A look back through Chatham baseball's unprecedented state championship three-peat

Source: NEWS10 ABC

CHATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Section II has a rich baseball history. No section in New York State has won more NYSPHSAA championships - 33 all-time. If you take that into account, it puts into perspective just how incredible it was that last weekend, the Chatham baseball team accomplished what no area team has done before by winning a third straight state title.

To truly capture the full weight of what the three-peat entailed, you have to go back to the beginning. 2022 - a 27-1 campaign for the Panthers that culminated in their first-ever taste of state supremacy.

"That feeling was unmatched," said junior Logan Smalley, who was on that team as a freshman. "We kinda knew, like, "Wow, we can...we might be able to do this again." The feeling that we had the team to do that was...awesome."

So Chatham went into the 2023 season as the hunted, rather than the hunters.

"We all had...what we envisioned as a target on our back," said Smalley. "You know, all the teams want to beat the defending state champions. So, we kinda just...embraced that. We embraced the "want" of everybody wanting to beat us."

The Panthers may have gotten everybody's best shot that year, but the defending champs didn't waver. A 25-2 season was punctuated by a second consecutive state title - the first time any team at Chatham had gone back-to-back.

With so much returning talent from the 2022 team, the key for the 2023 squad was taking the lofty preseason expectations surrounding them in-stride.

"Everyone was talkin' about it the next year - winning another state championship," said senior Jameson Balich. "Taking it game-by-game, and starting with the Patroon [League Championship]. Patroon, then sectionals; working up. And then, finally, we got to Binghamton. And it was, like, "Alright, it's our time to go.""

Then came some roster turnover this past offseason, which included the loss of seniors Matt Thorsen and Tyler Kneller - two of Chatham's most accomplished athletes.

The idea of a three-peat became a little far-fetched, and this year's group took that personally.

"A lot of people said we couldn't do it for the third year," said Balich. "I heard it a ton throughout the community. A lot of people were, like, "Oh, I don't know about this year. Everyone's leaving.""

"Before we even picked up a baseball, their mindset [was] like, "It's our turn, and we're gonna do this,"" said head coach Scott Steltz. "And I think, honestly, they had a little chip on their shoulder. Our big boys left...in everyone's eyes. But we had plenty of big boys behind 'em."

Last Saturday, this seemingly overlooked squad entered high school baseball immortality, winning the NYSPHSAA Class C championship game over Section IX's Burke Catholic, 11-5 - adding to the foundation that was laid two years prior.

"To continue the legacy this year has been awesome," said Balich. "Those were our leaders last year. We looked up to them; I've looked up them my whole life. To be able to put a third A look back through Chatham baseball's unprecedented state championship three-peat on their names too...it just means the world to me."

Among the 20 Section II programs that have won a state title, Chatham is the only to win three straight.

"You're talking about some of the best coaches and teams ever - in New York State - coming from Section II," said Steltz. "To be named the best...that's special. That's something no one can take away from any of these guys."

Smalley, Balich and Steltz all offered their take on what has set Chatham apart, and has led to this level of sustained success.

"I think it's the hunger we have," said Smalley. "Our coaching staff is great. All the kids...they want to win. They have that hunger. We don't stay complacent; we want that next win."

"It's gotta be the culture around here," said Balich. "We come up here and work all the time. We have our community on our backs. They're always here for us; supporting. It's awesome to be a part of."

"We have a program, not a team," said Steltz. "And it starts right on these [Little League] fields over here. I'm blessed; I can just go over here and watch the next group come through, so...it's pretty cool."

And it seems the conservations of a four-peat have already begun.

"I didn't even get off the field without a grandfather of one of our players holding up "four" and saying, "It looks better than three."" joked Steltz. "I'd like a week, or two to just kinda relax and enjoy what we've accomplished. It still honestly has not fully set in. There's moments where I'm still in disbelief completely that it did happen. But I couldn't be happier for our guys, our teams and families. Every team earns it, but to say we earned it is an understatement."

After posting a cumulative record of 76-7 in Class C over the last three seasons, Chatham will make the move up to Class B next year.