COLUMBUS -- Although the OHSAA state baseball tournament has been over since June, Defiance High School baseball associate head coach Rick Weaver recently earned state recognition from the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association for his work during the 2013 season.

Weaver was honored with one of four Assistant Baseball Coach of the Year awards by the OHSBCA at a recent meeting. The DHS associate baseball mentor, who has been helping coach the Bulldogs with head coach Tom Held since 2000, was an integral part of Defiance's Division II state championship run last spring.

"I just found out (this past weekend) and I am very humbled and very honored to receive the recognition," said Weaver, who also played baseball for Held during his days at Bryan High School. "Coaches get awards like these, but it happened because we had great players and more importantly, we had a great team last season."

Held, who has been the head coach at Defiance since 1999, was thrilled that his friend and colleague earned state recognition for his contributions to the DHS baseball program.

"Coach Weavs has been invaluable to the Defiance baseball program," stated Held. "I really don't look at him as an assistant, he's more of a co-head coach. Defiance baseball would not be where it is without him, and not only is he a great coach, he's a tremendous asset to Defiance City Schools."

The OHSBCA honors four coaches with the award from four districts around the state each season. In order to be considered, head coaches nominate assistant coaches for the honor before it is voted on by the members of the OHSBCA.

Weaver earned the honor for 2013 after helping guide Defiance to an outright Western Buckeye League title with a record of 9-0 (DHS is riding a 68-game WBL win streak that dates back to 2006), to sectional, district, regional and state championships, and a final overall record of 31-1.

While helping to lead Defiance High School to its second state baseball championship in school history is a moment Weaver won't soon forget, it was a victory in the Division II district semifinals that stands out in his mind as a pivotal moment from last spring.

"That was obviously a great tournament run last season, going all the way and winning state, but it was our 1-0 win over Toledo Central Catholic that Tom and I still talk about a lot," Weaver said. "We got no-hit in that game and we were still able to win, 1-0. After that game, Tom and I talked about that maybe it could be our year to win a state championship.

"We were playing well heading into districts, but after that win we really played great baseball the rest of the tournament," Weaver added. "(Pitchers) Robbie (Zeigler) and Weston (Rivers) just dominated the competition, our defense played great and we hit the ball well as a team. The season was a lot like most seasons at Defiance, but all the hard work paid off with a state championship."

Weaver's Assistant Coach of the Year Award topped off a 2013 campaign that not only included a state championship, but Coach of the Year honors for Held, an OHSBCA Division II poll championship and Player of the Year honors for Zeigler, who is currently enrolled as a freshman at Kentucky on scholarship to play baseball beginning this spring.

"Again, I'm very honored to receive this award, but again, I have to give credit to the kids, they made it happen on the field," concluded Weaver. "I would also like to thank Tom and (assistant coach) Shane (Coleman) and all the coaches at Defiance. To be honest, I really can't thank Tom enough for everything he's done for me."