By Harrison Tarr
For the Observer
AUBURN —
There are few more impressive feats in organized sport than winning a championship, regardless of the classification or discipline. To stand atop the mountain requires a nearly-perfect effort — both on and off the field — throughout the course of a season; in many cases, even near-perfection does not suffice in achieving a team’s ultimate goal.
The only achievement more difficult than reaching the top? Defending your title as champion.
After winning the AHSAA state championship in 2021, the Auburn High school baseball program was tasked with this challenge of fending off the apparent target placed on its back; the Tigers ultimately came up short in the semifinals when they were sent home in game three by area rival Central Phenix-City.
According to head coach Matt Cimo, 2022 was simply not the year for the blue and white to regain state champion honors.
“I just think it wasn’t meant to be,” Cimo said. “The odds were just in Central’s favor. They could do no wrong, we couldn’t do any right. I guess they may have had more energy than we did for some reason.”
Destined or not, the Tigers were not going down without a fight. After dropping game one 3-2, Auburn willed its way to victory in the second game of the series behind a gutsy effort from speedy junior Cade Belyeu who put his squad ahead in the lategoing.
“(Belyeu), he’s awful fast,” Cimo said. “He was stealing third, we lined a ball to second base and Cade, he just beat the throw.”
In game three, the blue and white continued to ride the momentum generated by their outfielder’s iron will, posting the first run of the game in the top of the first inning; the efforts were not enough to overcome the Red Devils.
“We came out in game three and scored right off the bat,” Cimo said. “We were thinking we had the momentum. Central, they’re just resilient. They put pressure on us and kept on going.”
While disappointed in losing, the skipper tipped his cap to Central and merely expressed an appreciation for not going out in front of a home crowd.
“It stunk losing,” Cimo said. “But I’m glad we didn’t lose at our home.”
With the season officially at its conclusion, the longtime head coach mentioned his pride in having the privilege of coaching his group.
“Super proud,” Cimo said. “They worked hard, they fought, they won 30 games as a team. We were one game short of playing for the state championship. You can’t ask more than that.”
As for the end result, Cimo expressed that he was at peace with the outcome knowing that his guys gave everything they had to offer.
“I’m pretty content,” Cimo said. “I don’t think there’s really any one thing that would have made a difference. We worked hard and just came up short.”
Auburn’s skipper added that — although the group fell short — the 2022 club possessed qualities any coach should desire in a team.
“These guys are resilient,” Cimo said. “They fought; I think they had a lot of pressure on their backs and they overcame it even though we came one game short of getting to the state championship.”
Cimo was especially proud to have been able to lead the seniors who aided the program in reaching the point it is at now.
“Our senior class, they’re really good kids,” Cimo said. “They’re really good leaders and I think they’ll be successful in whatever they do. It was a great year.”
When asked about a potential change in emphasis ahead of the 2023 campaign, the head coach stayed true to what has worked for his entire tenure: focusing on the ‘little things.’
“We’ve been doing ‘the little things’ for 30 years,” Cimo said. “That’s what I always tell them. That’s our motto.”
For coaches, athletes and fans alike, the end of any season is always bittersweet. Seniors must now prepare for their next step, while the rest of the program gears up for what is sure to be an equally captivating campaign in 2023. Regardless of what the future holds, all parties will continue to focus on — and enjoy — the ‘little things.’