Garvie Enjoys The Moment

By Ned Griffen, Day Sports Writer

Published on 6/10/2007 by The Day

St. Bernard coach Mike Garvie, right, receives hugs from his team after the Saints defeated Northwest Catholic, 6-4, in the Class S state title game Saturday at Yale Field in West Haven. Garvie was ineligible for the game, serving a suspension for being ejected from St. Bernard's semifinal win.

West Haven — A CIAC rule kept St. Bernard High School baseball coach Mike Garvie out of Yale Field on Saturday, but it couldn't keep him away from his team.

Garvie, who was ejected during the Saints' semifinal win over Trinity Catholic of Stamford on Wednesday — resulting in an automatic one-game suspension, was allowed to take part in batting practice Saturday, but then had to leave the complex.

Garvie wouldn't say where he watched the game from (“I was close enough to know what was going on,” he said), but as soon as the Saints defeated Northwest Catholic of West Hartford, 6-4, he was back inside the park and enjoying the moment.

“It was probably the most difficult thing I've ever been through my entire life,” Garvie said. “To know this is going on and that you've worked with these kids for four years and couldn't be on the field with them ... but I was definitely with them in spirit and hopefully in their minds.”

Senior Ben Nossek, who was also ejected during the semifinals, also missed his final game.

Asked just where he was, Garvie laughed and said: “No comment.”

Garvie, who was allowed to travel with the team, added, “(It was) a very tough walk to get out of here and know they were going to play this game. It was a very long walk.”

Saints senior Tyler Turgeon said: “We really missed not having Ben's bat in the lineup today. He gets a hold of one, he just hits it really good. Garvie, he's been so good all year. To see him not be here for this, it was awful, but we did it for him.

“We had all the motivation in the world today.”

It didn't get any easier for Garvie, either, knowing the Saints trailed 3-0 after two innings and 4-2 midway through the fifth. But that's when St. Bernard rallied to score four runs with two outs to take the lead for good.

Said Turgeon: “(We have) so much senior leadership, and coach Garvie has been good with us all year, just pounding into our heads that we had to be leaders. As soon as he couldn't go out there and coach us, we all just stepped up at the same time. We started taking over.”

Jim Leone, who has been a Saints assistant for 27 years, took Garvie's place as coach.

“I'm going to be the answer to a trivia question someday,” Leone joked. “One-and-oh and winning a state championship. But it's all about Garvie. ... Mike got this team ready to go.”

Leone, not Garvie, got the celebratory postgame sports drink bath, however.

“I wish (Garvie) could've been here to see the whole thing unfold,” Leone said. “I think he had me here to take the bucket of ice.”

Shortly after winning the game, the Saints flocked toward Garvie, who had appeared at the fence railing on the first-base side. They briefly left him to retrieve the state championship plaque, then returned with the trophy in hand.

“(It's) unbelievable that the kids came together like this and put it all together like this and did it,” Garvie said.

Montville