MANHATTAN, Kan. — The St. Mary’s Colgan Panthers repeated as Class 2-1A state baseball champions with their 7-4 win Friday night against top-seeded Thomas More Prep at Tointon Family Stadium on the Kansas State campus.

The Panthers won their 19th state championship under head coach Mike Watt and their 23rd overall since they won their first back in 1964.

Brady Crossland and Brady Badart did the work on the mound and the offense pushed across three runs in the third and four in the seventh.

The Panthers feasted on Thomas More Prep relievers after their ace Ty Schmeidler departed in the sixth due to reaching the 105-pitch limit.

“Just so proud of the kids,” Watt said. “I mean, we talked about it at the very beginning of the season how we had a lot of experience returning, very talented and then if we put in the work that we had a chance to get here again. They believed in themselves, trusted their teammates and they earned it. They were very resilient. We’ve lost seven games but they understand that we’re challenged with our league schedule and our non-conference schedule that when we get out here, we’re not surprised. We’ve seen a lot of good baseball teams and I think that’s one of the factors that we’re successful.”

Lane Stultz led off the Panther seventh by getting hit by Grant Nehls’ very first pitch of the inning. Badart and Crossland delivered RBI hits (Badart single, Crossland double), Brock Radell scored on a wild pitch and Anthony Schremmer’s bases-loaded walk closed out the scoring.

The Monarchs had their leadoff reach in their half of the seventh, but Badart closed out the championship with three straight outs.

“It’s more of a teammate thing,” Watt said. “In the dugout, they are constantly talking with each other, just pushing each other to get better, make a better play, we can do this, we made a mistake and it’s OK. Brady Crossland jumped into a tough spot. He was asking for the ball (Thursday). Brady Badart was asking for the ball today and that’s a sign of mental toughness and that makes my job easier.”

The Panthers relied mostly on their seniors Crossland, Carston Simmons, Caleb Garner, Anthony Schremmer, Joe Lomshek, Badart, Jayden Brown and Radell.

“We preach being good teammates and they all are,” Watt said. “It’s always very special. Every year everybody’s like, ‘How it’s different?’ And it’s really not. The only thing different is they grow up a little bit, they’re a little tougher mentally and I have an unique experience with them because I do elementary P.E. and I get to watch them from K through 12 grow up. I spend a lot of time with them and I’m just so proud of them that they were able to do that.”

“It feels amazing,” Badart said. “There’s no feeling like it. I mean, I grew up with all these guys, just playing ball, Wiffle ball games, and to be able to go back-to-back, it’s crazy and fun. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. What a way to go out!”

“It’s amazing,” Simmons said. “Us seniors we set the ceiling and now the upperclassmen need to come up and get it done.”

“I grew up with all these boys,” Brown said. “I went to Colgan my whole life, except for two years, and I just love the community. I’m grateful for all my family. Everyone showed up and I just love baseball.”

“It feels amazing,” Crossland said. “Last year being juniors, it was great but being seniors and going out with a bang, you can’t beat this feeling right now.”

Crossland and Stultz both tripled and sparked the three-run third inning.

The Panthers finish their season 20-7 and they dispatched No. 1 Thomas More Prep, No. 2 Spearville and No. 3 Frankfort in the state tournament.

SMC 003 000 4 — 7 6 2

TMP 101 100 0 — 3 6 0

Brady Crossland, Brady Badart (5) and Carston Simmons; Ty Schmeidler, Grant Nehls (6), Logan Baalmann (7), Caden Dinkel (7) and Dinkel, Trevor Fabrizius (7). W: Badart. L: Nehls. 2B—SMC: Crossland; TMP: Nehls. 3B—SMC: Crossland, Lane Stultz; TMP: Schmeidler.

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund