Henson, Monroe overcome Early Disappointments

Along about December, Sean Henson was whiling away the hours doing things many high school sophomores do. Watching television, trying not to get speeding tickets and hoping his complexion didn’t go haywire.

And, like a lot of students, he didn’t spend as much time as he probably should have hitting the books, instead hitting on teen-age girls.

Henson, a lanky, 16-year-old, missed the first half of baseball season because of academic ineligibility, and watched from the stands as his Monroe High teammates muddled through what by all appearances seemed certain to be yet another disappointing season.

On April 24, however, the Vikings’ fortunes began to change. On that day, the 12-week point of the semester, Henson became eligible.

Of course, nothing changed very fast.

In his first few outings, the left-hander was as rusty as a playground swing. And even batters with playground swings were lighting him up.

“At first, he was a little shaky,” said Monroe Coach Kevin Campbell of Henson’s return. “He didn’t have great control, up until, I guess the last couple of games.”

Henson, who wears jersey No. 13, had his control, timing and pitches on the mark Thursday night, leading Monroe to a stunning 3-2 win over favored San Fernando in the City Section 4-A Division final at Dodger Stadium.

“I was doing a lot of things wrong,” Henson said. “I guess it just took some time to get back into it.”

Henson struck out a career-high 10, threw a complete-game five-hitter and was named the games most valuable player for his performance. If he looks this good at this age after this kind of layoff, what will he look like in a couple of years?

Henson, who flunked a Spanish class last semester, started the improbable Monroe scramble to the City title with a 4-2 first-round decision over Poly, the second-seeded team and a finalist last year. That outing helped spur the momentum that led the Vikings to upset wins over Banning and Canoga Park.

Against San Fernando, Henson (4-4) was the unlikely hero for the unlikeliest of teams--Monroe entered the game with a less-than-sterling 12-16 record, and was 5-10 in Mid-Valley League play.

Henson, who lost to the Tigers in league play, was sterling silver this time. San Fernando batters had trouble making contact, much less hitting safely. Henson struck out at least one batter in every inning: two in the first, two more in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, one in the sixth and one in the seventh.

And when he wasn’t hurting San Fernando from the mound, he hurt them at the plate. Henson drove in Monroe’s first run of the game with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth when Monroe took a 2-1 lead and also singled in the second.

Henson left plenty of San Fernando players high and dry. The Tigers left six runners on base. Somehow, discounting the Tiger fourth when runners were left at second and third, Henson never seemed to be in serious trouble.

“I was just thinking ‘Ground ball, just get out of it,”’ Henson said.

San Fernando’s Josh Bergara had the two hardest-hit balls off Henson. Bergara singled to left in the third and spanked a line drive right at second baseman Tom Konkel for an out in the fifth. The Tigers other hits were a looping single in the fourth by Andrew Munoz, a bloop single by Albert Torres and an RBI-single by Bobby Corrales, both in the fifth. Jesse Romero singled to first base in the seventh.

Romero, the potential tying run, stole second, but Henson got Richard Ortiz on a foul pop-up to third that ended the game.

The Tigers scored only one earned run, when Corrales singled home Torres in the fifth to tie it, 2-2. San Fernando’s other run came in the second, after a pair of errors on left fielder Joe Marquis allowed Chavez to score on a routine fly to left by Rudy Sanchez.

“I was just pumped up,” Henson said. “I figured I could do it if I just threw strikes.”

He did--right by 10 San Fernando batters.