Chaparral Firebird Baseball: Articles

Articles

Chaparral coach lays foundation for majors

May 05, 2010, Wednesday

Chaparral coach Jerry Dawson has spent decades nurturing one of the state's top high school baseball programs. Sometimes, out springs a future major-league player. Dawson has three playing in the bigs. First baseman Ike Davis became the latest Monday when he singled in his first at-bat and was 2 for 4 in his New York Mets debut. Former Chaparral catcher Paul Konerko plays first base for the Chicago White Sox; and ex-Chaparral pitcher Brian Bannister, who made his first major-league start with the Mets in 2006, is a starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.

Chaparral avenges loss to No. 1 Pinnacle in baseball

April 08, 2010, Thursday

All signs are pointing toward a wild finish in Class 5A Division II baseball and the Desert Valley Region.

The leading state title candidates in 5A-II and the Desert Valley Region, No. 1 Phoenix Pinnacle and No. 2 Scottsdale Chaparral, met this week for the first time and scored 34 runs in two games. Pinnacle won Tuesday's matchup 10-9, and Chaparral answered with a 9-6 victory Thursday at home.

Desert Valley will be baseball beast

March 08, 2010, Monday

Between them, they own 13 state championships and seven state runners-up.

Horizon and Chaparral have long been among the best in baseball in Class 5A and 4A since Eric Kibler started the program at Horizon in 1981 and Jerry Dawson began Chaparral's program in 1974.

"Old-school" Dawson still plugging along at Chaparral

February 25, 2010, Thursday

Jerry Dawson grabs a rake and heads out into the late-morning sun. There's work to be done on the field - there's always work to be done - and he's not one to delegate.