The son of a former McComb High School baseball standout recently enjoyed a banner season of his own during his sophomore year as a member of a European prep baseball team.
Matthew (Clay) Coon, son of 1988 MHS graduate Scott Coon, helped lead the SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) American High School Spartans to the European Division II championship and a final season mark of 14-3.
The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Coon pitched and played first base during the season. He was selected All-European, meaning he was among Europe’s top 12 players. He was also voted All-Conference.
His stats for 2012 included hitting .469 with 26 RBIS and 11 doubles.
On the mound, Coon went 6-1 with 80 strikeouts in 48 innings. He had a 2.44 ERA and walked 22.
SHAPE American High defeated Bitburg, Germany, 10-5 in the championship game. Coon went 1 for 4 offensively with a double and two RBIs.
On the mound, Coon went the distance. He fanned nine and walked five.
“This year was probably my best season of baseball,” he said. “Playing in Europe has its ups and downs. We aren’t able to play as many games as I’d like, and I don’t have the opportunity to play in a quality summer league. But it’s nice to be able to play baseball in so many cool places.
“Since my eighth grade year, I’ve played ball all over Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, and England,” Coon said. “When we moved to Europe, I had no idea what baseball would be like. Overall, it’s pretty good.”
As expected, Coon said there are some big differences between baseball in the United States and Europe.
“When I was younger, I played in great youth leagues in Ohio and California. We don’t have nearly the depth over here as we did in the States, but at least I get to play,” Coon said. “As far as the championship game this year, I feel that it wasn’t my best performance of the year, but luckily, I have good teammates to back me up. I am just happy to be on a championship team.”
Coon also threw four innings in the semifinal earlier in the day before the championship game and got the win in that one, also. He struck out 14 in that game.
Scott Coon is currently stationed in the Air Force in Belgium. The family moved from California to Italy in the summer of 2009. In the summer of 2011, they moved to Belgium, where Scott works at SHAPE. He said the family expects to remain there until Clay graduates in 2014.
After graduating from McComb High, Scott went on to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he played two years.
As an eighth-grader, Clay played for a local Italian team in Sicily.
He then played his freshman year at the American High School on Naval Air Station Sigonella, in Sicily.
As a freshman, the younger Coon hit .425 and was 4-2 as a pitcher. He was selected All Conference.
Scott said Clay, who has an uncle in McComb by the same name, has a desire to play in college after high school.
“If he continues to work hard and improve, I think he’ll have a chance to play somewhere (in college),” Scott said.
“I tell him all the time that it’s probably 10 times harder to play in college now than when I played. If you look at the way baseball has changed, it’s sad in a way.
“Now travel ball has replaced local leagues in many areas, and many of the boys in certain areas of the country play all year round. We don’t have that opportunity here in Europe. I do think it is important to be a well-rounded athlete.”
Clay also plays high school football and has wrestled off and on since he was in the second grade.
