The Valmeyer Lakers completed a rare feat in the Mon-Clair League, defeating the Belleville Rockies in two games Saturday at Borsch Park to win their second playoff title in a row and capture the league’s ninth trifecta.

The Lakers previously won the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic and finished with the league’s top regular season record at 20-3. 

With wins of 6-1 and 4-1 over the Rockies on Saturday, the trifecta was theirs.

The Lakers’ trifecta was the first for the storied Mon-Clair League franchise. The Millstadt Green Machine matched the feat in 2021. Before that, the Waterloo Buds accomplished the league trifecta seven times under Vern Moehrs: 1974, 1983, 1986, 1998, 2000, 2005 and 2006.

“What a season. What a team,” the Lakers posted on their Facebook page following the historic win. “This team put every ounce into it all this summer and it paid off.”

The Lakers had extra motivation to win the playoffs this season. First base coach Brad Juelfs, who spends countless hours getting the diamond at Borsch Park ready for games in addition to coaching duties, fractured his skull during a freak accident at home and was unable to be around the team the past few weeks. 

Valmeyer dedicated its playoff run to Juelfs. 

“This summer was an amazing summer until something happened that took one of our coaches away,” the Lakers posted on Facebook. “For those of you who know Brad, you know how much he loves baseball and loves working on the field, making it one of the best around. The energy was different the past few weeks with him not in the dugout due to bed rest. But the guys all knew what he wanted and they got that done. The guys stepped up to replace his roles in taking care of the field, coaching first base, and keeping Coach Mike (McCarthy) in line in the dugout. This championship wasn’t just another championship for the Lakers. This one meant more to us because one of our own – someone who means so much to not only the team but a father figure on and off the field to many of our players – wasn’t able to be there.  We got it done for him. This one was for Brad.”

The main player making it happen for the Lakers in the playoffs was the same guy who shined in key moments all season. 

Kenny Otero was named MVP of the playoffs to capture his fourth award this season. He was also named MVP of the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic and was the Mon-Clair League’s All-Star Game MVP in addition to winning the regular season ERA title. 

For the playoffs, Otero reached base 10 times in  11 plate appearances with four singles, five walks, a hit by pitch and on an error. He also drove in four runs.

Otero recorded a two-inning save in Valmeyer’s 5-4 win over the Edwardsville Stags in the semifinal and then threw all seven innings in Saturday’s 4-1 win in game two over the Rockies to win the playoffs. 

In the nine innings Otero pitched this postseason, he surrendered no earned runs, issued two walks and  struck out six.  

Otero throws left and bats right.

For the regular season, Otero went 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 27 and two-thirds innings pitched. At the plate, he hit .339 with four home runs, 15 RBIs and 14 runs. 

In game one on Saturday against the Rockies, it was southpaw starter Jacob Thompson shining for the Lakers. He threw a complete game two-hitter in a 6-1 victory. 

Thompson also had a stellar season for the Lakers. The lefty went 4-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 30 innings pitched in the regular season.

In game two on Saturday, a scoreless pitching duel between Otero and Rockies pitching star Mark Mueller changed in the fourth inning. An infield error by the Rockies was followed by a two-run homer off the bat of Evan Davis with two outs to give Valmeyer the lead.

The Rockies plated a run when Mike Breyman grounded into a double play, but that was all the scoring Belleville could muster. 

Pat Gaul collected both hits for the Rockies in game two. 

Otero had two RBIs for the Lakers, who will try to win their third straight playoff title in 2024.