SHADYSIDE — Baseball has been a big part of Matt Apicella’s life, first as a standout player and now as a standout coach.

Apicella was an all-state player for Shadyside High in 1994. His sparkling prep baseball career proved a springboard to a fine diamond career at Muskingum University.

After finishing up his collegiate degree at Ohio State University, Apicella landed a teaching job in South Carolina in 1999. He planned a one-year stay in the Palmetto State. As fate would have it, his one-and-done plan has evolved into a nearly two-decade career at Lake City High School in Lake City, S.C., located just 45 minutes from Myrtle Beach.

Apicella has been associated with the school’s baseball program from day one. He was elevated to head coach in 2010 while becoming athletic director a few years later.

“I am in a great place. I love the school and community,” he said. “I am established here with great people.”

That great place got even sweeter this spring for the Belmont County native.

Apicella guided Lake City to a sparkling 23-8 season. Along the way, his Panthers pocketed Class 3A region and district championships.

Such success doesn’t go unnoticed. Apicella was accorded several coach-of-the-year honors.

“We had a real good season. The team had great chemistry. We had eight senior starters. They were the best of friends,” Apicella said. “We have coached this bunch year-round since they were sixth graders. Most of them were three-sport performers. So they had to budget their time in the summers.

“It was a great group to coach. They come from super parents who were very supportive of what we do,” he added. “We had tough love. It was the ideal situation.”

Lake City was coming off a 15-11 season and an 11-13 mark in 2014.

“It was rewarding to see that all the hard work the players put in pay dividends,” Apicella said. “Players, parents and coaches all pulled in the same direction.”

While baseball is his first love, the 41-year-old bachelor also relishes his duties as athletic director.

“Being an athletic director is a year-round job and it is a lot of work. But I really enjoy being athletic director,” Apicella offered. “I have loved my entire time at Lake City. I expect to spend my entire career here.”

Apicella doesn’t make it back to the Ohio Valley very frequently, basically just major holidays. He is back in Shadyside this weekend, visiting his mother, Susan (Foster) Apicella.

BUBBA’S BITS

BOB MONTGOMERY did a masterful job of directing the John Marshall baseball program for nearly a half-century. He is on the fast track to the OVAC Hall of Fame. The Monarch diamond fortunes make the transition from a coaching legend to one of the best baseball minds in the business. Mark Cisar is the perfect fit to take a tradition-rich program and use his coaching magic to compete quite well against the state’s best teams in quick fashion.

MALCOLM BROGDON of the Milwaukee Bucks was named NBA Rookie-of-the-Year Monday night. The former Virginia star has local connections. His uncle, Pete Brogdon, lives in Weirton and is one of the premier basketball officials in the OVAC.

ATHLETICS CAN be a vehicle to see the world. Former St. Clairsville High 1,000-point scorer and all-state hoopster Anna DeFillipo is a member of the Cedarville University women’s hoop squad. She and her Yellow Jacket teammates are heading to Ireland for a 10-day basketball junket this August.

FORMER WEIRTON Madonna all-state hoopster Monica Bragg is also excellent in the realm of academics. The West Liberty Hilltopper was named to the Mountain East Conference All-Academic Team and the Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the spring semester. To be a member of the All-MEC Academic Team, the student-athlete must be a member of the active roster and have a grade-point average of 3.70-4.00 in the semester of their championship season. To qualify for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, a student-athlete must be a member of the active roster and post a grade point average between 3.25-3.69 in the semester of their championship season. Bragg carried the Blue Dons to the state tournament in her senior campaign, one in which she eclipsed the 1,000-point mark. Monica is majoring in secondary education. Her goal is to coach and teach at the collegiate level. She started the last three games of her freshman season for WLU.

I TALKED to a Wheeling Jesuit University official last week. The interest for the head football coaching position is off the charts. A head coach will be in place very soon.

THE NBA off-season has been more exciting than the championship finals. Trades and free-agent signings have sparked great interest. The Warriors, however, remain in a class by themselves.

TO ALL our readers, may you have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday.

Kapral may be reached at bkapral@timesleaderonline.com