The year they set the bar

The day before the biggest game in the program’s history, the Huntington Beach High baseball team took it all in, basking in its unprecedented glory.

At a school pep rally, the Oilers were honored for something that had not been done in 105 years.

They were told a banner would hang in the gym letting everyone know they were the first to reach a CIF Southern Section title game.

As their peers cheered, the Oilers knew what was next: the Division II final at Angels Stadium. They fell short, losing, 8-1, to Crespi of Encino Saturday in Anaheim.

They didn’t finish as the best team of the year in Division II, but they are at the top all-time at Huntington Beach.

The Oilers were also recognized at a school all-sports banquet June 4. With an unbelievable run to the CIF title game — they finished third in the Sea View League and began the playoffs as a wild card — they provided a unique sense of pride for those affiliated with the school.

“The ovation we got when our athletic director [Roy Miller] introduced us, it was unbelievable,” Huntington Beach Coach Benji Medure said. “It gave me chills. When you’re the first team in 105 years to make it to the CIF championship, it’s a pretty special feeling.”

The majority of the team’s highlights came during the postseason. After a 20-13 season, one win still stands out. It came May 29, the CIF Division II quarterfinals at the Oilers’ diamond, where the No. 1 ranked team in the state left stunned.

Yucaipa, the Citrus Belt League champion, had its dream season ended.

The T-Birds entered 27-3 with the most wins in the program’s history. But they had little to show for it after Huntington Beach won, 10-2.

“They were pretty stunned,” Medure said of the T-Birds. “They were trying to get it going, but we squashed their fire. It was pretty fun to silence a good team.”

Momentum swung to Huntington Beach early after star third baseman Matt Davidson hit into a double play in the first inning.

The Oilers began to believe. Davidson didn’t seem to be that much. At the time he was headed to USC. That might change after being selected No. 35 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday. But he was in a funk in Huntington Beach during that quarterfinal game. The T-Birds couldn’t get into gear.

“We were pretty successful all year long,” said Yucaipa Coach Jeff Stout, who completed his 33rd year with the T-Birds. “To end it like that left a bad taste in our mouths.”

Stout had guided Yucaipa to CIF titles in 1991, ’93 and ’94. He had a special feeling about this team, too. The T-Birds thought they had a good chance to advance past the quarterfinals against a wild-card team.

But Stout said they committed six errors, a season high, and could not mount any type of rally. Huntington Beach senior Blake Cestr helped with that. The pitcher, who is usually the closer, collected his first win of the year, allowing only one earned run.

“I was very disappointed with the way we played,” said Stout, whose team allowed seven unearned runs.

“It was a bad day for us. That’s not a game you wish to end on.”

Huntington Beach scored five runs in the bottom of the opening frame, highlighted by a two-run home run from Beau Amaral, the UCLA-bound outfielder and son of former Major Leaguer Rich Amaral.

Stout said the home run was legit, and credit Beau Amaral for taking advantage of the pitch. Stout knew the Huntington Beach senior could crush the ball and never wanted to give him a fastball. But the Yucaipa pitcher misunderstood the sign that was actually for a pick play, Stout said.

“Our pitcher threw the ball right down the middle,” Stout said. “That was frustrating.”

But the Oilers were riding high. Their confidence boosted, the underdogs had a special swagger going, especially after that win over the T-Birds.

“We felt like we could beat anybody,” Beau Amaral said.

In the end, the Oilers beat the Huntington Beach record books.