JAMESTOWN - Stephen Laylock speaks quietly but pitches in exclamation points.

Laylock, a Dickinson High School junior, is measured and thoughtful in expressing himself - except on the pitcher's mound. Laylock threw lightning bolts on Saturday, pitching a no-hitter for a 1-0 victory over Fargo South in the championship game of the state Class A baseball tournament.

Laylock's display of near-perfection came two years after he defeated Minot on the same Jack Brown Stadium field as a freshman for the 2007 state championship.

Laylock, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound right-hander, came within one pitch of throwing a perfect game. South cleanup man Matt Wawers walked on a 3-and-2 pitch to open the fifth inning after Laylock retired the first 12 men he faced. Wawers was bunted to second and died there, a monument to South's only flicker of offense.

Working just a day after pitching three innings in Dickinson's 13-3 semifinal victory over Fargo Shanley, Laylock was a model of efficiency. Fifty-three of his 89 pitches were strikes He struck out six and allowed only one outfield fly. His Friday outing notwithstanding, Laylock said he was as strong in the seventh inning as the first, if not stronger.

"I felt great the whole game with the adrenaline running," he said. "In the seventh I think I was throwing just as well as the first. Acutally, I felt better in the seventh. As the game went on I felt sharper and sharper."

Midgets catcher Michael Steve seconded Laylock's viewpoint.

"He was a nine (on a 10-point scale) because he could command every pitch," Steve said. "He had a bite on his curve and slider, and his fastball was coming hard."

South didn't get a ball out of the infield until the ninth inning. David Ernst lined a 2-and-0 pitch to right field, and Dickinson's T.J. Dempsey almost overran the ball, making a leaping grab.

Laylock said he had no hesitation about returning to the mound after his 40-pitch outing against Shanley.

"I'm not going to lie. I wanted to go all seven," he said.

Likewise, Dickinson coach Pete Dobitz went to Laylock with no second thoughts. "None at all, actually. He's what you call a gamer," Dobitz said.

Dobitz said he monitored Laylock's pitch count closely.

"One hundred was going to be the top, but he worked efficiently," Dobitz said.

Laylock drove home the only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Eric Seiler drew a one-out walk and hustled to third when Cole Frenzel sliced a single down the left-field line. Laylock's fly ball to center field allowed Seiler to race home with what proved to be the game's lone run.

"I told them I wanted one more run," Laylock said. "I didn't get it � but I still knew I had great stuff."

In the Dickinson dugout everyone perfectly observed no-hit etiquette. Mum was the word.

"Nobody said anything. � I was waiting for someone to say something, but nobody did, and it worked out," Laylock said.

For South coach Donn Bryant, the game played out like a bitter rerun.

"It was tough. This is the second state championship game we've lost 1-0," Bryant said. "It was 1-0 last year (against Williston) and 1-0 this year. I just feel bad for the kids."

Losing pitcher Zach Noriega, a senior right-hander, surrendered just three hits, but kept himself in constant jeopardy with six walks. It was one of those free passes that proved to be his undoing.

"We preach all year long about walks � and that one hurt him," Bryant said.

The no-hitter was, in effect, a spectacular goodbye to North Dakota high school baseball. Laylock's senior year will be spent in Pennsylvania.

"I'll be here until the end of Legion baseball," he said. "My family is moving to Pittsburgh."

Fargo South 000 000 0 - 0 0 3

Dickinson 100 000 x - 1 3 0

Zach Noriega and Tyler Kellen; Stephen Laylock and Michael Steve. W - Laylock, 5-0. L - Noriega, 4-1. HR - None.

Highlights: FS - Noriega 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 8 SO. D - Cole Frenzel 1-for-3; Connor McNeilly 1-for-2; Tim Rocha 1-for-2; Eric Seiler 0-for-1, 1 BB, 1 R; Laylock 0-for-2, 1 RBI; 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO.

Records: Fargo South 24-6, Dickinson 23-8.

All-Tournament Team

Dickinson: Cole Frenzel, Stephen Laylock, Eric Seiler. Fargo South: David Ernst, Kyle Kingsley. Minot: Ryan Bollinger. Fargo Shanley: Mike Jones. Century: Hunter Johnson. Devils Lake: David Gutschmidt. Williston: Alex Hanson.

Class A senior athlete: Ryan Bollinger, Minot.

Coach of the year: Joel Swanson, Fargo Shanley.