Kontos honors high school coach for setting path to Giants

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Watch the 2017 Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards this Sunday night at 9pm on CSN Bay Area.

SAN FRANCISCO — In five seasons with the Giants, George Kontos has become known for his durability. He is ready and willing to take the mound as often as needed, and it’s a trait he displayed more than a decade before his big league debut.

Kontos was a workhorse for his freshman team at Niles West High School in the suburbs of Chicago, and in the final game of the season, he pitched seven strong innings for a big win, stubbornly pushing through some soreness in his right elbow. As he walked back to the team bus with his coach, Chris Schwarz, Kontos admitted that his arm had been…