Chico High baseball continues hot streak, beats Red Bluff for first section championship since 2017
CHICO — A culture is key to the success of any athletic program, and when Chico High head coach Brian Thomas took over at the helm of the Panthers’ baseball program, he knew this is where it started. Thomas returned to the home field at Butte College — where he was the pitching coach and associate head coach for 10 seasons — on Saturday, leading the Panthers in their chase for their first Northern Section championship since 2017. The No. 1 seed Panthers (21-6-1) won a pitchers’ duel in Saturday’s Northern Section Division II Super Regional Championship against Red Bluff, defeating the Spartans 2-0. It was Chico’s 14th win in its past 15 games, and the Panthers continued to “ride the wave” wearing their Hawaii-themed, “Ohana” jerseys Saturday. “When you implement a program, your first concern early is are they going to understand the culture you’re trying to implement, which is ultimately more of a mindset,” said Thomas. “Our culture is attitude and effort, plain and simple.” Thomas said that mindset he hoped to implement with the Panthers comes from his previous coaching experience with