x
Breaking News
More () »

Greenway Demons give Coach Matt Denny final state title in 7-4 win over Tucson Badgers

Greenway Demons give Coach Matt Denny final state title in 7-4 win over Tucson Badgers.

 

Phoenix Greenway held on for a 7-4 win over Tucson to give Coach Matt Denny one more win at Greenway High School and their second state title in three seasons.

Denny took over the program in 2007 after serving as an assistant coach for the previous five seasons. In a two-year span, Denny coached his team to a 70-7 record, winning 29 straight games in 2013 and the state title in 2014. In six seasons, he’s won 20 or more games.

The decision to leave Greenway High School and pursue a head coaching position at Mountain Pointe High School wasn’t easy.

“This is where I grew up…as a coach, as a parent, as everything, my professional career is here,” Denny said, “Making the switch over next year was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made.”

Denny broke the news to his team one week before the state championship game to ensure that he would be the one to tell them.

“I wanted to explain why and give them a heartfelt talk,” Denny said.

“When he told us he was going to Mountain Pointe we wanted to send him out with a bang,” Pitcher Bryce Mackey said. “He does a great job coaching us and making us better.”

His team knows that Coach Denny is moving in the right direction.

“I know a coach of that caliber is going to keep progressing and moving up to the next level,” Mackey said.

Eight of Denny’s former players were drafted by Major League Baseball teams and ten of his former players are currently active in college or professional baseball.

Before You Leave, Check This Out