Runnels, Bethany meet again

• By DAMIAN FOLEY
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: May 9, 2008 - Page: 11C - UPDATED: 12:20 a.m.

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When Runnels and Bethany Christian meet at Alexandria’s Bringhurst Park at 4 p.m. today in a Class B semifinal, there will be no secrets between the two.

The Raiders (22-6-2) have no surprise hurlers they can send to the mound. The Lions (23-7) have no power hitters the Runnels coaches don’t know of already. Nobody will stun his opponent with an “I didn’t see that coming” play.

That’s because today’s game is the fourth time the District 8-B rivals have met in 2008. Runnels took the first two games 10-4 and 16-3, and Bethany Christian took the third and final regular-season game between the two schools, 8-3.

Whatever team advances might end up facing yet another familiar foe in Saturday’s championship game too, as fellow 8-B school Houma Christian also made the final four and will play Zwolle at 7 p.m.

“I’m not surprised,” Runnels coach Tookie Johnson said of the number of District 8 teams in the semifinals. “Bethany and Houma (Christian) are two quality programs and have been for a while. I said at the beginning during the seeding meetings that it was possible for all of us to get this far, so I’m not surprised at all.”

Bethany Christian coach Rick Smith is not about to disagree.

“I’ve always thought of Runnels as one of the best teams in the state,” Smith said. “To be the best you’ve got to beat the best though. Zwolle is also very good, as is Houma Christian.”

The only potential surprise Smith and Johnson could spring at this stage is the selection of a starting pitcher, as neither coach is prepared to name one until the last possible minute.

BCHS could turn to Grant Castillo, Ben Myers or Frankie Hebert, the latter of whom picked up the win against RHS in the season finale on April 21.

“I’ll decide based on who throws better in the bullpen, who wants the ball the most, and who has the most fire in his belly,” Smith said. “All three I have confidence in, and they all have confidence in themselves.”

Johnson meanwhile has Sean Root, Nelson Davenport, Bradley Neyland, and Rick Hale to choose from. While Root, the District 8 Co-MVP with a 10-0 record, seems like the obvious choice on paper, Johnson is proceeding with caution in the selection process.

“They’re all very similar in that they all have good control and they can all throw three pitches for strikes,” said Johnson. “Each has his own tendencies and movements though.”

Leading Bethany at the plate is Castillo, who is batting more than .600 for the Lions and hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in a 13-5 quarterfinal win over Choudrant on Saturday. Hebert will lead off and is hitting more than .500, while Myers has been hot at the plate the last few weeks.