Bee do bop ⦠D
Bee do do do dee ⦠D
Bee do bop ⦠D
Bee do do do dee ⦠D
This rhythmic chant by the Pottsville dugout serves as the walk-up music of sorts every time freshman Darion Jacoby steps to the plate.
The chant, accompanied by clapping to the up-tempo beat, is one of several sayings the Crimson Tide use during the course of the game to encourage their teammates and heckle the opposition.
Pottsville isn't the only Schuylkill League team that does it, as Pine Grove and Tamaqua have traditionally had loud dugouts as well.
There are mixed opinions about chants, yelling and other loud vocal outbursts by high school baseball teams during games. Some fans and coaches view it as disturbing and unnecessary. Other fans and coaches vehemently encourage their teams to do it, saying it's part of the game.
For the players, chanting, yelling and heckling the opposing team builds energy and enthusiasm in the dugout and keeps everyone - starters and bench players - involved in the game.
It serves as a bonding moment for the team, and creates memorable moments that last a lifetime.
As they celebrated Wednesday's victory over Tri-Valley in the Schuylkill League championship game, Pottsville's players talked about how well their team has bonded and come together over the course of the season.
With two players who have verbally committed to Division I colleges on their roster, the Crimson Tide entered the season with lofty expectations. An 11-8 record through the regular season, however, raised some doubts about Pottsville's talent level and its toughness.
The Tide took the first step toward silencing those doubters this week, as a total team effort that featured big performances by the Tide's stars and clutch plays by the team's role players Tuesday and Wednesday helped Pottsville down Minersville and Tri-Valley to capture the Schuylkill League title.
"People look at the season we had, look at our record and might say it's not the best record," junior pitcher Eli Nabholz said. "But the way we stuck together the whole year and the chemistry we have throughout the team is just absolutely phenomenal.
"We knew when we got to this point that we'd be able to back each other up and get through it. We were able to do that."
Nabholz, who has verbally committed to Penn State, and Kentucky-bound junior Travis Blankenhorn are the Crimson Tide's stars. And players the caliber of Nabholz and Blankenhorn can carry baseball teams through the rigors of the win-or-go-home baseball postseason.
Championship teams, however, are the ones who also get big performances from their role players. Pottsville got that during the Schuylkill League playoffs.
From Dan Doyle's homer to John Toomey's pitching to the play of Thomas Campion, Connor Hinchliffe and Tyler Moser, the Crimson Tide got big efforts from players who don't often see the spotlights.
"We are a team in every sense of the word," Pottsville coach Mike Welsh said. "From the beginning of the season until now, all 18 of these young men have had each other's back, whether they were in the starting lineup or they were not."
"It's a team, and the kids know that, and they bought into the team-first philosophy.
"We don't really worry so much about our record. We worry about our league record during the season, and the kids came together at the right time. I'm so proud of them, especially the seniors for providing leadership for the rest of our organization."
By virtue of winning the Schuylkill League title, Pottsville earned the No. 1 seed in the nine-team District 11 Class AAA playoffs. The Tide will open the playoffs Wednesday with a quarterfinal contest against either Northwestern Lehigh or Wilson.
Pottsville hasn't won a District 11 title since 1998. During that 15-year drought, Schuylkill League Division I foes Pine Grove (6), Blue Mountain (4) and Tamaqua (2) each hoisted District 11 trophies multiple times.
For the Crimson Tide to continue chanting and cheering into the state playoffs, they'll need another total team effort.
(Boyer is sports editor and covers high school baseball for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @pubsportsboss)