. The final game was a heartbreaking loss to the Norcross (Ga.) Blue Devils 3-2. Adam Kelly allowed only one earned run in 5 innings of work and deserved a better result. The Rhinos leading hitters for the tournament were Zac Kennedy (9-19, 4 r), Chip Smith (7-18, 3 sb), Chris Saunders (4-7, 4 rbi), Taylor Bryant (3-12, 3 rbi), Ross Davidson (3-12, 3 r), Joey Savago (3-13, 3 r), Josh Cable (3-13, 2 rbi) and Griffin McGuirt (3-16, 3 rbi).
Cougars ranked # 1 in NC, # 4 in Nation- 6/11/02
The Cougars are currently (6/11/02) the # 1 ranked USSSA team in N. Carolina. The Cougars are also ranked 4th nationally in USSSA, trailing the Kansas City White Sox, Texas (Houston) Tigers and San Diego Sharks. To see the full ranking go to the USSSA website at www.usssabaseball.org and click on rankings.
Cougars finish 2002 AABC State Tournament perfect 3-0
The Cougars entered the 2002 N. Carolina AABC State Tournament as the # 2 seed and finished the tournament undefeated, sweeping 3 opponents by a combined 34-2 score. The Cougars received three complete game pitching performances from David Simon, Chris Saunders and Taylor Bryant. The offense scored 34 runs on 32 hits and stole 20 bases in the tournament. The hitting leaders were Zac Kennedy (5-9, 4 sb), Joey Savago (5-7), Jamar Brooks (5-10, 5 sb), David Simon (4-6), Griffin McGuirt (4-7), Chip Smith (3-9), Taylor Bryant (2-4), Andy Hostutler (1-3, 4 r), Chad Heiliger (1-4, 3 r), Matt McNichol (3 r, 4 sb) and Kyle Barthelson (1 r, 2 bb, 1 sb). The Cougars finish the 2002 summer season at 23-12 and were 34-15 since beginning play as 15 year olds.
Cougars 2002 Coaches
The 2002 Coaching staff consists of:
Front row (L-R) Coach Savago, Coach Smith, Coach Kennedy
Back Row (L-R) Coach Simon, Coach Heiliger
Cougars place 4th in USSSA State Tournament
The Cougars traveled to Greenville, NC as the top seed in the 2002 USSSA State Tournament only to finish a disappointing 4th overall. The Cougars lost to the always tough Triangle Thunder 4-2 to open the tournament, wasting a complete game performance by Chris Saunders. The Cougars rebounded behind Chad Heiliger's 2 hitter and Griffin McGuirt's save, defeating the Surry Stampede 9-1. In the quarterfinal round the Cougars lost a 6-0 lead to the Caldwell Spartans, dropping the game 10-9. In the consolation bracket the Cougars defeated the Stampede 6-4 behind the piching of Brett Alter, David Simon and Griffin McGuirt. Offensive leaders in the tournament were Chris Saunders (7-12, 5 r, 2B, 4 sb), Chip Smith (4-9, 2B), Chad Heiliger (4-10, 2B), Zac Kennedy (4-12, 3 r, 2B, 4 sb), Griffin McGuirt (4-11), Jamar Brooks (3-11, HR, 3 sb), Joey Savago (3-8), Taylor Bryant (2-7), Andy Hostutler (2-8, 5 r, 2 sb), David Simon (2-8), Brett Alter (2-3) and Matt McNichol ( 3 r, 3 sb).
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COUGARS HEADED TO WORLD SERIES
The Matthews Cougars secured a bid to the USSSA 2002 World Series by winning the Awards Express/ Pepsi National Invitation Tournament in Winston Salem. The Cougars finished a perfect 4-0 by defeating the Triad Thunder 5-2, Smith & Wright Baseball 11-6 in 11 innings, Yadkin Valley Fear 8-5 and the Surry Stampede 10-0 in the championship game. Chris Saunders pitched a complete game to win game 1, finishing with a 3-hitter. Game 2 against Smith & Wright was a 5 hour marathon including a 2 hour rain delay and 11 innings to complete. Zac Kennedy, Chad Heiliger and Brett Alter combined to pitch the win. In the semi-finals, the Cougars overcame a 5-3 deficit to rally for an 8-5 win. David Simon pitched a complete game 3-hitter, allowing 0 earned runs and striking out 7 to get the win. The Championship game was all Brett Alter, as he pitched a no-hitter, striking out 8 in the 10-0 win. The Cougars collected 34 runs on 44 hits in the tournament and stole 21 bases. Hitting leaders were Matt McNichol (11-16, 4 2B, 1 3B), Jamar Brooks (6-12, 1 2B, 2 3B), Zac Kennedy (6-16, 2 2B), Chris Saunders (5-10, 2 3B), Joey Savago (4-12, 2 2B), Griffin McGuirt (3-9, 1 HR), Chip Smith (3-10, 1 3B)and Andy Hostutler (2-7). The Cougars will head to Winter Haven, Fl. July 21-28 to play in the USSSA World Series.
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Cougars add Batboy for 2002
The Matthews Cougars 2002 team has added a full time batboy to their team roster. Brooks Kennedy, a rising first grader at Pineville Elementary School has stepped in as the team's batboy. Brooks has become a favorite of the fans, opposing teams and umpires. In fact, several teams have tried copying the Cougars by adding batboys from the stands during games, but none have matched Brooks hustle and performance. He always makes sure players get the correct bat, helping the team to a high batting average.
High School Update 4/20/02
In response to several requests, I am going to post an update on our High School players to date.
Hickory Grove- Chris Saunders team is currently 4-4 on the season. Chris is starting at SS and also pitching. He currently is hitting better than .600 with 3 home runs on the season.
Charlotte Christian- Christian's JV team is playing close to .500 ball on the season. Daniel Hill is starting at SS and hitting very well, batting around .300. David Simon is currently injured, but had been starting at 1B and also pitching. He was also hitting well, getting 2 hits against Hickory Grove with one of them a triple. Griffin McGuirt is starting in CF and pitching and is among the team leaders in batting average. He pitched 5 strong innings against Hickory Grove to get the win.
South Meck- Zac Kennedy is starting at SS and batting leadoff for the Sabre's JV team. S Meck's record is 11-1-1, I think. Zac is hitting around .350 and playing an outstanding defensive SS. Zac played with the varsity in the Easter tournament, stealing several bases as a pinch runner.
East Meck- The Eagles varsity has a 16-2 record and lead the conference. Joey Savago is a back up catcher for the varsity and has contributed several key hits. I think he is 3-10 on the year, but I may be off.
The Eagles JV record is 6-6. Chad Heiliger is starting at 1B and pitching. His ERA is somewhere around 2.00 and he recently retired all 8 batters he faced in defeating Butler 1-0. Brett Alter is starting at 3B and pitching. He has several key hits and has played an outstanding 3B. Brett also played a couple of games with the varsity, going 2-3. Chip Smith is starting at 2B and hitting over .300. He also has played excellent defense, making only one error on the year. Jamar Brooks is starting at SS and has combined with Chip to turn 4 double plays. Jamar is leading the team in hitting, batting around .450. Matt McNichol is starting in CF and hitting over .300. Matt has also played several varsity games, getting playing time in RF and pinch running. Andy Hostutler has started several games in RF and played excellent defense while contributing several key hits, including a triple against Waddell.
Providence- Several ex-Cougars have led Providence JV to a 10-1 record, undefeated in conference play. Cory Dunning is starting in CF, Adam Kelly is starting at 3B, Dane Arnesen is starting at SS and Mitch Besselievre is the DH and also playing 1B. Mitch had 3 hits against Butler with Cory adding another.
S Charlotte Middle- Ex- Cougar David Scism is playing very well as the CF for S. Charlotte and had a big game against Crestdale in a 2-1 win. I'm not sure of their record, but I'm sure they have a good one.
COUGARS COMPLETE SUCCESSFUL 2001 SEASON
The Matthews Cougars completed a successful 2001 season with an appearance at the AABC Southeast Regional in Rex, Ga. The Cougars completed the season with a 34-15 record (43-18-1 since beginning play as 14 year olds). The Cougars completed the season with a gold medal at the AAU New Year Classic and Silver medals at the AAU Spring Shootout and Grand Slam tournaments. They also captured the first ever AABC of the Carolinas Regular Season Championship with a 17-2 league record. They followed this up with the first ever AABC North Carolina State title and a trip to the AABC Southeast Regional. The Cougars will resume play at the 15 year old level in the fall, playing a 16 game AABC schedule.
COUGARS CLAIM 2001 AABC STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Matthews Cougars battled their way out of the losers bracket to claim the 2001 AABC State Championship. The team finished the tournament 4-1 and now have a season record of 34-13. Zac Kennedy and Chris Saunders pitched complete games to claim the final two victories. The Cougars offense was led by Adam Kelly (8-18), Chad Heiliger (7-15), Cory Dunning (7-16), Zac Kennedy (7-18), Joey Savago (6-12), Chip Smith (6-15) and Mitch Besselievre (5-10). The Cougars will now advance to the AABC Southeast Regional in Rex, Ga. August 1-5. The team will open with Georgia.
Matthews Baseball Remains Strong
The 2001 season was an outstanding one for Matthews youth baseball. While some have said the dominance of previous years has passed and other youth organizations have caught up or passed Matthews by, the records don't support it.
The following age groups won championships in 2001:
9 year olds- Matthews Rangers USSSA State Championship.
9 year old- Matthews National All-Stars LL District Champions.
10 year old- Matthews National All-Stars LL District and State Champions.
11 year old- Matthews American All-Stars LL District Champions.
12 year old- Matthews National All-Stars LL District and State Champions.
13 year old- Charlotte Bearcats- AABC State Champions.
14 year old- Matthews Cougars- AABC State Champions
14 year old- Matthews Babe Ruth All-Stars District Champions.
15 year old- Matthews Mudcats AABC State Champions
16 year old- Matthews Babe Ruth All-Stars District and State Champions.
All in all another very successful season for Matthews youth baseball.
2001 AAU STATE QUALIFIER
The Cougars headed into Kinston, NC as the 5th rated team in the state and lived up to expectations by winning 3 of 4 games and qualifying for the State Championships June 21-25 in Concord, NC. The Cougars dropped a 9-7 contest to 6th seed Triangle Thunder in the opener before winning their final three games decisively to advance. The team pounded out 51 hits and scored 42 runs in the four games. Chip Smith (8-12) and Chris Saunders (8-16) led the hitters with Zac Kennedy (7-15) right behind. Chad Heiliger posted two wins, pitching 8 innings and allowing only one earned run. Brett Alter claimed the other victory pitching 5 innings and allowing only two earned runs. Zac Kennedy, Adam Kelly and Chris Saunders each saved one of the wins. The Cougars now enter the State Championships with a 32-11-1 record playing as 14 year olds.
May 18, 2001
Congratulations to Mitch Besselievre and Chip Smith on winning awards at the Crestdale Spring Sports Banquet. Mitch won the Most Improved Player award for the Baseball team after having an outstanding school season, batting over .500 with a home run. Chip received the Wildcat award for all around Sportsmanship and leadership. Congratulations to both players.
Cougars claim second straight runner up trophy
The Cougars continued their good play by playing in their 2nd straight AAU championship game. The Cougars finished as runnerups in the Spring Shootout in Concord, NC and also finished 2nd in the Grand Slam Tournament in Concord. The team is now 24-9-1 since entering play at the 14 year old level with one tournament championship. The team now stands in 5th place in the State in the AAU points race despite playing only 8 of 24 tournaments. The team will now concentrate on their AABC schedule where they are currently in 1st place with a 5-0 record.
Middle School Final Update-May 9, 2001
Albermarle Road-
The Hornets finished the season at 4-7 and in 4th place in the Eastern League. Zac Kennedy- SS and P led the team with a batting average over .400 and 35 stolen bases, two short of a school record.
Crestdale-
The Wildcats finished the season 9-2-1 and in 2nd place in the Eastern League. Eight Cougars contributed heavily to the 2nd place finish, led by C-RF Mitch Besselievre with over a .500 average and a home run. Adam Kelly, C-P and Cory Dunning, CF each batted over .400 on the season. Chad Heiliger, 1B-P and Brett Alter, LF each batted over .350. The remainder of the starting infield, 3B Joey Savago, SS Daniel Hill and 2B Chip Smith all batted over .300 for the season.
Hickory Grove Baptist-
The Lions finished the season with an 8-4 record. Chris Saunders led the offense, batting over .600 with 3 home runs. Chris was also the ace of the pitching staff.
South Charlotte-
The Shockers finished 4-6 to place 4th in the Southern League standings. David Scism, CF batted over .400 with a home run to lead the offense.
Middle School Update- April 12
Albermarle Road-
The Hornets were 1-1 on the week, defeating Eastway and losing to McClintock 8-2. The Hornets enter spring break with a 4-5 record.
Crestdale-
Crestdale dropped a key conference match to McClintock 13-10 in 8 innings before defeating Randolph 11-5. Leading the offense in the McClintock game was Adam Kelly with 3 hits while Brett Alter and Cory Dunning added 2 hits each. In the victory over Randolph, Joey Savago pitched 4 strong innings to claim the win with Adam Kelly finishing the game to record the save. Mitch Besselievre had 3 hits, including a home run to pace the hitters. Chad Heiliger added an inside the park home run for the 'Cats. Chip Smith returned to the lineup from injury and played a solid 2nd Base. Daniel Hill should return to his shortstop position for the next game. The Wildcats are now 6-2-1 on the season.
Hickory Grove Baptist-
The Lions lost to Holy Trinity for their first loss of the year but rebounded by defeating Covenant Day 7-6. Chris Saunders pitched 5 innings to post the win and also led the offense with 2 home runs and 4 rbi. Hickory Grove is now 5-1 headed into spring break.
South Charlotte-
The Shockers had a tough week, losing to Carmel and Alexander Graham 8-6. David Scism led the hitters versus AG, going 2-3 with a run and two stolen bases. South Charlotte is now 3-5 on the season.
Middle School Update- April 4
Albermarle Road-
The Hornets lost two games this week, losing a non-conference game to Smith and dropping a 7-1 game to Randolph. Zac Kennedy pitched 5 innings against Smith, striking out 9. Zac also pitched 4 innings in relief against Randolph, striking out 6 while allowing no hits. At the plate, Zac was 1-2 and stole home for the team's only run. Albermarle Road is now 3-4 on the year.
Crestdale-
The Wildcats defeated South Charlotte 14-6 in a non-conference battle on Monday. Chad Heiliger had 3 hits to lead the offense. Cory Dunning and Adam Kelly each added two hits. Mitch Besselievre had a base hit while Joey Savago and Brett Alter each scored runs. The Wildcats dropped their first game of the year Wednesday as Northeast won 9-2. Mitch Besselievre's rbi double was the one bright spot for the 'Cats. Daniel Hill and Chip Smith were both out with injuries. Crestdale's record drops to 5-1-1.
Hickory Grove Baptist-
The Lions defeated Charlotte Christian 7-4 to remain undefeated at 4-0. Chris Saunders had an rbi triple and pitched the final two innings to close out the win.
South Charlotte-
The Shockers dropped two games this week, losing to Crestdale 14-6 and losing a conference battle to Carmel 7-6. David Scism had 2 hits and 3 stolen bases against Crestdale. David also played an outstanding defensive CF, making several big catches and throwing out one baserunner. David added a base hit against Carmel. The Shockers are now 3-3 on the year.
Middle School Update- March 29
Albermarle Road-
The Hornets lost to Northeast 9-3 and Crestdale 10-3 this week to drop their conference record to 2-2. Zac Kennedy pitched a complete game against Crestdale, pitching much better than the score indicated. He allowed only 3 earned runs while striking out 5. At the plate, Zac led the hitters with 2 hits, 2 runs and 3 stolen bases.
Crestdale-
The Wildcats began the week with a 34-0 win over Eastway. Brett Alter started on the mound, striking out 3 in one inning and was followed by Adam Kelly who pitched 3 innings, striking out 8. Mitch Besselievre led the hitters with 4 hits and 4 rbi, with Chip Smith adding 3 hits and 4 rbi. Cory Dunning, Brett Alter, Adam Kelly and Joey Savago had 2 hits each. Chad Heiliger had a 1-1 day at the plate.
The Wildcats defeated Albermarle Rd. 10-3 to remain undefeated at 3-0-1. Chad Heiliger was the winning pitcher allowing no earned runs in 3 innings. Adam Kelly and Cory Dunning paced the hitters with 2 hits each. Brett Alter added a base hit to the attack. Joey Savago had a key rbi and Chip Smith scored 2 runs for the 'Cats.
Eastern League Standings at mid-season:
Crestdale 3-0-1
Northeast 3-1
McClintock 2-1-1
Albermarle Rd. 2-2
Randolph 1-3
Eastway 0-4
Hickory Grove Baptist-
The Lions defeated Covenant Day twice, 3-2 and 6-0. They also defeated Country Day 12-2. Chris Saunders pitched 4 innings in getting the win against Covenant Day, pitching a near no-hitter. At the plate Chris leads the Lions, going a perfect 9-9 so far. The Lions are now 3-0 on the season.
South Charlotte-
S. Charlotte won two game on the week, defeating Smith and Kennedy (16-6) to move their record to 3-1. David Scism paced the hitters against Kennedy with a triple and several hits.
Middle School Update- March 22
Albermarle Road-
The Hornets defeated Eastway 23-0 to remain undefeated in the conference at 2-0. Zac Kennedy paced the winners with 4 hits.
Crestdale-
The Wildcats fell behind 7-0 at McClintock before rallying for 7 runs to tie the game at 7 all. The game would end in a tie as the game was called after 7 innings due to darkness. Chad Heiliger came in to pitch with the score 7-0 and threw 3 2/3 innings of 1 hit ball, striking out 6. Cory Dunning led the hitters with 2 hits while Brett Alter and Adam Kelly added one hit each. Joey Savago and Chip Smith kept rallies going and Daniel Hill had a key rbi. The Wildcats remain undefeated in the conference at 1-0-1.
Hickory Grove Baptist-
The Lions were rained out again and are still trying to get their season started.
South Charlotte-
South Charlotte lost to conference rival Quail Hollow to even their conference record at 1-1. David Scism was 2-3 at the plate for the Shockers.
Middle School Update- March 16
Albermarle Rd.-
Opened the season with a 2-1 non-conference loss to Smith. Zac Kennedy pitched a 1 hitter for Albermarle Rd., striking out 6 and allowing 2 unearned runs.
We'll try and give you more offensive and defensive support with the Cougars. Wednesday Albermarle Rd. posted their first conference win, defeating Randolph 3-1. Zac was 1-1, scored 2 runs and stole 4 bases.
Crestdale-
Played S. Charlotte in a non-conference game and led 3-1 after 4 complete innings when the game was called due to rain. Brett Alter and Cory Dunning had two hits to lead the hitters, while Chip Smith added an rbi hit and Adam Kelly also singled. Daniel Hill & Joey Savago played excellent defense at ss and 3b. Crestdale's 2nd game was a 10-1 win over Northeast. Adam Kelly led the hitters with 3 hits and Cory Dunning scored two runs. Mitch Besselievre added a 2 rbi hit while Joey Savago and Chip Smith also scored runs for the Wildcats. Daniel Hill and Chip Smith made several good plays at ss and 2b and Chad Heiliger pitched 3 shutout innings to get the save.
Hickory Grove Baptist-
Both scheduled games this week were rained out. Good luck to Chris Saunders in next week's season opener against Covenant Day.
S. Charlotte-
Opened the season against Crestdale in a rain shortened game. David Scism made several good catches in CF and also had a hit. In their conference opener against Carmel, David Scism broke up a scoreless game in the bottom of the 7th inning with a game winning HOME RUN. Congratulations David on your first middle school HR.
Feb. 2, 2001
Three Cougars participated in the Middle School Hitting League at Grand Slam Academy. The team of David Simon, Cory Dunning and Joey Savago finished the regular season as the league's number 1 team. David Simon won the league batting championship and Cory Dunning finished 2nd overall. Joey Savago placed 6th overall to round out an excellent year. The team proceded to win the overall championship by sweeping two playoff games by large margins. Dunning and Savago again paced the team and received help from fellow Cougar Chip Smith, subbing for David Simon in the playoffs. Congratulations to these Cougars for claiming the championship trophys.
Cougars win 2000 New Year Challenge
October 1, 2000
The Matthews Cougars claimed their first ever AAU tournament championship with a 4-1 victory over the Foothills Flames at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium in Kannapolis. The Cougars defeated always tough Catawba Valley in the semi-finals to set up the championship matchup. The Cougars made only 7 errors in the 4 tournament games and their pitchers tossed two shutouts in going thru the tournament 4-0.
By winning the New Year Challenge they qualify to participate in the season ending Tournament of Champions event consisting exclusively of tournament finalists.
July 11, 2000
Congratulations on the following Cougars being selected to the Babe Ruth 13 year old all star team:
Mitch Besselievre C-P, Cory Dunning CF, Chad Heiliger P-1B, Daniel Hill LF-SS, Zac Kennedy SS-P, Chris Saunders 3B-P-RF, Joey Savago RF-SS-C, Chris Semones 2B, David Simon 3B-P-1B, Chip Smith 2B-3B. Congratulations also to three additional players selected after an outstanding Babe Ruth season. They are Brad Heard P-1B, Will Kincaid OF and Matt S. Smith OF. The team begins district play on July 12th against Park Sharon. So that family and friends may keep up with the progress of the team, we will post scores on this site.
July 10, 2000
The Cougars finished an outstanding first year in AAU competition, finishing in a 5th place tie in the State Finals. The team defeated some outstanding teams during the course of this first year and should have an even better year in 2001.
Cougars advance to State Tournament
The Cougars traveled to Kinston, NC for the AAU State Qualifier and finished 2-1 in their pool for a 2nd place finish, allowing them to advance to the State Tournament. The Cougars dropped the opener to a very good Raleigh Renegades team and had their backs against the wall. The Cougars next faced the Eastern Lenoir Cobras, the # 2 ranked team in the state. After getting behind by 6 runs early in the game, the team rallied to take an 8-7 win. Chris Saunders pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and the defense was outstanding. In the final game against the Caldwell Cobras, the Cougars again came from behind, trailing 1-0 in the 5th inning before a perfectly placed bunt by Brett Alter started the offense. The Cougars scored Chris Saunders from first as the catcher made a throwing error and Alter scored next on a Joey Savago single. The Cougars added insurance in the 6th as David Simon and Chris Saunders scored on a throwing error and a Chipper Smith RBI single. Brett Alter, Chad Heiliger and David Simon combined to pitch the win.
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