Shover will return for a 10th year

Speaking with veteran Camp Hill coach Brad Shover on Wednesday night for the forthcoming All-Sentinel Baseball Coach of the Year story, the conversation turned toward the future.

With the bulk of his team already graduated, the question was whether Shover would tuck his two state titles in his back pocket and ride off into the sunset -- the Lions beat Serra Catholic, 7-4, June 12 at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona to become only the fifth team in the 32-year history of the PIAA baseball playoffs to go back-to-back. Camp Hill beat Carmichaels, 2-0, in 2008.

"To be honest, at the beginning of the season I thought this might be my last year," Shover said moments after his team joined him at the Doubleday Farm in Elliottsburg to celebrate their most recent title together. "By the time the year was over, there was no question I wanted to coach.

"We're going to be young and make mistakes (next year) but we have a lot of talent coming through the system."

In nine full years guiding the state power, Shover compiled a record of 135-74 (.645 winning percentage) and led the Lions into the PIAA playoffs five times.

Camp Hill boasts two District 3 titles (2002 and 09) and two state titles (2008 and 09) under Shover. In his first year, Camp Hill fell to DuBois Central Catholic, 8-7, in the 2001 state final.

Shover was also The Sentinel's Coach of the Year in 2002. Only Mike Whitehead Jr. of Cumberland Valley, who owns three, has more Coach of the Year honors than Shover.