Pitcher Isaac Rehfield caught the pop up and then spiked it.

He capped his postgame celebration with a little dance move for good measure. The kid had himself a game and deserved to hoot and holler along with his Casteel baseball teammates.

But don’t call Casteel’s 9-0 road triumph over No. 1 seed Millennium an upset. Coach Matt Denny’s been here before.

Isaac’s game-ending shimmy Tuesday is about as flashy as Denny’s boys will get. Like the programs Denny’s coached before, Casteel pays attention to the details.

That and Rehfield’s complete game performance are reasons why Casteel’s eighth seeded team advanced to the 5A Conferences semifinals after snapping Millennium’s 12-game win streak.

“The kid (Rehfield) is an absolute warrior,” Denny said. “The radar gun is not going to show you anything. You watch him and you’re probably saying this isn’t going to be good for us. But the kid knows how to pitch. He has great feel. His heart is as big as anybody I’ve coached.”

Of the six hits Rehfield, a southpaw with a three-quarter arm slot, allowed, only one went for extra bases, a sixth inning double by Nathan Enders.

“I’m just proud of the guys,” Rehfield said. “Because early in the season we were, I feel, like we were getting counted out just because we were losing games that we shouldn’t have. But it’s everybody. It’s one unit. We like to say ‘for the brand,’ and today we played for the brand baseball. I couldn’t be more prouder of my guys.”

The senior kept Millennium off balance with a steady dose of outside changeups and the occasional slider.

When Rehfield did go inside, it was his fastball that did the job for the most part. His defense also had itself a game, exiting the field without an error.

At the plate, again, Casteel isn’t going to wow recruiters or scouts. Of its nine hits, only two were of the extra base variety.

But Casteel sure knows how to manufacture runs, and everybody will lay down a bunt if called upon. Casteel’s first five runs crossed the plate courtesy of a pass ball, a throwing error that allowed two runs to score, a fielder’s choice, and an RBI sac fly. Credit Casteel’s base running for putting pressure on Millennium’s defense.

Casteel’s leadoff batters reached base in four of the first five innings. Pressuring opponents is a page in Denny’s baseball playbook.

Casteel scored its first five runs against a pitcher, Henry Braukmiller, who didn't allow an earned run in his first 18 innings this season.

Despite the loss, Millennium finished with a 15-3 record and surprised 5A with its late season push with a handful of players in their first year of varsity ball. Landon Hairston had three hits, and Jadin Grannis and Andres "Gato" Galvez each had two hits for Casteel.

Galvez, the 5A’s leader in fielding percentage, also showed off those cat-like reflexes when he made a great stop at first off a grounder during the game. Millennium’s Seanan Farney (2-for-3) was the only batter Rehfield didn’t retire at least once.

Until the final out that is. Farney popped up to Rehfield to end the game.

Rehfield, a self described pop culture nerd, said he was dared to say a quote from one of his favorite shows, SpongeBob SquarePants, if he pitched a complete game. After the final out, Rehfield delivered on that end as well and yelled, “Me hoy minoy.”

Who knows what the meaning of that phrase is, but it was a perfect ending for Rehfield and his 13-7 team, winners of their past six games.

Its next challenge is a 4 p.m. semifinal showdown with No. 5 seed Sunrise Mountain at Hohokam Stadium on Friday.

“Me hoy minoy.”

Casteel's Isaac Rehfield