FORT MYERS — Retiring from Major League Baseball sent former Miami Marlins pitcher Jordan Yamamoto on a search to fill the void. Little did he know last July that he’d find what would make him whole again on the baseball field at William T. Dwyer High .
After making history with a 10-3 upset of No. 1 Buchholz to win the 6A program’s first state championship, the first-year skipper’s voice broke while sharing what his inaugural group of Panthers mean to him.
”I retired, and I still had a hole in my heart from baseball, but these boys filled it,” Yamamoto said.
From their performances in the field to the plate, it was clear to see that these weren’t “players and coaches.” They were “brothers” who were going to fight for each other.
Whether that meant a relentless offense hanging a 6-0 lead to head into the third inning, or Yamamoto emerging from the dugout to battle umps on his team’s boisterous celebrations and rally cries that followed until the final pitch of the afternoon.
Hot start seals historic championship for Dwyer Panthers in Palm Beach County
While Dwyer (23-7-1) notched 15 hits down the roster on Saturday, a four-run second inning left the Buchholz Bobcats frustrated early.
Not only did senior Dawson Thrush walk away as the winning pitcher, throwing 61 strikes on 86 pitches for a three-strikeout performance through 6.2 innings, the Air Force commit scored on a double by fellow 2024 prospect Bryce Jackson to get his team on the board in the first inning.
Jackson also made the prick to start the bleeding for Buchholz. After singling on a fly ball to bring home junior Brayton Torchia, the USF signee scored again on a two-run RBI single by Thrush.
With one out, Dwyer’s sixth run came by way of a line drive through center field from senior Kody Morgan. Then came the first of what would become three pitching changes for Buchholz.
Thrush throws a winner once again
It appeared that there was hope to mend the Bobcats’ blow-up when senior Anthony Wilkie homered to left field.
“He didn’t seem overpowering, but he was commanding it pretty well,” Wilkie said of Thrush.
Like all three of Buchholz’s runs against the Panthers, it could be chalked up to a fluke.
“I knew that was probably one of the worst pitches I’ve ever thrown in my whole life,” Thrush laughed. “It was supposed to be a curveball, but it didn’t curve. I’d say it was like a slow-pitch softball.”
On keeping his composure, Thrush knew that if he “just kept throwing strikes” and Buchholz kept it in play, he was bound for “easy outs” without having to “throw a ton of pitches.”
A fielder’s choice and a walk gave Buchholz two runs in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. In relief of Thrush, Morgan followed up the free base with the game-ending strikeout.
Dwyer Panthers at heart, ‘hawks’ in the outfield
Wilkie’s missed pop fly was the only wake-up call Dwyer needed to field a near-seamless defensive outing.
For the first out of the third inning, Dwyer’s Ole Miss center fielder commit Jackson Miller made a play that prompted one of many praises from Buchholz fans:
“That outfielder, man. He’s killing us.”
Miller brought the pain with two more impressive grabs, including the out that sent Dwyer into the final inning. The critical Benjamin School transfer was supported by left fielder Dom Pecoraro and right fielder Sully Smith.
“Since the district championship, we’ve had that same intensity. It just never stopped and I feel like we were never content in every game because we knew what we wanted,” Miller said.
Senior first baseman and Tampa signee Trevor Majer’s connections with Colin Haggerty at second base and Jackson at shortstop made it tough for the Bobcats to get on base, too.
Buchholz totaled just five hits against Dwyer.
“I feel like it was our hard work. I mean, we came out in the fall for four-, five-hour workouts and practices. That was pretty brutal on us. At first, I was like, I think our coach is crazy. I didn't like it very much,” Majer said. “But then I realized, you know, all the hard work was for meaning — like we had a purpose, and this is what it was for.”
A new era of Dwyer baseball
The post-victory pile-on, medaling ceremony, and hoisting of the trophy are unforgettable memories that’ll be cherished by the community at Dwyer. Yet, Yamamoto says “the job is finished,” but the real work has only just begun.
“I mean, we have a lot of guys who potentially could be going to the draft, so I gotta get them ready,” Yamamoto said.
“I always tell the boys, the seventh inning of the 32nd game is when guys are going to fall apart, if they haven’t already,” he continued.
“Those practices were meant for a reason, and now they finally understand. All those ‘F— you’s’ to me while running laps in the rain, when they want to go home, all that extra time they put in … now they realize what it’s all about.”
Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: High school baseball: Dwyer stuns No. 1 Buchholz for program's first state title
Local News
