The end of an era could come as early as today.

If top-seeded Montoursville defeats No. 8 Midd-West in their District 4 Class AAA quarterfinal, it will be Vince Keister's last game as head coach.

Keister -- the only head coach in the four-year history of Midd-West, and the coach at Middleburg for 14 seasons prior -- announced his retirement a few days ago.

He will, as the cliche goes, be missed.

"I've had enough. It's time for someone else to take over," said Keister, whose day job is postmaster at the U.S. Post Office in McClure. "I don't have the push like I used to. It's not the kids and it's not that we had a bad year. This was decided before that.

Keister's reference to a bad year' -- the Mustangs are 11-9 heading into today's matchup -- speaks volumes about the success he's had. Although he won only one District 4 title -- with the fabulous 2005 team -- his four Midd-West teams went a combined 70-18 and won two Tri-Valley League championships. He won several more TVL titles during his Middleburg years.

Keister didn't inherit a full cupboard at Midd-West; he played a large role in constructing it.

"When I first took over (at Middleburg), it was pretty much soccer, soccer, soccer. I wanted to build a good (baseball) foundation, so we got ahold of it at the Little League level, and we worked it right up through the teener leagues," he said. "When I first started we just had athletes, and as we went on we started to get baseball players. That was the big turnaround.

"Basically, they all got adjusted to how I like to play baseball."

That how' included a very fan-friendly (and player-friendly) up-tempo style. While many seven-inning high school games can take upwards of three hours, Keister's Mustangs usually managed to get their business done in about two. That coaching style certainly goes against the grain of today's "every at-bat is a war" mentality, but it was appreciated by any writer facing deadline pressures. And it was done with a purpose.

"I always tried to have fast-paced games. For me, baseball is a mental game, and the more you play with kids' minds, sometimes the worse it gets," he said. "I always played to get it done and stay one step ahead, and make the other team keep up with us."

Keister is appreciated for many reasons. He is as approachable after a loss as a win, never ducking a writer's second-guessing questions. He has a wry sense of humor, and he treats his players with a tough-love approach: mostly loose, occasionally stern, but always with their best interests at heart.

"What was really neat was when we had kids struggle with grades throughout the year, but when baseball season came around you'd see their grades go up," he said. "(Spring) is the toughest time to coach, with senior trips, college visits, the prom ... but I was blessed. I enjoyed it all. There were struggles, but looking back I can say it was all worthwhile."

Not to suggest that Keister got it all right.

When Midd-West was the victim of The Worst Call I've Ever Seen In Sports -- during the 2005 PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals in Spring Grove -- I thought Keister was too deferential regarding a reprehensible decision that probably cost the Mustangs a berth in the state semis.