St. Laurence’s Daniel Coyle knows all about the dangers of thinking too much about the past.
The senior third baseman has relived his greatest day ever. It came last spring when the Vikings won the state title and he showed how his hard work, dedication and discipline had paid off.
“I’ve thought about it now and then since it happened,” Coyle said. “I’m trying to forget about it for now and just focus on this season. I’m always doing a job no matter the situation.
“I need to have confidence in my mind that I’m better than anybody I face.”
A confident Coyle came through again Thursday, contributing two hits, driving in a run and also scoring a run for the Vikings in a 10-1 victory over Reavis in the annual Burbank rivalry game.
Junior outfielder Evan Panther picked up three RBIs and senior outfielder Orlando Vazquez added three hits and two RBIs for St. Laurence (1-0), which produced 12 hits.
Senior shortstop Jose Gonzalez drove home a run with a sacrifice fly for Reavis (0-1). Senior third baseman Jonathan Liesen managed the only hit for Reavis.
For Coyle, meanwhile, it was picking up where he left off. He drove in the go-ahead run and struck out four to pitch the win in an 8-5 victory over Benet in the Class 3A state championship game.
It was the first state title in the decorated 20-year career of St. Laurence coach Pete Lotus.
“That’s a life-changing moment for Daniel,” Lotus said of the state final. “He’s always been that guy. Every day of his high school career has been with the varsity and that’s pretty special.
“He’s always been confident and passionate about the life of the team. I know a lot of guys look up to him just at the way he approaches things.”
Senior shortstop Cory Les pointed out Coyle has a natural intensity that never fades.
“That championship game just showed who he is,” Les said. “When the lights are bright, that’s who Daniel Coyle is. That was the perfect situation, and he wanted to be there.
“He’s always leading, he’s always the loudest voice, and that game was the perfect embodiment of that. He has some of the greatest energy of anybody I’ve ever met.”
Coyle, a Lewis recruit, hit .324 with a team-best 43 RBIs last season. As a pitcher, he went 4-0 with a 3.29 ERA.
“It’s a whole new year and you have to leave that in the past a little bit,” Coyle said. “We’ve never been a defending state champion, so there’s a new aspect. It’s a new team.
“We’re working toward something else. I know that every team out there is going to come out hard against us. I like that pressure.”
Coyle believes that every detail matters, and he used that method against Reavis.
“In the first inning, I had a two-strike at-bat with two outs,” he said. “I just kept with it and got contact. That gets to a pitcher, and it’s going to impact him later in the game.
“I’m scrappy and gritty. I grind things. I’m not going to wow you with any numbers. I’m going to do the little things. When we have a guy at third with no outs, I have to bring him in.”
That’s what Coyle did Thursday. An incident as a young kid just learning how to play the game was telling and ultimately transformative in shaping his outlook.
“I remember one time in fourth or fifth grade, my dad encouraged me to be a leader,” he said. “Now, I want to be the guy who’s as loud as I can be and lift my teammates up.
“We’re playing baseball. It should be a fun game. I love competing. The life lessons, the friends you meet on the way, the whole game is beautiful.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
