Unbreakable bond: Watterson's Bernotas, Rudzinski cherish friendship on, off field
Several Watterson teams have enjoyed special moments with longtime friends Charlie Bernotas and Ryan Rudzinski on the field — or on the court — with potentially more to come with the baseball program this spring.
With the two playing key roles, Watterson captured its second consecutive CCL title, going 11-1 in league play, and earned the No. 2 seed for the Division I district tournament. It’s the Eagles’ first season at that level after moving from Division II.
Bernotas and Rudzinski’s friendship began in kindergarten at St. Andrew School and blossomed into an unbreakable bond. The seniors are inseparable, and their chemistry seems to translate to the teams on which they play.
“We have so many memories,” Bernotas said. “Everything we’ve done, it’s been together. Every sport. When we were younger, we used to go down Saturday mornings after football practice to Ohio State games. We’re always hanging out. I don’t really know a day or a week when I’m not with this kid.”
“We spend so much time together,” Rudzinski said. “The best teams are the ones that are the closest teams. We’ve always played on the same team. We have each other’s back. I know what he’s thinking and he knows what I’m thinking. It’s really easy when you have a friend who’s with you along the way and you have the same goals and you want to achieve the same stuff. You’re there to push each other. We pick each other up.”
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Watterson (21-2) opens the postseason Wednesday with a second-round home game against 26th-seeded Dublin Jerome.
Bernotas and Rudzinski are key to the Eagles’ defense up the middle, with Bernotas in center field and Rudzinski at shortstop.
“That’s what makes a team good, you have to be solid up the middle,” coach Jeff Boulware said. “Any time that ball goes in the air, we feel really comfortable because Charlie is going to get it. Any time that ball gets hit on the ground anywhere on the left side (of the infield), we feel really good about things. It’s going to be really hard to replace those two.”
They also have been helping to fuel the offense. Bernotas is batting .352 with five doubles, two triples, 22 runs scored and 15 stolen bases, and Rudzinski has five doubles, three triples, one home run and nine stolen bases.
“You have two really good people,” Boulware said. “When (the) guys leave here ... they’re always together, and when they text you for extra batting practice, they come together. You watch them on the football field and they’re always together. It’s a pretty cool friendship. I hope we can extend (their careers) on the baseball field for a few weeks.”
Their playing careers will continue, with Rudzinski being a preferred walk-on for the Ohio State football team and Bernotas playing baseball at John Carroll. Rudzinski’s father, Jerry, played linebacker for the Buckeyes from 1995-98.
Ryan Rudzinski, who had a chance to play baseball in college, credits the Ohio State offer to his role on offense expanding beyond quarterback as a senior.
The pair played football all four years and helped lead the Eagles to the Division III, Region 11 final last fall, losing to Bloom-Carroll 33-28 to finish 12-2.
Rudzinski (QB/WR/DB) was first-team all-state, all-district and all-league and first-team all-defense on The Dispatch All-Metro team. Bernotas (RB/DB) was first-team all-league and second-team all-district.
Rudzinski also helped lead the boys basketball team to a Division II district championship this past winter. He was named first-team all-league, third-team all-district, honorable mention all-state and special mention All-Metro by The Dispatch.
They were together in the basketball program for two seasons before Bernotas opted to leave the sport after undergoing back surgery for a herniated disc. He said he played his junior football season with the injury.
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Bernotas and Rudzinski both said “it’s going to be weird” when they go their separate ways this fall, but they'll be hanging out together this summer.
“I’ll come back on weekends (in the fall) and watch him,” Bernotas said.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without this kid,” Rudzinski said.
Although they have made plenty of memories at Watterson, one of their fondest was helping Immaculate Conception beat St. Brigid in the diocesan middle school football championship game. Rudzinski, the holder on special teams, pulled down a high snap and Bernotas kicked the game-winning field goal.
“That was one of the best moments of our career,” Rudzinski said. “It’s super cool to share all these memories. I have such a great friendship with him.”
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bernotas, Rudzinski make more memories with Watterson baseball
