Matt Hobgood and Glenn Prater were both blessed with the ability to throw fastballs in excess of 90 mph.

Both helped their teams to successful seasons this year, though Prater did it as a coach at Woodcrest Christian.

Norco's Hobgood needs little introduction, after going 11-1 on the mound with a 0.92 earned run average. He also hit .475 with 55 runs batted in and a national-best 21 home runs in leading the Cougars (25-5) to a Big VIII League title.

Hobgood is the HS GameTime Player of the Year. Prater, who led the Royals to the section title game, is the Coach of the Year.

Hobgood was scheduled to fly to Baltimore on Wednesday to take a physical and possibly sign a contract before the end of the week. He was drafted in the first round (fifth pick overall) June 10 by the Orioles.

Hobgood's expected signing will cap an exciting period for the right-handed pitcher. The maelstrom of activity has included being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, getting drafted by the Orioles, graduating from high school, being deluged by the media and finally having a chance to put his name to a pro contract.

"It's all been pretty great, to say the least," Hobgood said. "I've tried to take it in stride and have fun with it. I know that eventually it will go away and I'll just be playing ball."

Woodcrest Christian coach Prater won three postseason games for Cal in 1980, including one in the College World Series. Like Hobgood, he could blow hitters away with a live fastball. But bad knees scuttled Prater's playing career, which has been a blessing in disguise for Woodcrest Christian.

"He's an excellent baseball coach," Woodcrest Christian athletic director Charles Ricards said. "I've been the A.D. here a long time and I never had a coach who was as thorough and works as hard as he does."

The Royals went 11-15 in 2008, finishing in fourth place in the Big Sky League. This year they marched all the way to the CIF-SS Division 5 title game before losing 3-1 to Pasadena Maranatha.

Woodcrest Christian defeated seven large public schools this season and lost to state-ranked Yucaipa by only a run, 5-4.

Prater met Ricards by chance, when both were coaching boys' volleyball 18 years ago. Prater was at Banning Christian at the time and Ricards told him of the English teacher/baseball coach opening at Woodcrest Christian.

Since then, he has led the Royals to three section title games, including a championship in 2000.

Prater, 50, heaps praise upon his former coaches, Tom Bergeron at Cerritos Gahr High School, Wally Kincaid at Cerritos College and Bob Milano at Cal.

"They were all good coaches," Prater said. "They did more than just stand there and wait for three-run home runs. We were taught to pitch and play defense and run the bases. I'm fortunate that I'm able to pass it along at Woodcrest Christian."

Reach John Murphy at jomurphy@PE.com