Austin Stadler knows how to pick his spot.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch Boys High School Athlete Of The Year completed his senior year with a second Group AAA baseball title for James River. Stadler was the winning pitcher in the Rapids' quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games. He hit a towering walk-off home run in extra innings to win in the state semifinals.

There are moments of his senior year, and that dramatic state title run, that Stadler admits to holding dear. But his energy is directed in such a way that the 18-year old southpaw is almost unable to look back.

"I thought my junior year was going to be the one I remembered more than my senior year," he said. "But it turns out that they kind of combined together, and it was just a great end to a high school career.

"But it's not something that I want to look back on and sit down for a while. I mean, I still have more goals ahead of me."

He's already staring down his future, and his focus doesn't allow much time for reflection.

In August, he'll report to Wake Forest, where he hopes to pick up playing time at first base as well as working his way into the rotation.

The Demon Deacons' junior first baseman, Allan Dykstra, was selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. That should open a spot that Stadler sees himself filling.

Scouts also saw room for him on professional rosters. Although he'd already committed to Wake Forest, Stadler was drafted in the (40th) round by the San Francisco Giants. Pro scouts are subtle, he said. You never know who they are -- they look like anybody player's father -- so Stadler doesn't worry about putting on a show.

"Whenever I get on the field, any problem or anything that's happening around me just goes away once I've stepped on to the field," he said. "When I get back off, it will come back to me. But it's just fun to be at a place where you can let go of everything that's happened to you and just play a game."

But the message sent him in the draft seemed clear enough: He'll have a career in baseball when he's ready. And that's what he really wanted to hear.

"All I've ever wanted to do is play professional baseball," he said.

He knows that the slimmest fraction of those that get drafted make it to the majors. But Stadler hasn't run up against many obstacles that he couldn't find a way around -- a pitcher that couldn't be hit, a batter he couldn't retire -- since he first watched his older brother playing baseball. And his light-eyed gaze is leveled on a plan.

He wants to get a degree from Wake; he thinks he can finish school in three years with summer classes and hard work. At the end of that time he'll be eligible for the draft again.

Until then, Stadler is quietly focused on his next step. His brilliant high school career already is behind him. Eventually, he'll look back at the scrapbooks his mother and grandmother have been keeping. But he's already found that when focusing on a spot in the future seems to take care of his present.

"I basically just wanted to get all of the rising juniors to be able to play at the varsity level [this season]. I never expected us to win it again," Stadler said. "But it's been another perfect season for us. And it felt good. But I'm more happy that we passed the torch to the younger players."