SPORTS TALK
With Michael Betteridge
Mountainball Has Always Been Legendary
As April sanity triumphs over March madness, we look forward to our spring high school sports season. It is certain that our Lady Cougars softball team will be exceptional. With Taylor Smith back on the mound, and an experienced, solid infield behind her, this may be one of the top defenses in the county—they are some pretty good hitters as well. Their “Murderer’s Row” of hitters, just in the seniors alone, include Aubrie Courtney, Makenzie Lewis, Maddie Ohler, Taylor Smith, and Abagayle Shives. These young ladies will pound runs across the plate like we’ve never seen. Personally, I can’t wait to see this team back in action.
With baseball, there is some uncertainty. After a superb season under Coach Mike Franklin last year, our hometown Cougars baseball team was one run away from defeating the eventual 1A state champion, arguably the toughest team Brunswick would face on their way to Waldorf.
But, since then, something big happened. Several weeks ago, head Catoctin baseball coach Mike Franklin stepped down after 25 years of coaching. He handed the reins over to Assistant Coach Ken MacIvor.
I spent some time recently interviewing Coach MacIvor on a WTHU sports radio broadcast. There is no doubt in my mind that Coach MacIvor will seamlessly guide the Cougars baseball team down the same base path.
Ironically, Coach Franklin’s pedigree, which we visited here in detail last month, began under Coach MacIvor. Coach Mike played semi-pro baseball for Coach MacIvor back in Mike’s early days before he got into coaching. Coach MacIvor is one of those rare men who is so organized and disciplined that he was able to start and manage a semi-pro baseball team in Frederick, coach baseball at Liberty high school, coach football at South Carroll, and act as the commissioner of the local youth sports baseball organization, all in the same year! Coach MacIvor told me Mike Franklin was the best ballplayer on that team—maybe the best that had ever played for him. Coach Franklin hit five home runs in one game against several different pitchers in the semi-pro league.
It’s now come full circle back to Coach MacIvor. He will guide the Cougars baseball team with the help of last year’s coaching team and a couple of new additions: Bryont Harris as assistant JV baseball coach and Coach MacIvor’s brother-in-law, Jimmy Allnut, who played ball with Coach Franklin at Linganore. Speaking of Coach MacIvor’s family, there couldn’t be a more supportive sports family around, with his kids playing organized sports coached often by Dad and his wife, a two-sport athlete. The MacIvor family is all in on this journey!
Coach MacIvor takes over a talent-laden, veteran boys baseball team, led by seniors Jake Bell, Keiten Castellow, Bryont Green, and Brady Koenig. That infield will be amazing. Jake Bell and Bryont Green are infield starters for their third year in a row. In the outfield rookie, right fielder sophomore Lane Koenig will start next to big brother, Brady. The Koenig brothers will vacuum up anything that comes their way and keep an eye on young Lane on the pitcher’s mound. He’s a shifty, lefty who will give batters trouble. Speaking of the mound, Mason Ferrell returns as the “go-to guy” in the rotation, but don’t rule out any Cougars on this team because everyone pitches in Mountain Ball.
Coach MacIvor has some big cleats to fill now with the retirement of Coach Franklin and the veteran talent he has on the field. But Coach MacIvor said something during our interview that made me chuckle and nod my head in agreement. Unlike Coach Franklin, Coach MacIvor is not a talker. His answers are measured and to the point. He’s that quiet kind of guy that you should worry about on the playground. He has a “don’t mess with me” kind of demeanor.
“You don’t ever want to be the guy that replaces the legend…you want to be the guy that replaces the guy that replaces the legend,” expressed Coach MacIvor.
Don’t worry, Coach. Mountain Ball has always been legendary…death by a thousand cuts. Just ask anyone in Frederick County baseball. Now it’s your turn. As far as we are concerned, you are the guy!
Go Cougars!
