Capistrano Valley’s Davis Leads by Example

You won’t find Capistrano Valley catcher Brad Davis on the All-South Coast League team.

Perhaps that’s only because officials are waiting to crown him MVP: Most Valiant Player.

Earlier this season, Davis got whacked on the knee by a teammate’s bat in a freak accident, yet he was back behind the plate the very next day in a key game against El Toro as Capistrano Valley fought for its playoff life.

“He was back there catching all seven innings, no passed balls, no wild pitches,” Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Zamora said. “That tells you everything.”

Davis’ resiliency did not go unnoticed.

In fact, it became infectious. Other Cougar players made whatever little sacrifices it took to win games. And before league rivals Trabuco Hills and Mission Viejo knew what hit them, Capistrano Valley had catapulted itself from an also-ran to league champion.

The Cougars look to put the finishing touches on their turnaround tonight when they play Long Beach Wilson in the Southern Section Division I championship game at 7:30 at Dodger Stadium.

If Capistrano Valley finds itself in a jam, it will undoubtedly look to Davis, a junior who has already emerged as a leader.

Certainly, the Cougars will look to him for strong offense and defense. The 6-foot, 180-pound Davis hit .330 with eight home runs and has allowed only three passed balls in 29 games. He also possesses a strong arm, having thrown out about half of the runners who have attempted to steal on him.

Capistrano Valley also will look to Davis for his smarts. He is one of the few high school catchers who calls every pitch during a game.

After Davis goes over the scouting report with pitching Coach Richard Awender a day or two before a game, he commits the information to memory. Then he goes out and calls what many of his pitchers consider the perfect game.

“Of course, the pitchers always have the right to shake him off,” Zamora said. “But they’re all accustomed to Brad and they don’t do that because they know how smart he is.”

Said pitcher Frank McLaughlin: “We feel really comfortable together. He knows what I like to throw and where I like to throw it. I haven’t shaken him off in two years, and the one time I did [the opponent] got a hit, so I know not to shake him off.”

Davis and McLaughlin (6-0), who is scheduled to start today, have formed a battery since the seventh grade.

“I just feel we connect so well that we can beat anybody,” Davis said. “We’ll have a very good chance today if we keep the ball down.”

Davis is the kind of player who won’t give up.

He was walking past teammate Scott Cheo one day in practice when Cheo took a practice swing and accidentally smacked Davis on the right kneecap with the barrel of the bat. The sound of the contact was so loud that Zamora thought somebody had hit a foul ball.

When Awender saw Davis collapsed near the on-deck circle, writhing in pain, he “thought our season was over.” But trainers iced the injury and sent Davis home. The next day, Davis said he felt fine and played, though he now admits he did so in pain.

Davis said he’s now recovered from the blow. The pain has subsided, and he stopped wearing a knee brace two games ago. But he does wonder.

“There’s something moving on top of the kneecap,” Davis said. “I don’t know what it is. It doesn’t hurt right now, and that’s basically all that matters. I’m sure I’ll get it checked out after the game.”

The committee that selects those all-league teams may have snubbed Davis, but if Capistrano Valley wins the title tonight, there will be little doubt who made the biggest sacrifice to make the Cougars’ championship run possible.

“If Brad Davis never gave us another hit or another RBI for the rest of his time here at school,” Awender said, “he’s already paid his weight in gold.”

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It’s hard to pick a favorite in tonight’s battle between Capistrano Valley (22-8) and Long Beach Wilson (23-9).

Considering the teams’ status entering the playoffs, the Cougars should be favored. They won the South Coast League title, while Wilson finished second in the Moore League and received a wild-card entry to the playoffs.

But the Bruins have shown they belong, especially after upsetting second-seeded Temecula Valley in the semifinal round. Plus, Wilson, which reached the championship last season before losing to Riverside Arlington, has more playoff experience.

“That bunch can hit the ball,” Zamora said. “They didn’t have the power that Temecula had, but those guys swing the bats.”

Zamora said he was especially impressed with outfielder Josh Fuller. “You can’t throw a fastball by that guy,” Zamora said.

Capistrano Valley is attempting to win its first Division I title. The Cougars last won a championship in 1991, in Division II.

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In other championship games:

Division III--Villa Park vs. West Torrance: Top-seeded West Torrance (29-1) will have its hands full with Villa Park (28-2), a team that has rebounded since its championship hopes were resuscitated by the Southern Section.

The second-seeded Spartans were defeated soundly by Tustin, 7-1, in a quarterfinal game before section officials learned that the Tillers had used an ineligible player. Given new life, Villa Park played some of its best baseball of the season in a 10-5 semifinal victory over Covina Charter Oak.

Starting pitcher Brandon Averill (9-1) will get a chance to atone for his lackluster performance against Tustin when he takes the mound for today’s 10 a.m. game.

Junior Nelson Caraballo and senior Justin Su’a have led West Torrance throughout the season. The Warriors’ only loss came in a Bay League game against Mira Costa.

Division II--Whittier California vs. Santa Barbara: California (25-3-1) advanced to the final with a 3-1 semifinal victory over La Mirada. The Condors are led by pitcher Vince Cordova (14-2), who had 13 strikeouts against La Mirada and is 30-3 in his career. Brett LeVier drove in two runs for California in the semifinal victory.

Santa Barbara (25-3) advanced to the championship with a 3-2 victory over Corona Centennial. Sam Campa homered and Raul Estrada scored what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning on a pop fly that Centennial players lost in the sun.

Santa Barbara pitcher Matt Vasquez struck out probable first-round draft pick Mike Stodolka with the bases loaded in the second inning after Stodolka hit his Southern Section-record 36th homer in the first.

Division IV--San Luis Obispo vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame: San Luis Obispo (22-7) last won a title in 1990 and lost in the finals in 1995 and ’97. The Tigers advanced to the championship game with a 7-5 semifinal victory over San Dimas.

Chalon Tietje hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to give San Luis Obispo the victory. Notre Dame (19-9) needed eight innings to beat Ridgecrest Burroughs.

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Prep Baseball

* What: Southern Section

Division Championships

* When: Today

* Where: Dodger Stadium

* Division III: Villa Park (28-2) vs. West Torrance (29-1), 10 a.m.

* Division IV: San Luis Obispo (22-7) vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (19-9), 1 p.m.

* Division II: Whittier California (25-3-1) vs. Santa Barbara (25-3), 4:30 p.m.

* Division I: Capistrano Valley (22-8) vs. Long Beach Wilson (23-9), 7:30 p.m.

* Tickets: All general admission, $8 adults, $4 children 12 and under.