Published Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:02 AM
Updated Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:03 AM
“There are a lot of other great coaches out there that deserved this over me,’ he said. “We can’t forget the players, assistant coaches and parents that were right there along with us. A lot of times it was just my job not to mess it up.”
Under Chalus the last decade, the Knights won one state title, two Lower State titles, four region championships and five district championships. Chalus won 227 games from 2000-2009.
Also as part of the TheDP’s all-decade honors, former Stratford first baseman Justin Smoak, Knights catcher/pitcher Matt Wieters and outfielder Sonny Meade were also recognized.
Smoak was the state’s co-Mr. Baseball in 2005 after helping lead the Knights to their state title and later hit 62 home runs in three seasons for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He’s currently one of the top players in the minor leagues in the Texas Rangers organization and rated as the No. 4 prospect in the minor leagues by Baseball America.
Wieters was an all-American selection for the Knights in 2004 and currently plays for the Baltimore Orioles after a stellar career at Georgia Tech.
He was Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2008 after being taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 draft.
He hit .288 last season for the Orioles.
Meade was a four-time all-Southern Conference pick at The Citadel after his career at Stratford. He batted .397 with 67 RBIs last season for the Bulldogs.
To view the complete 30-man all decade team, please visit www.thediamondprospects.com