The Northshore Panthers baseball team had an unbelievable season, capturing the Class 5A state championship, while winning their second-consecutive district title and posting an amazing 34-2 record.

The exploits netted the Panthers national recognition as seven polls ranked them in the top nine. Northshore was the only Louisiana team ranked in all, but two of the polls, Max Preps and www.pgcrosschecker.com (a division of Perfect Game USA).

Northshore’s best ranking was No. 2 by USA Today, who ranked the top 25.

Northshore coach Rick Mauldin (middle) looks on as pitcher Shane McKinley warms up for a relief appearance during the state semifinal game against Barbe. Also pictured are Cody Deckwa (10) and Breck Kline (4). (File Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

The Panthers were No. 3 in Max Preps, who listed their top 100 teams. The poll also listed two other Louisiana teams, including Dutchtown, 79th, which Northshore defeated in the state championship game 7-2 and Parkview Baptist (34-9-4), 89th.

NHS was fourth in the Baseball America poll, while taking No. 6 in the ESPN Fab 50 and www.rivals.com. Those three list the top 50 teams.

Northshore was ranked seventh in Collegiate Baseball Newpaper’s Easton Sports National H.S. Poll, which lists the top 30 and www.pgcrosschecker.com put the Panthers ninth.

Other state teams making the www.pgcrosschecker .com poll included Barbe, 40th, who NHS topped 11-10 in the semifinals, Parkview Baptist, 60th, Dutchtown, 72nd and Evangel Christian Academy 99th.

Northshore coach Rick Mauldin said it’s tough to stay in those polls.

“Usually when you lose one or two games, you could drop out of sight,” Mauldin said. “It was pressure on the kids for the national poll and we had a district race to worry about.”

Mauldin said despite the attention, the team was more concerned with trying to win the district.

“We didn’t focus on the national poll, we were focused on the district title, but the national poll was in the back of our minds,” Mauldin said.

Mauldin also said all the starters did something to take the pressure off another guy.

“Everybody had a certain role and they did it,” Mauldin said.

Mauldin also credited his coaching staff for the job they did.

Mauldin said the defining moment of the season was Northshore’s final loss, a 5-4 setback to St. Paul’s because the Wolves were just one game back of the district’s top spot.

The loss put NHS at 26-2. After that, the Panthers won eight straight games en-route to the district and state title.

Three of the Panthers’ top players were catcher Chad Gough-Fortenberry, pitcher Cody Deckwa and third baseman/pitcher Chase Compton.

Gough-Fortenberry, a Southeastern Louisiana University signee, hit .534 with 16 home runs, 38 runs batted in and he slugged 1.146.

Deckwa got two of his team’s three wins in the state tournament. He finished the season with a 9-1 record and 1.78 earned run average in 55 innings of work. He struck out 60 hitters, while walking 25 and hitting 15.

Compton pitched the final three innings of the state title and allowed no runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout. He went 6-0 with a 3.16 ERA in 31 innings.

But most of his damage came at the plate where he batted .361 with six homers, 35 RBIs and he scored 41 times.