For York's Santos, it's good to be green
From the moment Anthony Santos put on a York baseball uniform, he was hooked.
Hooked not only on the sport or the team, but the entire school. For four years Santos bled the Dukes' signature Kelly Green.
"They were four great years," he said. "I couldn't imagine being anywhere else."
As for the Dukes, they'd have been lost without Santos up on varsity the last three years. This senior season in particular, the pitcher and first baseman put the team on his back and carried it to a share of the West Suburban Silver title.
Excellence he achieved on the mound, he matched at the plate. The combination made Santos one of the state's elite two-way players, and has earned him selection as the 2014 Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area baseball captain.
"There are some players who have that moxie, or that attitude to do what it takes to win," said Downers Grove North coach Chad Isaacson. "For them to win conference the way they did, he was the main piece they needed."
Coming up
Winless.
That's where York - filled with preseason promise - found itself through five dismal early-spring games.
The 0-5 mark bottomed out with a loss to Oak Park in the first game of a doubleheader to start the Silver campaign. Already a game in the hole to the Huskies, a state-ranked team at the time, York turned to its leader.
Santos pitched a complete game with 7 strikeouts and went 2-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBI as the Dukes won the doubleheader's second game 8-2.
With that one victory York found the collective motivation to drive for the Silver title. Santos made everyone believe.
"You could tell his teammates looked up to him and really respected him," said Glenbard West coach Andy Schultz. "We didn't play very well against them, and he was a big part of it."
Santos went 7-1 this year - he suffered his only loss in a season-opening 4-hitter against Waubonsie Valley - including 5 wins in the Silver. He pitched a 3-hit shutout against fellow conference co-champion Lyons Twp., striking out 10.
The hard-throwing right-hander notched 58 strikeouts against only 10 walks, finishing the year with a minuscule 1.04 ERA.
At the plate Santos was just as dominant, batting .460 with 3 homers and 37 RBI. Among the rewards was a selection to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team.
"In 20-plus years it's one of the best statistical seasons I've seen," said York coach Dave Kalal. "He's just got that incredible will to win. He always has that ability to dig a little deeper."
Team player
Every competitive step taken by Santos came with York in mind.
While his main focus was baseball, Santos spent a good chunk of the school year cheering on his classmates at various other sporting events. He's a known York superfan.
"There was a group of us that'd try to get everyone out to the games," he said. "We always wanted to support all the teams."
Santos' school pride grew through his four years, three spent on the varsity baseball team. He didn't pitch at all when the Dukes won the Silver title his sophomore year, then became a conference pitcher his junior year when they finished in the middle of the pack.
Winning conference this year was the top priority for Santos and his teammates. It took nine straight Silver wins to close the season, but the Dukes got it done.
"I knew I had to step up and bring some of that energy from the 2012 team," Santos said. "I wanted to make a mark on the program."
With that legacy established, it's time for Santos to take the next step in his baseball career. He'll pitch at Black Hawk Community College in Moline with hopes of transferring to a Division I program.
Given what he accomplished this season, Santos is on track to achieve his lofty goals.
"He's a diamond in the rough, there's no doubt about it," Kalal said. "I think he's got a great future ahead of him."
Building toward that future, Santos leans on the past: Four memorable years capped by an unforgettable senior season.
"I want to keep getting better and I want to play as long as I can," he said. "But this is a season that will always be special to me."
Follow Kevin on Twitter @kevin_schmit