Baseball: Scouting Lake County
NORTH SUBURBAN LAKE
LAKE ZURICH
Coach: Gary Simon (12th season)
Last year: 16-17 (8-8 NSC Lake Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Mundelein in the regional semifinal, 9-1.
Key players lost: P Ben Gullo (Eastern Kentucky), P/SS Parker Asmann (Evansville), P Mike Irgang (Illinois Benedictine), OF Mitch Tuthill (Illinois Benedictine), P/IF Mike Schur, P Eddie Szarcowitz, C Jeremy Reusch, OF Mark Dorfman
Key players returning: P Mike Lutz, sr., OF/P Sean Eder, sr., OF John Orlando, sr., P Wyatt Spector, sr., C Danny O'Connor, sr., P Kevin Bellew, IF Jacob LaRue, sr., IF Collin Roto, sr.
Key newcomers: OF/P James DeGeorge, OF/P Dom Demicco, OF/P Ian Ryan, IF/P Tanner Kiser, C Anthony Drago, P Austin Foote, IF Joey Pizzaloto
Outlook: The Bears limped out to a 2-14 start in 2011 but finished the season strong, going 14-3. They're hoping to ride that “better-late-than-never” momentum right into 2012. The return of two pitchers who have already made Division I commitments should help their cause. Mike Lutz will be going to Purdue while lefty Sean Eder will be playing at Ball State next year. “Our pitching should be strong,” Lake Zurich coach Gary Simon said. “Lutz is a quality pitcher and is complemented by more lefties than I've ever had. Sean Eder (a lefty) is a fireballer.” Wyatt Spector, Austin Foote, Kevin Bellew and Tanner Kiser are also left-handed pitchers. Lake Zurich's pitching was strong last year as well, but hitting was sporadic and defensive miscues and misplays were an on-going problem. “We don't want a season like last year,” Simon said. “I think our defense will improve 100 percent and our run production should be much stronger.” Lake Zurich will also be aided with a crop of dynamic new juniors who teamed up last year to win the North Suburban Conference. “We will be competitive, at least on paper,” Simon said. “We just have to go out and do it.”
LIBERTYVILLE
Coach: Jim Schurr (10th season)
Last year: 20-14 (6-6 NSC Lake Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Warren in the regional championship, 13-4.
Key players lost: IF A.J. Schurr (Army), P Joey Eichmann (Purdue)
Key players returning: OF Nick Coutre, sr., P/IF Darwin Townsend, sr., IF Anthony Mack, sr., P Kyle Cibrario, sr., C Evan Skoug, soph.
Key newcomers: OF Justin Guarnaccio, jr., P Jason Buss, jr., P Mike Rogers, jr., C/OF Matt Vogt, jr., P/OF Alec Semersky, jr., IF Matt Varner, jr., IF Connor Clark, jr., P/IF Nate Cote, jr., P/OF Nick Carlucci, jr., P/IF Dereck Ioos, P/IF Kevin Calamari, jr., IF P.J. Neumann, jr.
Outlook: Optimism is high at Libertyville, which was just one out from qualifying for the Elite Eight of the 2011 summer state championship. The Wildcats return five starters from that squad, including seasoned pitcher Darwin Townsend. “Our pitching staff runs 10 deep,” said Libertyville coach Jim Schurr, who pointed to Townsend and senior Kyle Cibrario as the Wildcats' top two pitchers. “(Townsend and Cibrario) have had proven years as sophomores and juniors,” Schurr said. “They have effective control and three-pitch repertoires. Their potential excites the coaching staff.” Another exciting playmaker for the Wildcats will be Nick Coutre. The senior outfielder will be playing at Villanova next year and is capable of making big plays both on defense and at the plate. “He will quarterback and outfield and will spark the offense as well,” Schurr said of Coutre. Meanwhile, infielder Anthony Mack is back at shortstop and sophomore Evan Skoug, who started the last half of 2011 returns at catcher.
MUNDELEIN
Coach: Todd Parola (18th season)
Last year: 28-7 (8-4 NSC Lake Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Palatine in regional championship, 15-4.
Key players lost: P Ben Mahar (Valparaiso), P Dante Martinez (Oakton), IF Bill McMahon (Oakton), IF/OF Charlie Gandolfi (Webster), DH Luis Carrasco, OF Nick Gasfield, IF Austin Ozog, OF DJ Lewis
Key players returning: P/IF Ryan Borucki, sr., IF Chris Maranto, C Jordan Wiegold, OF Jordan Pregenzer, OF Torr Randau, Nate Avis, P Matt Langlie, P Jared Mandel, Zach Pawlowski, P/OF Bryan Wiener, Connor O'Donoghue
Key newcomers: IF Will Farmer, jr., IF/OF Thomas Gandolfi, jr., IF Zach Osisek, jr., IF Ryan Dolan, jr., IF Mitch Schulewitz, jr.
Outlook: Mundelein has been known to produce some high quality aces over the years and this year should be no exception. Head coach Todd Parola sees senior pitcher Ryan Borucki settling nicely into the Mustangs' top spot, which was occupied last year by Ben Mahar. Mahar is now pitching at Valparaiso. “We've always had really good pitching and I think we'll have a very solid ace again this year in Ryan,” Parola said. “Every time he's out on the mound, we've got a really good chance to win. He's grown a lot stronger since last year and he's really improved his velocity. I think he's the type of kid who is really going to welcome the challenge of going against other aces.” Last year, Borucki went 7-1 as Mundelein's No. 3 pitcher, behind Mahar and Dante Martinez. Martinez also graduated and is now playing at Oakton. Pitchers Matt Langlie and Jared Mandel will help fill in the rotation and will battle to be the No. 2 pitcher. The pitching staff will be well supported by a defense that should be at its strongest up the middle. Shortstop Chris Maranto is back after starting all of last year. He put up some nice numbers offensively with a .352 batting average, 9 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs and 36 RBI. Catcher Jordan Wiegold, also a .350 hitter, is back as well.
STEVENSON
Coach: Paul Mazzuca (5th season)
Last year: 26-5 (11-1 NSC Lake Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Deerfield in regional semifinal, 3-2.
Key players lost: P Tyler Radtke (Villanova), P Issac Greenspon (Stetson), IF Mike Martin (Harvard)
Key players returning: IF Adam Walton, sr., OF Max Golembo, sr., OF Anthony D'Angelo, sr., IF Jack Karras, sr., IF Scott Robin, sr., P Scott Irving, sr., C Steve Galanopoulos
Key newcomers: P/IF Jon Savarise, sr., OF Nick Costantini, jr., OF Anthony Bozin, jr., IF Tony Heiser, jr.
Outlook: There will be no pity party at Stevenson. But if there was, attendance from the outside probably wouldn't be very good. “I don't think anyone in the North Suburban Conference is going to be feeling very sorry for us,” Stevenson coach Paul Mazzuca said. In fact, the rest of the league is anxiously looking forward to a reprieve from the Patriots and their seemingly endless supply of Division I pitchers. For the last three consecutive seasons, Stevenson has boasted at least one, if not multiple Division I pitchers in its rotation. And most of them were so highly in demand that they made early commitments. This year, not only are there no pitchers at Stevenson who are currently on the Division I fast track, but Mazzuca is still unsure at this point who his ace will be. “There are a lot of unknowns for us this year, that's for sure,” Mazzuca said. “After graduating a bunch of Division I arms, we're not really sure what kind of team we're going to be, what kind of identity we're going to have. The last few years, we had guys in the rotation who I knew could put in there and get us a win, or at least keep us in the really tough games. This year, we don't really have that right now. But the exciting thing is, we've got a lot of opportunities for guys to step up and become that player.” In the meantime, the Patriots will rely on their defense, which does happen to be anchored by a Division I talent. Shortstop Adam Walton committed to Illinois last year and is coveted for his speed and athleticism as a 6-footer. He and fellow senior returners Max Golembo (centerfield), Jack Karras (second base) and Steve Galanopoulos (catcher) make the heart of the Stevenson defense strong. Like Walton, Golembo (Washington-St. Louis), Karras (Emory) and Galanopoulos (DePauw) will all be playing in college next year. “We are very experienced up the middle,” Mazzuca said. “Our defense will definitely be a strength. Other than that, we don't know what all our strengths are so it should be an exciting year to see what kind of team we'll be.”
WARREN
Coach: Clint Smothers (5th season)
Last year: 23-13
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Prospect in the Barrington sectional championship, 7-6.
Key players lost: IF Kevin Colburn (Dayton), P Ryan Kennedy (Valparaiso), P Cal Hayley (CLC), P Tanner Erbach (Wisconsin-Whitewater), IF Mike Herrman
Key players returning: P Pat Kenny, C Alex Letto, P Jimmy Nickell, OF Anthony Garza.
Key newcomers: P Adam Ruess
Outlook: Graduation last spring hit Warren hard, wiping out a talented group of seniors who led Warren to two consecutive runs to the sectional finals. But even though the Blue Devils will be young and more inexperienced than in recent years, they aren't backing down. Head coach Clint Smothers has put together his team's toughest schedule in five years and is optimistic that his talented young players will thrive in the face of that challenge. They finished with a 14-4 record over the summer. “We will be young and will make some mistakes early, but we will improve through the year,” Smothers said. “Our pitching could be somewhat deep as the season goes.” The start, however, could be somewhat rocky as Warren returns only two pitchers. Pat Kenny, who will play at Purdue next year, and Jimmy Nickell combined for 79 innings and 5 wins last season. They'll have a veteran to throw to in catcher Alex Letto, who will be playing at CLC next year. Outfielder Anthony Garza is back and he plans to play at CLC as well. “Last year's loss to Prospect (in the sectional championship) didn't sit will well with our team,” Smothers said. “We had beaten them earlier in the year and we were up in that sectional game by 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh with 1 out. That was a tough loss to handle. We definitely want to build off that.”
NORTH SUBURBAN PRAIRIE
ANTIOCH
Coach: Paul Petty (20th season)
Last year: 21-10 (8-4 NSC Prairie Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Richmond-Burton in the regional championship, 7-0.
Key players lost: OF Alex Grimm, OF Brett Prather (Butler, football), P Ryan Dragoon (CLC), P Bob Pranke (CLC), DH Greg Licht
Key players returning: C Joe Gregory, sr., IF Emery Paramski, sr., IF Adam Warner, sr., P David Mead, jr., P Danny Arden, sr., P Mitch Everett, jr.
Key newcomers: IF Matt DeJong, jr., OF Cameron Slate, jr., IF Nick Muskat, soph., P/IF Jerry LaSaint, soph., P Mike Richter, jr.
Outlook: Despite all of the rare sunshine that has lit up the start of the season, Antioch is operating in a bit of a raincloud right now. The Sequoits learned on Tuesday that they may be without their most seasoned and experienced player for a large chunk of the season. Catcher Joe Gregory hurt himself in practice when his cleat got stuck in the dirt and he aggravated a chronic hip problem. Initial findings are that he suffered a bone chip along his hip and will likely require a significant layoff to recover. Gregory, a senior who will be playing at Heartland Junior College next year, has been starting behind the plate since his freshman year. “That is very bad news for us,” Antioch coach Paul Petty said. “It's a big loss. But we're just going to have to make the best of the situation. The chess game, in terms of moving people around, starts now.” Petty may have to dig deep to find a replacement for Gregory, and is considering bringing up a player from one of the underlevel teams. In the meantime, the Sequoits will have to rely even more on senior infielders Emery Paramski and Adam Warner for leadership and production. Antioch also boasts a group of five pitchers who could all provide quality starts. Junior David Mead will likely be the ace, backed up by Danny Arden, Jerry LaSaint, Mitch Everett and Mike Richter. “Some years in the past, we've been lucky if we've had 1 or 2 quality pitchers,” Petty said. “It's nice to have five guys who you wouldn't mind trotting out there. I like that we have some pitching depth.”
GRANT
Coach: Dave Behm (3rd season)
Last year: 10-21 (5-7 NSC Prairie Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Deerfield in the regional quarterfinal, 14-9.
Key players lost: IF/OF John Schenning
Key players returning: P/IF Jared Helmich, sr., P Zach Niedrich, sr., OF Eric Wilhelm, sr., IF Jordan Villarreal, jr., P/OF Jake Ring, jr., P/IF Tyler Gorski, jr., P/IF Brent Spohr, jr.
Key newcomers: P/C/IF Simeon Lucas, soph., P/C/IF Tino Torres, soph., IF Jacob Adams, jr., OF Ryan Noda, soph., P/IF Jacob Trumpis, jr., Jeremy Cokefair
Outlook: And now for the payoff. Grant took its lumps and bumps during last year's campaign with a roster that was dominated by underclassmen. Now, that group, left almost entirely intact, is back and ready to show how valuable experience can be. The Bulldogs return their top six hitters and top three pitchers, including senior leaders Jared Helmich, Zach Niedrich and Eric Wilhelm. “This veteran leadership, combined with some key newcomers will provide a lot of depth and flexibility this season,” Grant coach Dave Behm said. “We feel like last year we gained valuable experience and that we have a lot of talent returning this year.” One of Grant's most talented players is junior outfielder and pitcher Jake Ring. Ring put together a fabulous sophomore campaign last season in hitting .455 with 40 stolen bases. He earned all-conference honors and is already getting significant looks at the Division I level. Helmich, who was the most valuable player of the Grant basketball team and a selection on the all-area hoops team, also hit better than .400 last year. He was at .461 while rolling up 6 home runs and 41 RBI. But while the Bulldogs will be older and savvier overall, they'll still rely on some youthful exuberance. Sophomores Simeon Lucas, Ryan Noda and Tino Torres are all expected to see plenty of action this season.
LAKES
Coach: Ray Gialo (2nd season)
Last year: 20-14 (9-3 NSC Prairie Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Grayslake Central in the regional semifinal, 4-3.
Key players lost: P Nick Hibbing (Iowa), P/IF Paul Kukulka (Concordia), OF Kyle Noon
Key players returning: P/OF Chris Hoffman, sr., IF Jake Brown, sr., IF Nick Traska, sr.
Key newcomers: P/IF Chris DeRue, sr., P/OF Robby Thompson, sr., P/C/IF Danny Jackson, jr., IF Nick Seketa, jr., OF/C Mike Bartlett, jr., OF Drew Recker, jr., P/OF Drake Larriuz, jr.
Outlook: Coaches say that the new BBCOR bats that are required for use at the high school level will neutralize the power game and put a premium on bunting and base-running. Lakes should be well-equipped in the running department. “We have the potential to have nine guys in the lineup who are all capable of stealing bases,” Lakes coach Ray Gialo said. “One of our strengths will be team speed. With the new rule in place for bats, being able to bunt and take extra bases is going to be crucial.” Meanwhile, seniors Chris Hoffman, Jake Brown and Nick Traska will be crucial in the Eagles' quest to win their first postseason game since 2008. All three have been starting on the varsity since their sophomore years and will provide some much needed leadership and experience for a team that lost two college caliber pitchers in Nick Hibbing (Iowa) and Paul Kukulka (Concordia) to last spring's graduation. Hoffman went 6-1 last year on the mound and when he's not pitching, he'll anchor the outfield in center. With Brown at shortstop and Traska at second base, the heart of the Eagles' defense should be strong. “We will need our defense to carry us,” Gialo said. “With the way we lost (in the regional) last year to Grayslake Central on an error in the bottom of the seventh with two out, many of our seniors feel like they have something to prove.”
ROUND LAKE
Coach: Ed Adamson (4th season)
Last year: 10-20 (2-10 NSC Prairie Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Fremd in the regional quarterfinal, 14-0.
Key players lost: P/IF Chris Rana (Cornell College)
Key players returning: OF/P Ryan Newman, soph., P/IF Anthony Gutierrez, sr., P/C Anthony Burton, sr., P Antonio Carranza, sr., P Ryan Newman, soph.
Key newcomers: IF Pedro Jaimes, jr.
Outlook: Round Lake should be well-equipped to put last year's 20-loss campaign in the rearview mirror. The Panthers lost only one starter (catcher Chris Rana) and will be driven by senior pitcher/infielder Anthony Gutierrez. Gutierrez is a four-year varsity player and has been a three-sport athlete his entire career at Round Lake. He hit .375 last season. “We are very senior heavy and will rely on their experience and leadership,” Round Lake coach Ed Adamson said. “We have four starting pitchers back who hopefully will be leading us to a few more victories.” Joining Gutierrez back in the rotation are Anthony Burton, Antonio Carranza and sophomore Ryan Newman. Newman was also one of the top hitters last season with a .405 batting average. Meanwhile, Burton also catches for the Panthers and will start there on most days. He was the quarterback of the football team and is a natural leader. “The catcher is the leader of the defense and Anthony has the leadership and the ability to anchor the defense,” Adamson said. “If you don't have a good catcher, it's hard to compete.” Adamson says that Burton really turned up his game over the summer, as did many of his teammates, such as newcomer Pedro Jaimes. “We had a nice turnout for the summer league,” Adamson said. “It was a good opportunity for players to showcase their abilities. As a program, we are improving and we continue to get a little better each year.”
VERNON HILLS
Coach: Jay Czarnecki (12th season)
Last year: 26-11
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Richmond-Burton in the sectional semifinal, 5-0.
Key players lost: IF Chris Argianas, IF Anthony Mazza, IF Brian Palmer, P Ryan Lane
Key players returning: C Chris Marras, sr., IF Steve Nelson, sr., OF Austin Hagen, sr., OF MJ Crowley, sr., P Tyler Feece, jr., P Pat Crowley, soph., Eric Lang, sr., Colin Krippinger, sr., John Foley, sr., Jay Miller, sr., Jordan Levine, sr.
Key newcomers: IF/DH Ethan McGrew, jr., IF Dylan McNamara, jr., IF Brett Peterson, jr., P Jamie Roussell, jr., IF Marco Rodriguez, jr.
Outlook: Vernon Hills wants more. The Cougars aren't trying to be greedy, but they liked winning a regional title last year and are ready for more hardware. “I think we got a taste of winning at a higher level and I am hoping that springboards our program,” Vernon Hills coach Jay Czarnecki said. “I believe our guys want to get better and have a chance to compete at an even higher level.” Leading the way for the Cougars will be senior catcher Chris Marras, who has started behind the plate since his freshman year. He also led Vernon Hills in almost every offensive category last season and will be playing at Butler next year. Fellow seniors Steve Nelson (third base), Austin Hagen (right field) and MJ Crowley (left field) were also major contributors last season. Meanwhile, a couple of underclassmen were solid on the mound last year for the Cougars. Junior lefty Tyler Feece led the team in wins while sophomore lefty Pat Crowley won Vernon Hills' first regional game and ended the season as the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation. “We hope pitching and defense will be (strengths),” Czarnecki said. “We have three lefties that all have varsity experience. They complement each other well.” Offensively, Czarnecki is excited about newcomer Ethan McGrew. “He came out of nowhere (over the summer) to be our top offensive producer,” Czarnecki said.
WAUCONDA
Coach: Bill Sliker (10th season)
Last year: 16-13 (10-2 NSC Prairie)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Antioch in the regional semifinal, 6-3.
Key players lost: P/IF Jeremy Wagner, P/OF Erik Maki (Western Illinois), P/IF Tim Matesi
Key players returning: OF Jake Ziolkowski, sr., P/IF Brandon Gibis, IF Tony Kaminski, sr., P/OF Shawn Sundquist, sr., P/IF John Kamakis, sr., P/IF Trevor Lahrman, sr., P/C Ryan Gick, C/P Cody Rapier, sr., OF AJ Malisishski, sr., P/OF Kyle Mascheri, P/OF Jack Botheroyd, sr., P David Diol, sr.
Key newcomers: C Kyle Bock
Outlook: Wauconda is coming off of one of its best seasons in recent memory. The Bulldogs not only finished with a winning record, but they rolled through the North Suburban Prairie Division with a 10-2 record to earn first place. There are 12 players with varsity experience returning from that team. “We should have some experience with all the position players we have returning,” Wauconda coach Bill Sliker said. “We are stressing defense and pitching early in the season. We want to be a consistent team and compete every time out.” The Bulldogs consistently used Jeremy Wagner, Erik Maki and Tim Matesi on the mound last season and will need to find replacements for them. Brandon Gibis, Shawn Sundquist, John Kamakis, Trevor Lahrman, Ryan Gick, Cody Rapier, Kyle Mascheri, Jack Botheroyd and David Diol all could get innings. “I feel like we have some good arms,” Sliker said. “I see some potential on the mound. But I think early on hitting will be a strength.” Sundquist and Jake Ziolkowski are back looking for more big numbers at the plate. They both hit better than .360 last season.
FOX VALLEY / FOX DIVISION
GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL
Coach: Troy Whalen (10th season)
Last year: 24-11
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Vernon Hills in the regional championship, 9-8.
Key players lost: IF Austin Miller (Butler), IF Derek Idstein (Illinois Weslyan), P/IF Austin Leggett (CLC)
Key players returning: P Mark Ash, sr., OF Jon Gurchak, sr, IF Ryan Hamrick, sr., OF/P Nick Hosford, sr., C Kristian Meehan, sr., P Christian Edwards, sr., P Brian Karol, sr., IF Brett Muhr, sr., OF Sean Boban, sr., IF Justin Allen, jr., IF Ryan Fontana, jr., OF Sterling Dixon, jr., C/IF Kyle Balling, jr.
Outlook: The math says that Grayslake Central should be in pretty good shape. Last year, the Rams returned only one full-time starter in Austin Miller yet still managed to win 24 games and their second straight Fox Valley Conference championship. This year, Grayslake Central welcomes back five starters. “Last year, we definitely had more question marks coming into the season, compared to this year,” Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. “However, I had a good sense of what that group could do given their past successes. With our current group, we have talent, especially at the skilled positions. It's just a matter of how hard we want to go after it and play with pride.” Four of the Rams' returning starters boasted batting averages of better than .330 last year, including Jon Gurchak, Nick Hosford, Ryan Hamrick and Kristian Meehan. Gurchak and Hamrick were close to the .400 mark. “That's an amazing statistic when you factor in the quality arms we see in the FVC,” Whalen said. Speaking of quality arms, the Rams return senior pitcher Mark Ash, who picked up 5 wins last season despite missing a few weeks early on with mono. “We never saw the real Mark last year as mono can have such a long recovery period,” Whalen said. “Mark has to be that dominant No. 1 pitcher for us to have success. He is capable, it's just about going out and executing.”
GRAYSLAKE NORTH
Coach: Andy Strahan (6th season)
Last year: 13-19 (11-13 Fox Valley Fox Division)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Vernon Hills in the regional semifinal, 9-5.
Key players lost: IF Kevin Staszczak, P Kyle Fosco
Key players returning: P Tom Elias, sr., P/IF Adam Gomski, jr., IF Carl Russell, jr., P/OF CJ Bailey, sr., P Kyle LaRocca, sr., OF Travis McKenzie, sr., IF/OF Mitch Kwiatkowski, sr., P Michael Crutcher , sr., OF Drake Davis, sr., P Zach Friedman, sr.
Key newcomers: IF Nick Carmody, jr., IF Sammy Stanfel, jr., OF Matt Eney, jr., C Kyle McBrien, jr., P Andrew Cantor, jr., IF Tom DiProva, jr., OF Zach Kaplan, jr., IF Michael Kelly, jr., P Brandon Magnini, jr., P Dan Meltzer, jr., C Pat Anderson, jr., P Drew Keil, jr.
Outlook: It's been said that athletes play in games the way they practice, and that's good news for Grayslake North. “We have a good group of baseball kids who love to compete against one another,” Grayslake North coach Andy Strahan said. “That has really helped to create a positive practice environment.” The Knights are looking for positive results in their games by using their speed and their depth on the mound. “We have more speed throughout the lineup than we've ever had,” Strahan said. “And pitching-wise, we have a little more depth than we've had in the past.” Three seniors and a junior will factor prominently into Grayslake North's rotation. Junior Adam Gomski was made the Fox Valley all-conference team last year with 4 wins and 2 saves. Senior CJ Bailey was also an all-conference selection with 2 wins while classmates Tom Elias and Kyle LaRocca had solid earned run averages. Offensively, the Knights return three of their top hitters: Carl Russell, Gomski and Bailey, who will hit in the 3, 4 and 5 spots this season. “We have a couple of kids at the top and bottom of the lineup who should be able to do some things at the plate and on the bases that will help get our offense going,” Strahan said.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
CARMEL
Coach: Joe May (2nd season)
Last year: 17-16 (8-8 East Suburban Catholic Conference)
Last year's state tournament advancement: Lost to Libertyville in the regional semifinal, 6-3.
Key players lost: P/OF Tim Hendricks (Concordia), OF Brian Serio, OF Jimmy Ryan, P Adam Warkenthien (Quincy)
Key players returning: P/OF Alex Young, sr., IF Brian Brennan, sr., IF Blake Bucsa, sr., C John Salvi, P/OF J.C. Pawlak, P Brendan Zawaski.
Key newcomers: P/IF Quinten Sefcik, soph., P/IF Matt Ryan, jr., IF Mike Stahoviak, jr., OF Tyler Murphy, jr., C Ian Kristan, soph., IF Nico Caracciolo, jr., P/IF Duncan Amrein, jr., OF Sean Brennan, jr.
Outlook: Down seasons are rare at Carmel. So after last season's rare .500-ish campaign, the Corsairs are expecting to get right back to the norm. “Anything short of a stellar season will be a disappointment,” Carmel coach Joe May said. “This group of juniors is very talented and won the conference last year and this senior group saw some pretty significant playing time last year. If we accomplished anything positive from the down year in 2011 it was that we had quite a few players tested with our rugged conference and nonconference schedules.” Ready to right the ship is a trio of exciting pitchers. Lefty Alex Young has already committed to Texas Christian University and is getting looks from pro scouts. He's hit 90 miles per hour with his fastball. Junior Matt Ryan has a full repertoire of pitches and sophomore Quinten Sefcik already is beginning to master the deadly combination of velocity and pinpoint accuracy. “On paper, we should have an excellent starting rotation,” May said. “(Young, Ryan and Sefcik) are all two-way players and we expect them to contribute at the plate as well.” Carmel got solid contributions at the plate last year out of seniors Brian Brennan, Blake Bucsa and John Salvi. Each of them batted well over .300 for the season. “The main question lies in how this team plays together as we will feature some sophomores and a host of juniors,” May said. “We have asked the seniors to be leaders and in some cases they may be deferring playing time to underclassmen.”
— compiled by Patricia Babcock McGraw