A crowd of alumni, families and local supporters filled the Laurel Highlands Baseball Field on August 13, marking the first alumni baseball game hosted by the school since the pandemic halted the 2021 season. The gathering was held to honor the late Scott DeBerry, a former player and coach whose legacy shaped the program.
The event introduced the DeBerry MVP Award, named for the late coach whose career at Laurel Highlands spanned eight seasons and left an indelible mark on the program’s culture of excellence.
A Legacy Beyond the Diamond
Frank Kula captured the inaugural award by going 4 for 4 with four RBIs, a double and a run scored, a performance that paid tribute to the standards DeBerry set on and off the field.
DeBerry’s journey began in the same halls he later coached, where he excelled in both baseball and football before graduating in 1987, later playing at Kent State and competing in the Fayette County Baseball League.
Beyond his on‑field achievements, DeBerry taught for 17 years in the Laurel Highlands School District and mentored countless youngsters, a legacy remembered by current head coach Mike Smith, who recalled the coach’s habit of tossing a football to him as a child and his role in shaping the Mustangs’ ethos.
Family members attended the game, underscoring the personal connections that bound the community to a man whose influence reached youth sports, education and the broader fabric of Fayette County.