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They took turns savoring their biggest prize. Literally. 

Sure, the medals were nice. Yes, the Class 3A baseball state playoff bracket was a neat keepsake. So was the banner that came with them.

But the trophy? The one that was shiny and the right shade of blue? Well, that deserved some extra attention. And the East Mountain players happily obliged. One by one.

Winners, after all, get to kiss their hardware.

鈥淚t tasted good,鈥� senior Charlie Birdwell said with a wide smile after Saturday鈥檚 10-0 six-inning win over St. Michael鈥檚 for the 3A championship at Lobo Baseball Field. 鈥淚t tasted like success.鈥�

We鈥檒l have to take his word for it. (There were no arguments from fellow senior teammates Ty Rector and Luke Stoerner.)

East Mountain (28-1) tasted success all season, winning 23 straight games since a 7-4 loss to 5A Rio Grande on March 14 with 14 decided by 10 or more runs. They shut out 10 opponents during that stretch, too. Their final two victims 鈥� West Las Vegas in the state semifinals on Friday and then St. Michael鈥檚 (20-8) 鈥� fell into both categories.

More importantly than any of those numbers was the title drought that was broken.

Saturday represented just the third championship game appearance for East Mountain and its second title. The Timberwolves beat Santa Rosa for the 2A crown in 2012. They were the 3A runners-up to NMMI in 2022.

鈥淎ll the support from the community we鈥檝e got, we just love,鈥� Rector said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e all watched us grow up and been with us the whole way. We love that we can do this for them.鈥�

Those fans are going to love what else East Mountain has coming. Maybe just not as much as the players.

Some long-awaited championship rings appear to be in the works. Probably with a large No. 1 with some school colors intertwined, right?

鈥淭hey鈥檙e gonna look real big and shiny, and gold. I know that,鈥� said Stoerner, who along with his teammates admitted they haven鈥檛 had much practice in the ring-design department.

That鈥檚 OK. There鈥檚 no better time than to learn something new like the present. And it would be hard to argue against such a wish after Saturday鈥檚 showing.

The Timberwolves scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning on a wild pitch, a fielder鈥檚 choice from both Rector and Birdwell and a passed ball. The other six runs came in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk from Cole Darnell, Rector鈥檚 two-run double and finally when St. Michael鈥檚 center fielder Michael Giesler had a deep fly ball from Birdwell hit off his glove that allowed Rector, Brandon Johnson and Birdwell to score.

St. Michaels, meanwhile, stranded four runners in scoring position, including a one-out bases-loaded situation in the sixth. 

Stoerner stymied the Horsemen each time. The East Mountain ace finished with a seven-strikeout four-hitter. He walked three.

鈥淚 told the guys this morning, I鈥檝e been around this game 40 years and I鈥檝e never been a part of something like this,鈥� said Timberwolves coach Chris Moya, who not only kept the final 3A bracket, but was able to share the winning moment with his sons, including starting second baseman Christopher. Moya, however, did avoid the postgame trophy kiss.

鈥淚 thanked them for letting me be a part of it,鈥� Moya added. 鈥淚 also hope they understand how connected they鈥檒l be to each other from here on out, and connected to a game that brought a lot of happiness here.鈥�

That it did. All one had to do was look at the final result of that blue trophy.

鈥淲e set a really high bar this season,鈥� Birdwell said. 鈥�... And I think we met those expectations.鈥�

We鈥檒l take his word for it because East Mountain had to get off the field. There was some more celebrating to do. 

Oh, and the Timberwolves鈥� favorite prize was in hand. 

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .