×

The ride of a lifetime

Looking back at the playoff run that captivated a town

OBSERVER File Photo The Brocton Bulldogs celebrate with the Section VI championship banner after claiming the Class D title.

The Brocton Bulldogs baseball team came into the 2018 season with more questions than answers. Many wondered whether Brocton could finally end Westfield’s run atop the league, while others were left to wonder who would even be in charge of the Bulldogs after expected head coach Rob Fetterick took a leave of absence from the dugout shortly before the year began.

Needless to say, Brocton’s season started anything but easy off the field. Once the league portion of the regular season began, however, things couldn’t have gone more smoothly for the Brocton Bulldogs.

After a 10-9 win over Allegany-Limestone initiated the regular season, a week later Brocton faced off with Westfield on April 20 at the home of the defending league champs. Brocton announced its presence as the front-runner this season by shutting out the Wolverines on their home field, 3-0. Brocton returned home to face Clymer on April 23 and came away with a 5-4 win, then defeated Gowanda 8-7 in 8 innings at Coca-Cola Field — the home of the Buffalo Bisons — the next night.

Brocton, though 4-0 to start the year, had three wins of one run ballgames to start the year. That trend of close games ended emphatically over the heart of the season’s schedule. Brocton defeated Cassadaga Valley in a 5-0 shutout at Russell Diethrick Park in Jamestown on April 27. Though at the time it was the largest margin of victory for the Bulldogs up to that point in the season, it would end up as the closest game of the remaining league portion of the schedule. Brocton rattled off six straight wins after April 27, scoring at least 12 runs in every one of the six contests.

“When the season first started, our goal was to win the league and then focus on the sectional title once we got to the playoffs,” said Brocton co-coach Ray Rosas looking back on the season. “We always said everybody had to be a family on the field. Once the league season began, you could tell everyone was starting to buy in.”

OBSERVER File Photo Brocton Bulldogs pitcher Ronald “Bubba” Brown winds up to pitch during a game earlier this season.

What began as a challenging season off the field and a tightly-contested inception to the time on the diamond eventually became a perfect season in league action, with only a pair of losses to Silver Creek — the Class C Section VI champion — on the Bulldogs’ resume. Brocton headed into the playoffs with a record of 13-2, as well as the No. 1 seed in the sectional playoffs.

Brocton did not disappoint.

The Bulldogs defended their home field in the first round with an 11-0 victory over Sherman — the team’s third win over the Wildcats on the season. In the game, Ronald “Bubba” Brown not only threw four shutout innings with nine strikeouts; Brown hit a home run over the left field fence for the team’s first home run of the year. Co-head coach Ray Rosas made a deal with the team that if anyone hit a home run, he would buy them dinner. After the game, Rosas said the deal was well worth it.

“I promised these guys that if someone would hit a home run this season, I would take them out to dinner,” said Rosas after the game. “So that cost me, but it’s a good cost, and it couldn’t happen to a better kid.”

It turns out, Brocton was just getting started on its playoff run. The Bulldogs went back to their early season dramatic style in their next playoff game, squeaking out a 1-0 victory over Franklinville to earn a spot in the sectional final in Jamestown two days later.

“That Franklinville game really propelled us as a team,” said Rosas. “That game felt like a championship game. That’s when we really believed we could make it to Binghamton.”

Once again, Brocton did not disappoint on the big stage. The Bulldogs came away with a 9-2 victory over Frewsburg to claim the Section VI title.

Brocton’s run didn’t end there, however. The Bulldogs faced off with Avoca Central in the Far West Regional with a trip to the state final four on the line. Brocton’s baseball program had never made the state finals before, which put the pressure on the shoulders of the junior ace pitcher, Bubba Brown.

He was certainly ready for the task.

Brown threw a complete game, two-hitter with 10 strikeouts to send Brocton to Binghamton for the state final four.

“They’ve been happy and excited,” said Rosas after the sectional championship. “I’m sure they’ll get tensed up mid-week and just want to play the game, but it’s been a long time since our school district has had something like this, so I really want them to enjoy it. I couldn’t ask for a better gro

up of kids.”

Brocton’s next week was hectic, unfamiliar, and most of all, exciting for the players and coaches involved. Although the team made it to a place where no other Brocton baseball team had made it before — and no team in any sport at Brocton had made it to in 25 years — the Bulldogs felt like they belonged. The team showed no signs of nerves leading into the semifinal appearance.

“The team’s success was the culmination of hard work put in by the players and coaches throughout their careers,” said Brocton Athletic Director Julie Arnold.

The trip to Binghamton meant more to the town of Brocton than just another high school event. That became clear as the team was escorted back into town by the fire department to celebrate Brocton’s trip to the state finals. Many local supporters waited at the Brocton arch to welcome the Bulldogs home.

“I could not have been more proud of the team, the school and the community,” said Arnold.

That experience is something many members of the team, along with the coaching staff, took note of throughout the week ahead of the trip to Binghamton.

“Everywhere we go, we get congratulated,” said “Bubba” Brown leading up to the state final four. “Teachers, parents, even people who don’t come to the games, they notice it and they say something.”

Brocton’s dreams of a state championship fell just short, as the team fell to Deposit/Hancock in the state semifinals. However, the experience as a whole is something that the Bulldogs — and the Brocton community — will remember for a lifetime.

“It was a great run,” said Rosas. “It was magical.”

After the state semifinal loss, many of the players were emotional. Still, many members on the team were able to see the positive in the experience.

“I’m feeling very thankful for everything that has been done,” said Brocton senior captain Hunter Rizzo after the game. “The community of Brocton and Portland has just been outstanding.”

The experience as a whole is what stuck with Rosas the most, even immediately after the loss.

“It was a loss as a game, but it’s not a total loss for what they’ve accomplished this year,” said Rosas after the game. “All of the support this team got … that’s something amazing. 16 kids on a baseball team were able to do that, to bring the community and the village together… They put Brocton on the map.”

Nearly a month later, the impact of the experience remains fresh in the minds of the Brocton Bulldogs.

“Watching these kids this year was something special,” said Rosas. “Everyone in the community, we can’t thank them enough for the experiences they gave us.”

Twitter: @bradencarmen

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today