Section 3-A Baseball Final Preview : Helix, Mt. Carmel Know the Feeling of Being There

Jerry Schniepp was a freshman catcher on the Grossmont College baseball team in 1982, one year removed from Helix High School. He was in the stands as Helix and Mt. Carmel played for the San Diego Section 3-A championship.

“I remember Mt. Carmel was up by seven or eight runs, and Helix came back,” Schniepp said. “There was a fight, a couple of players were kicked out . . . it was a real good game.”

Sam Blalock was there that day as well. He was in his eighth year as head coach at Mt. Carmel.

“I remember we were way ahead, something like 7-0, our pitcher was cruising, and all of a sudden the wheels went off,” Blalock said. “At the end of one inning, I think it was the fifth, Helix was winning, 8-7. One player on each team was ejected. One of their kids ran over our catcher, and our shortstop didn’t like that, so he went after their kid.”

Mt. Carmel won that day, 10-9, in one of the most exciting championship games of the 1980s.

“I think they had the tying run on second with two outs in the last inning,” Blalock said. “We got out of it.”

Today, Blalock is in his 15th season as the Mt. Carmel baseball coach; Schniepp is in his second at Helix. And seven years after their first championship meeting, Mt. Carmel and Helix will stage a 3-A rematch at 3:30 this afternoon at the University of San Diego’s Cunningham Stadium.

That Blalock and Schniepp can recall their schools’ 1982 championship meeting so well isn’t that much of a surprise, but it is one that Mt. Carmel and Helix, two of the best baseball programs in San Diego, haven’t met for the title more often.

There have been just three years in this decade when neither Mt. Carmel nor Helix has been in the 3-A title game. The last was in 1985.

Last year, Helix defeated Santana, 1-0. Two years ago, Mt. Carmel defeated Santana, 7-2. Three years ago, Santana defeated Mt. Carmel, 7-2.

In all, Mt. Carmel has made five championship appearances and Helix two in the 1980s. But Helix is the defending champion, and the Highlanders defeated Mt. Carmel in last year’s semifinals.

“I think we play a lot alike,” Schniepp said. “We both play good defense and don’t hurt ourselves. Our styles and philosophies are the same. We’re very aggressive. We like to run and make things happen.”

Said Blalock: “I think there’s mutual respect on both sides for the good baseball we each play. I don’t think there are any secrets--we both know each other’s styles. That’s saying a lot for a team that’s not in your league.”

Mt. Carmel (25-2) is the Palomar League champion; Helix (24-5) won the Grossmont 3-A title. Most of the kids on both teams have played in 3-A championship games, and those who haven’t have still been exposed to championship tradition.

“We talk a lot about expecting to win,” Blalock said. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to win, but we expect to win each time we step on the field. We have a lot of alumni who come to the playoff games, and they’ll drop in and sit and talk with the kids after the games. We’re fortunate to have a lot of brother combinations.”

Mark Van Aelstyn, whose seventh-inning double gave Mt. Carmel a 5-4 semifinal victory over Mira Mesa, played on the 1987 championship team with his brother, Ed. John Tejceck is the shortstop and leading hitter (.518) on this year’s team. His brother, Jim, played on the 1986 team that lost in the finals to Santana.

Schniepp thinks experience helps Helix as well.

“I definitely think it’s a big factor,” he said. “The kids have played in a lot of big games, and quite a few are back from last year. We talk a lot about tradition. I know Mt. Carmel does, too. We have long practices where the kids work hard and feel they deserve to get there.”

Right-hander Rob Ippolito (11-2, 2.47 earned run average) will start today for Helix. Ippolito is also Helix’s leading hitter (.518, four home runs). Mt. Carmel will counter with another right-hander Byron Klemaske (15-1, 1.21 ERA).