LISBON

Being Pittsburgh born and bred, it is easy for myself to look back and realize those iconic athletes who are “Pittsburgh.”

Mario Lemieux, former Pittsburgh Penguin great and owner of the team, is Pittsburgh. Steelers Franco Harris, Rocky Blier, Jack Lambert … Pittsburgh! Pirate greats Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente … Pittsburgh!

Living in New England, the same can be said for those great Boston Red Sox players. From Yaz, to Jim Rice, to Eck and Pedro, and to those New England Patriots like Tom Brady, there are players who us fans will always look at as being “Boston Strong.”

Closer to home, Lisbon High School baseball coach, physical education teacher, husband and all around good guy Randy Ridley is quite frankly LISBON!

Born in Lisbon, a graduate of Lisbon and teacher at both Lisbon Community School and the Sugg Middle School, Ridley is one of the most recognizable icons in this town.

Randy has coached the Greyhound baseball team for 17 years, and on Saturday will coach his senior-led team in the program’s first State Class C championship game at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor against North champ Orono.

First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

It was a season ago at St. Joseph’s College in Standish that Randy’s team came all so close to winning a Class C South regional title. The Greyhounds led Sacopee Valley throughout the game, but the Hawks rallied in the seventh for a walk-off 7-6 victory, delaying Lisbon’s rise to the top of the region by a season.

This year, there was no denying the Greyhounds, who scored seven runs with two outs in the sixth inning for a 12-5 region final win over Mountain Valley Conference rival Monmouth Academy on Wednesday.

“The kids’ motivation to get back to where we are now was on display from the first day of practice,” said Randy, who talked about his team’s biggest challenge this season. “It is hard to keep focused when everyone is telling you that you’re the top of the league and picked to go back to a region final. It was certainly a challenge.”

However, Randy knew that this group of young men, players such as Tyler Halls, Ryley Austin, Nick Lerette, Lucas Francis, Noah Francis, and Noah and Nick Austin, were determined to complete their goal, to reach that initial championship game in Class C.

“They just knew all season that they could do it,” said Randy. “They never showed any panic. When we trailed Sacopee Valley by three runs in the sixth inning (quarterfinal), there was no panic. They have that ‘refuse to lose’ mentality.” The bottom of our batting order, which at times struggles, was able to flip the order. From that point on, we knew we were going to win that game.”

“To me, to finally get back there to regionals, to break out in the sixth, it felt so nice,” said Lerette, who thought back to the late stages of the win over Monmouth. “I am not going to lie. When it was 5-5 in the sixth, I was sweating. Things started playing back in my mind again, what happened to us last year. We knew it would be a good game with Monmouth. But, we knew after that inning that we were rolling and what was about to happen.”

Where it started

Randy attended Lisbon High School, graduating in 1987, one year prior to Lisbon’s last appearance in the state baseball championship game. The Greyhounds fell to Ellsworth, 4-3, in the State Class B title game in 1988.

From there, Randy went north to Orono, taking some time to earn his degree in physical education, graduating in 1998.

His next step was an easy one.

“I always wanted to teach in Lisbon, a place that has given me so much personally,” said Randy. “This place has taught me a lot. I have so many wonderful memories. My goal was to get a teaching degree, come back to Lisbon and coach baseball. I wanted to give back to this community.”

And give back is what Randy has done. Many remember for several years Randy walking the football sidelines while assisting longtime coach Dick Mynahan, who retired after last season. Over the past few years, Randy has coached the junior varsity girls basketball team at the high school and assisted varsity coach Julie Petrie.

But, it is on the diamond that Randy has made his mark. Over his 17 seasons, he has a regular-season record of 161-97, and combined with a 12-12 mark in the postseason, his Greyhounds have provided him with an overall coaching record of 173-109. Over those 17 years, Randy Ridley-led Lisbon teams have missed the playoffs just four times.

“You can’t put it into the words the dedication that he has put into this team,” said Lisbon senior third baseman/ pitcher Ryley Austin. “His love for baseball, and all the other sports at Lisbon, is what sticks out here.”

“For him, it is more than just a coaching job,” added Lerette, a senior catcher. “It is part of his life. He lives his life thinking everything baseball, even through soccer season and basketball season, wrestling season, all we talk about is baseball. That is what he cares about. Since my freshman year, it has been our group playing together and it all has clicked. Coach Ridley has been right there with us and trusts us.”

The last two seasons have seen his teams go further than any other during Randy’s tenure. However, there was a big difference between last season’s 11-5 team that played the role of Cinderella in road upsets of Madison and St. Dominic’s Academy on its way to the regional final, to this year’s Greyhounds, who earned the top seed after a 12-4 regular season. After rallying from three runs down to knock off No. 9 Sacopee Valley, 4-3. Lisbon rolled to a 9-0 Class C South semifinal win over Traip Academy before meeting up with Monmouth for the third time this season.

The teams split their first two meetings, with Lisbon’s win on Wednesday the tiebreaker, and most important.

“I felt that once we were able to get back to the top of the order that we were going to win, that we just needed one run to close it out,” said Randy, who watched his team continue to score, putting up a seven-spot in the sixth. “I had a feeling that we were going to win heading into that inning, but did I expect seven? No! But I still knew that if we scored one, two runs that the game was going to go to us.”

“That was the hopes from the very beginning, and getting to the state game is what we worked hard to achieve,” said Ryley Austin. “The loss last year just made us want it more this year. To do it this year is relief off our chests, but we still have one more to go. To win, it would be great for this community. It would be great to get one for everybody in this town.”

Now comes Orono, a 2-1 winner over Dexter on Wednesday in the Class C North regional final. There is little Randy knows about the Red Riots, other than the pitcher he expects his team to see on Saturday, Jackson Coutts.

“Jackson’s dad, Mike Coutts, is from Auburn, and his son throws hard,” said Randy, who has confidence in his team. “Honestly, I care about how good Orono is, but if we go up there and play our game, I like our chances to come home with the title, especially since everyone on my pitching staff is available.

Randy has a special place in his heart for this year’s senior class.

“They were the first kindergarten class in the new Lisbon Community School, and I was their only physical education teacher for nine years before they moved to the high school,” said Randy. “I have gotten so attached to them through the years.”

Randy has entertained the masses over the years, often teaming with good friend Petrie in Lisbon’s “Dancing with the Staff ” shows. Yes, Randy is LISBON!

“They’ll bury me in the third base coaching box,” Randy said with a laugh.

BOB CONN is The Times Record sport editor. He can be reached at bconn@timesrecord.com.