PG West: Langley coach content with future

You had better bring your "A" game to go toe to toe -- as respect is earned.

PG West: Despite loss in PIAA baseball opener, Langley content with future Leo Rauterkus took it as a sign of respect.

Though his Langley baseball team was ultimately overmatched by three-time defending WPIAL champion Pine-Richland, 10-0, in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament Monday, the Mustangs' head coach noticed the Rams started standout pitcher John Karr against his team.

'I saw that kid pitch in the WPIAL championship and thought we might see their No. 2 pitcher,' Rauterkus said. 'I don't know if it was respect for [senior pitcher] Matt Barnes, whom [some Pine-Richland players] played with at the Keystone Games or what.

'Matt pitched real well, but we just couldn't touch that kid [Karr].'

The fact that Karr pitched a no-hitter will do little to spoil the Mustangs' City League championship season.

Rauterkus said Langley, which trails only Peabody for most City League titles, has an enrollment (about 300 to 350 male students in ninth through 12th grades) that would place it in Class AA if it were not in the City League.

'It's tough every time we play in states,' Rauterkus said. 'We have 13 or 14 players on the team and we are facing programs that have a full varsity, plus JV and freshman teams. They have feeder programs, and we're just trying to keep this program going. It's tough. [Pine-Richland] was so strong all the way through their nine.'

Way to go Mustangs.

Perhaps Pine Richland will take it all.

And, perhaps we'll be able to NUKE the city league once and for all -- soon.