STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Camp Hill finished with a 21-4-1 record, a state championship game appearance and countless memories made.
We can list a lot of accolades for you from the Lions' 2023 season, but no one is going to remember the numbers.
"Just the little things. Standing there in a huddle watching Riverside get their award, taking it like a man. That means something," said Camp Hill head coach Matt Spiegel. "They might not remember that, but I'm going to. It's the way they've handled themselves, first class, all the time."
The Lions will no doubt remember the hard work that it takes to get the state title game, and a big reason why is because of this year's lone senior on the team, pitcher Luke Parise.
"We fought the whole year. Everyone came to play," believes Parise. "I mean, being the only senior here, it means so much to me that I can get them this experience. Now, they can get here next year and win it all."
The ace hurler hugged every teammate, coach and staff member after the game, knowing this was it for his Lion career. The next time he takes the bump, it will be for St. Joseph's University.
"Luke and I have a very long history. I've been with him since he was a seventh-grade football player on the junior high team," recalled Coach Spiegel. "He's made me a better coach. There aren't very many people in Camp Hill history that can say they've done some of the things that he's done."
Parise believes that there are many Lions on this year's team that will achieve great things in the season to come, and his advice is simple.
"Just keep playing baseball like they do. Sometimes you might get down, sometimes we might be up, just play baseball how we always play it," said Parise.
Even after a dominating performance that saw him hit double-digit strikeouts, no one had to tell him to "smile because it happened." Parise knows just how fortunate he is to call himself a Lion, and as good as the program has been, he hopes he's helped raise the bar.
"I mean, we're a baseball school," said Parise with a smile. "I love saying that because I think we are. I just think our confidence after this is going to go through the roof."