‘We’re very aware.’ Golden Valley baseball knows it been almost 20 years since last title

Golden Valley High baseball coach Greg Euker was a senior playing across town at Merced High when the Cougars won their last Central California Conference championship.

That was in 2005, 19 years ago.

It’s still the only CCC title Golden Valley has won since the school opened in 1994.

The Cougars hope this may be the year they end that drought. With reigning CCC Most Valuable Player Koen Heupel leading the way, Golden Valley hopes to be in the championship hunt in a wide-open CCC this year.

Heupel says his teammates know it’s been almost two decades since they’ve added a title to the baseball banner hanging in Cougar Arena.

“We’re very aware,” Heupel said. “It’s on our minds maybe a little too much, and maybe we’re pressing a little. We know how bad the guy next to us wants it and that’s all we’re focused about.”

The Cougars were held to just four hits in a 4-0 loss to El Capitan on Tuesday at Doug Fister Field that dropped Golden Valley’s record to 7-6 overall and 3-2 in the CCC.

Sophomore right-hander Brennen Centeno silenced the Cougars bats, striking out six batters and only allowing three runners to get into scoring position as he toss the complete-game shutout.

Five teams are within one game in the loss column in the CCC standings with the Gauchos sitting on top at 4-1.

The Cougars hope to be one of those teams in the hunt late in the season.

“The CCC is always really competitive and it will be that way this year,” Euker said. “We have to learn to minimize mistakes, and battle back from adversity, because it’s baseball right? You’re going to get punched in the mouth all the time, and you have to be able to fight back. I think we have a shot. We have to play clean baseball.”

One big reason the Cougars can remain in the CCC chase is because of Heupel.

The senior finished third in the state with 44 stolen bases last season to help lead Golden Valley to a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

This season Heupel has compiled an impressive .642 batting average, which ranks third in the Sac-Joaquin Section early on this season. He’s also scored 18 runs and stolen 12 bases.

“I can’t say enough about him,” Euker said. “He leads everywhere, by example, by his voice, by his hustle. He’s everything for our team. The rest of the league kind of knows it now, but he’s been up with us since his freshman year. He’s been our guy for four years and it’s really fun to watch him play.”

“The thing that is not seen is he works that hard every day in practice,” Euker added.

Heupel knows this is his last chance to help bring a championship to Golden Valley.

“There’s a little more pressure,” Heupel said. “I try not to think about that much, but it’s now or never so let’s get this done.”

The Cougars’ CCC hopes took a blow when they lost ace Rohan Thiara to an arm injury for the season.

However, seniors Ryan Saechao and Austin Mello have helped pick up the slack. Mello is 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA and will take the mound on Thursday at El Capitan when the Cougars try to split the series.

“Losing Rohan was huge,” Euker said. “That was a big blow for us. He was our guy last year. We’ve done an all right job stepping in. Austin (Mello) has been big for us. He’s really taken on our No. 1 role.”

The Cougars have the bats to compensate, averaging just under six runs per game. Seachao is hitting .389 with 12 runs scored and eight RBI and Sebastian Gonzalez is hitting .419 with six doubles and seven RBI.

“I like the amount of fight we have, the amount of guys who want it and are willing to put the work in to get better,” Heupel said.

“We have quite a few seniors and five guys who have put in a lot of work everywhere, Saturday practices, early stuff” Euker said. “Just to have a chance to play for something now and until the end would be huge for them.”

Heupel hopes to end his high school career with a bang. He’s loved every minute of his four-year varsity career at Golden Valley.

“I couldn’t say enough about it,” Heupel said. “It’s been a wonderful experience and I hope to end it on a good note.”