CHANTILLY -- Last winter, Rapids stars Daniel Marrs and Austin Stadler met the new crop of James River players.

The two pitchers were among a handful of varsity players left from last year's state championship team, and they weren't crazy about what they saw.

"At first, we didn't know what we were going to do with them," Stadler said. "They're a lot different from last year."

So Stadler did what he does best -- worked hard. His grueling workouts and commitment to the game proved contagious, and the team that took the field in February slowly came together and became the best in Virginia again, proving it yesterday with a 10-0 title-game shutout of Colonial Forge.

"Words can't express what they mean to me," coach Pete Schumacher said. "These guys do all the little things right. They pick each other up. You can't put a price tag on that kind of chemistry."

It developed slowly. Early in the season, the Rapids' fielding cost them runs routinely. When the tournament rolled around this month, opponents were making mistakes and the Rapids were capitalizing.

"I feel like I'm on a completely different team than I was at the beginning of the year," center fielder Robert Oldham said.

It's one on which every player knows his role, something Schumacher works hard to develop. Third baseman Sean Monahan transferred from Cosby this year and was struck by the team unity Schumacher had created.

"He's laid-back," Monahan said. "You make a mistake, and he lets you know and you build on it. It's a great atmosphere."

That air of success surrounded the Rapids yesterday. They stranded six baserunners in the first two innings and still jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

The offense came from all parts of the lineup. Second baseman Austin McGowan went 3 for 3, Stadler went 2 for 2, and the team hit six doubles, including a pair from Ian Harvey, one of which came in a five-run fourth inning during which all nine hitters came to the plate.

"It's all about peaking at the right time," McGowan said. "We worked hard to pick each other up all season long."

But everyone else knows they're supporting characters in the Marrs and Stadler show.

"Those are the two best players I've played with in my life," Monahan said. "It's great, I've learned so many things playing with them."

Marrs is 220 pounds of talent, a hard-throwing pitcher who already has worked out for major-league teams. After suffering an injury his junior year, he made the most of his state tournament outing yesterday.

"He just really wanted it," Schumacher said. "Last year, he couldn't go, and that just killed him. Now he gets here, and he pitched a great game. He's got a lot of poise out there."

Meanwhile, Stadler has a flair for the dramatic. He'll catch throws at first base by raising his left leg as a pitcher would, increasing the degree of difficulty. His pitches don't overpower, they come off the arm with a flourish that helps them drop from shoulder-high to knee-high in half a second.

Off the field, the two swap personalities -- with Stadler keeping quiet and Marrs being the louder one with teammates. As the final out was recorded, it was Marrs, along with senior Gil Evans, who dumped the water cooler on Schumacher, a two-time state champion.

"It's sweet both times, but last time, it just seemed natural," he said. "This time, these guys came together as a team. They had some growing pains, but it came together in the end. I'm so proud of them."

Colonial Forge ------------------------- 000 000 0 -- 0 5 1
James River ------------------------- 121 510 x -- 10 12 2

McManus, Buel (4), Marin (6) and Buel; Stadler, Matthews (7) and Cleary. L: McManus. W: Stadler.

Records: Colonial Forge 20-9; James River 21-5