Winning state championships in baseball has become nearly routine at Arundel High School, especially during the 1990s.
Under coach Bernie Walter, the Wildcats have won four state titles this decade (1991, '93, '95, '98), giving them a Maryland record of eight since the public school tournament began in 1975.
Four other schools around the state -- Brunswick (Frederick), Glenelg (Howard), Paint Branch (Montgomery) and North East (Cecil) -- are a distant second with four crowns each.
As a result, Anne Arundel County has won more state baseball titles (18) than any other county in Maryland history.
So, why is Arundel, which has won state titles in three decades under Walter beginning in 1976, such a frequent champion?
What are the reasons the Wildcats are a cut above not only the teams in Anne Arundel County, but the entire state as well?
Walter, Anne Arundel's all-time winningest coach at 427-117 (.785) in 25 seasons, deserves most of the credit, but says there are couple basic reasons why Arundel is so successful.
Opposing coaches such as Old Mill's Mel Montgomery and North County's Don Usewick call Walter "an excellent coach and proven winner."
Jim Pitt, the dean of county coaches in his 30th season and 26th at Severna Park, said when Walter notched career win No. 400 that "Bernie is so intelligent I believe he could have been a neurosurgeon if he had wanted to."
Walter is clearly a student of a game and couple that with his abilities as a classroom teacher, athletic director and physical education/health department chairman at Arundel, and you might understand partly why his program is so successful.
His work ethic and organizational skills are a wonderful example for his players, but there are other reasons for the Wildcats' dominance.
"First of all, we have terrific parent support at Arundel," says Walter, the former Brooklyn Park High and University of Maryland shortstop.
"Our parents allow their kids to commit to a really serious program. By that I mean they allow their kids to play full-time in the summer and play other sports as well to give them athletics of some sort 12 months a year. I think that is pretty important."
Walter points out that in so doing there has to be a financial commitment from the parents as well. Equipment has to be bought and transportation during the summer is vital.
"A lot of our kids can't hold jobs during the summer in order to play 50 to 70 ball games, which is just about every day," said Walter. "That means getting to the field by the parents sacrificing to drive them or get them a car.
"It's not easy, but they know there can be rewards for their sacrifices. And a lot of them play in the fall if they are not playing a sport at the high school."
Some of the rewards are scholarships, and many former Arundel players have gone on to professional baseball. One even made it to the majors -- 1986 grad and Sun Player of the Year, left-handed pitcher Denny Neagle.
The Wildcats' approach is "out-working" their opponents. It's known as "the Arundel way."
Summer teams are all in sync with the Wildcats' way of doing things, unlike many other communities.
"They [summer teams] are a reflection of
Arundel's baseball team because Bernie gets out in the community and has established his way as the right way," said Chesapeake coach Jim Simms, who led his Cougars to the 1997 4A state championship.
"This past summer I worked with a 13-14-year-old team in our district and I believe we have the best freshman class we've had in my nine years at Chesapeake. I intend to stay involved to encourage our kids to play 50 games in the summer and not 15 or 20 and spend the rest of the time fishing or going to the beach."
Each Arundel player receives a book complete with records, advice on maintaining a clean mind by staying away from alcohol and drugs, rules and regulations and quotes from famous coaches and players.
One of those quotes from former Green Bay Packers legend Vince Lombardi is, "The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win."
No high school team prepares as well as Arundel and it's one of the major things that separates them from the rest. They practice hard under pressure in regular daily workouts and in pre-game warm-ups.
Walter has an excellent coaching staff to orchestrate the plan. Third base coach Nick Jauschnegg has been with Walter all 25 years at Arundel.
Along the way, former players have volunteered or coached JV and been assistants, but the Walter-Jauschnegg duo is inseparable.
Jauschnegg proved he is a Walter clone last spring when the head coach was in Florida for a teacher's convention during the semifinals of the 4A East region.
The team didn't miss a beat with Walter gone as Jauschnegg guided the Wildcats to a state record 12th appearance in the final four by surviving a gut-wrenching 12-7 marathon in eight innings over then-No. 1 Severna Park.
"It didn't surprise me because we teach our kids how to play the right way from day one," said Walter. "The first year they start with us, they learn to play the Arundel way or they don't play."
Preseason poll
Pos. School, '98 record
1. Arundel, 22-4
2. Mount St. Joe, 19-13
3. Severna Park, 19-3
4. South Carroll, 13-7
5. Calvert Hall, 25-5
6. Curley, 15-10
7. Chesapeake, 11-8
8. Fallston, 9-9
9. Centennial, 16-8
10. McDonogh, 15-9
11. Glenelg, 22-2
12. C.M. Wright, 16-6
13. Westminster, 14-6
14. Atholton, 18-7
15. Old Mill, 11-9
16. Dulaney, 11-6
17. Lansdowne, 15-6
18. Mt. Hebron, 8-12
19. Patterson, 21-3
20. Broadneck, 9-11
County power
Anne Arundel County has won more state baseball championships (18) than any other county in Maryland and Arundel High holds the state record with eight. Baltimore County is runner-up with 13 overall. The Anne Arundel champions:
Arundel (8): Bernie Walter ('76-77-81-87-91-93-95-98)
Northeast (3): Harry Lentz ('75-91-92)
Broadneck (2): Tim McMullen ('83), Mark Stover ('95)
Old Mill (2): Mel Montgomery ('80-89)
Annapolis (1): Larry Brogden ('88)
Brooklyn Park (1): Tim McMullen ('80)
Chesapeake (1): Jim Simms ('97)
Pub Date: 3/17/99