Last spring, the baseball programs at York, Grafton and Warhill High each completed the Bay Rivers regular season 16-2, resulting in the first three-way tie for a district title that veteran York coach Rusty Ingram can ever remember. Grafton ended up advancing to the state semifinals with a 9-4 loss to Brookville while the Falcons and Lions each saw their seasons end in the regional tournament.
Odds alone say the chances of three teams tying for a second straight district championship are slim, but if you poll district coaches, some say they’re expecting one of the tightest races in years.
As the regular season opens on Tuesday, all three of last year’s co regular-season champs enter the 2013 season with high hopes of being in the thick of contention yet again, but so does a veteran and talented Jamestown team coming off an injury-riddled campaign last spring. Poquoson seems to always field a competitive squad, and Lafayette is on most every coach’s radar after showing promise with a talented group of young players.
Warhill and York both welcome back six starters from last season, but one could make the argument the Lions, who return five all-district players – four of whom were first-team selections – bring back the best talent.
The loss of current Hampden-Sydney College freshman Teddy West, Warhill’s best all-around player last season and Pitcher of the Year in the Bay Rivers, will be tough to overcome – especially on the mound where West was nearly unbeatable posting a district-best 9-2 record and eight complete games. But Michael Brumfield, a second team all-district pitcher who went 6-1 with a 2.14 ERA in seven starts last spring, is fully capable of shouldering the load as the staff ace this year.
Brumfield will have a familiar presence behind the plate, too, in all-district and all-region catcher Blake Wills, a fearless backstop and powerful hitter who batted .450 with 23 runs scored and 21 RBIs last year. Outfielders Tyler Klinedinst (.369, 20 runs, 18 RBI) and Hunter Hux (.443, 21 runs, 14 RBI), who will play college ball next season at Greensboro College and Penn State at Erie, respectively, are solid defenders who swing a strong stick, as does junior Jordan Hackney, a first team all-district designated hitter last season who hit .432 with 18 RBIs and two home runs.
Warhill head coach Joe Henzel says he expects junior Blake Otey to see lots of time on the hill as Warhill’s No. 2 pitching option behind Brumfield, and senior shortstop Tom Richardson returns as an excellent defender up the middle.
It was a year of firsts last season for the Lions, who captured their first Bay Rivers regular season title, hosted their first district-tournament game and clinched its first spot in the region tournament. The Lions will be looking to continue building a program that has improved in each of its first five seasons. Henzel, though, says he has coached baseball long enough to know there are no such things as favorites.
“Last year was old news,” Henzel said. “We’re excited about the guys we have this season, but we’re going into it with the mentality of trying to beat the teams we’re supposed to and keep every game tight. … The district will come down to whichever team plays cleaner ball, because there’s a lot of parity out there this year. Every game is going to be important.”
York’s leading returner is senior shortstop standout Brandon Harvell, a plus-.400 hitter with speed on the base paths, and anchors one of the best defensive units along with second baseman Trevor Kelly, first baseman Cole Ingram, catcher Josh Smith and outfielders Dalton Dye (center) and Brian Willis (right).
The biggest question for the Falcons: Who will step up and replace the pitching void left by ace T.J. Rinoski, Clark Siebels and hard-throwing Tim Kelly? Head coach Rusty Ingram says he is looking at six different guys to fill the void on the mound, and likes what he has seen from Jimmy Angell and sophomore Eric Harp.
“We have a lot of key components back, especially on defense,” Ingram said. “We’re pretty young and inexperienced pitching, but I don’t think any team has two really good pitchers that can go out there and take care of business. … Warhill probably has the most talent back, but Grafton and Jamestown should be good again, and we sure plan on competing. It could be another tight race that comes down to the final day.”
Grafton lost eight seniors to graduation last spring, but Clippers coach Matt Lewellen is excited about a talented crop of young players that he feels can compete right away. Makes sense, too, given that Grafton’s JV finished last year a perfect 18-0 in district play.
Seniors Nic Kurz, an above-.400 lefty hitter who drove in more than 20 runs last season, and Lane Deaver are the Clippers’ top hitters and will provide leadership along with senior shortstop Dylan Bartells. Sophomore Evan Sperling and junior Gray Harris are the top two arms from whom, despite having minimal varsity-level pitching experience, Lewellen expects good things.
Sperling has a ton of upside as a sophomore and Harris was on the varsity roster to start last year but spent most of the year on JV with arm problems. If that duo can be half as good as Blake Ream and Lane Thomas were for Grafton last season, the Clippers will be right in the thick of things again.
“This year is as evenly matched as its been in years,” said Lewellen of his outlook on the season. “Warhill should be right there at the top along with York, Jamestown should be strong again and Poquoson is always a tough, scrappy team. … We’re a young but talented team and just hope to be there at the end like everyone else… And I think we will if we continue to progress and the young guys come along like we expect them to.”
A team plagued by injuries last season, Jamestown will almost certainly be a force this season if the Eagles can remain healthy.
William and Mary-bound pitcher Matt Smith, who was 3-2 and posted a 1.21 ERA in with 41 strikeouts in 34 innings last season, is the district’s top returning pitcher. With Griffin Colorado behind the plate, Jamestown features perhaps the best battery in the district.
Coach Mike Kuebler likes the mix of power and speed in his lineup highlighted by Colorado (.391), junior Liam Lowery and senior Matt Perry (.404) along with speedy shortstop Austin Carter.
Another team to keep an eye on is Lafayette, which returns every one of the seven freshmen who started last season.
Sophomore Austin Cohn, who led the Rams in hitting last year, and junior Solomon McCray highlight a batting order capable of producing runs. After having just a couple options on the mound last season, Coach Rick Schenk says pitching depth is somewhat of a luxury this year with six or seven capable arms led by senior Tyler Kirby and sophomore Daniel Blankenship.
Schenk added he’s also looking forward to good things from sophomore shortstop Jeremiah Antol, as well freshmen newcomers Luke and Andre Lipcious, who can offer immediate contributions.
What else does the upcoming season have in store? Can teams like Tabb and Bruton, who have a total number of seniors combined that you could count on one hand, mature quickly enough to be competitive?
The answers will begin to unfold this week.
OPENING DAY SCHEDULE
Tabb vs. Jamestown, Tabbb High, 4 p.m.
Poquoson vs. Grafton, Poquoson High, 4:30 p.m.
Lafayette vs. New Kent, Warhill Sports Complex, 4:30 p.m.
Smithfield vs. Bruton, Smithfield High, 4:30 p.m.
Warhill vs. York, 4:30 p.m., Warhill High
