Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 10, 1994 TAG: 9403100224
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The coach's anxieties seemed to have been well-founded when the Highlanders started 0-4-1. But, then came a 16-game winning streak and a berth in the state Group A championship game, in which the Highlanders lost 4-3 in eight innings to Rappahannock.
Now, the Highlanders have most of the top players from last year back to take another swing at it. Expectations, both written and otherwise, will be high.
So what's Wood going to do now?
Censorship appears his only option.
"I hope my players don't read this," he said.
Among the trump cards in the Glenvar deck are All-Timesland pitcher Jason Anderson, a senior left-hander who's been mowing them down for three years. Last year, Anderson went 10-2 with a 0.99 earned run average and 160 strikeouts in 92 innings and was the tough-luck loser in the title game.
He also did his share with a .470 batting average, a team-leading three home runs and 20 runs batted in.
Anderson's dominant, plain and simple, and everybody knows it.
But there are other veterans who can bang it, including designated hitter-outfielder Rob Robinson, who batted .378 with 25 hits, catcher Joey Hutton (.352, 25 runs scored, 11 RBI) and infielder David Henderson (.353).
Timmy Carroll (.281, 20 hits, 19 runs, 16 steals) will move from shortstop to second base, his natural position. Checking in at shortstop will be converted third baseman Eric East (.375), a talented sophomore of whom the college scouts already are aware.
Henderson (3-1, 2.69) has a good arm and will be the No. 2 pitcher, but his problem has been pitching into the later innings. Jacob Weddle also is available, and Wood has been entertaining the notion of bringing East out of the bullpen.
"I've worried about this year more than any other," Wood said. "The pressure is going to be unreal with the expectations, the scouts, all the problems seniors have being seniors. But these seniors have won 44 games in three years. I've never had a team like this."
So the best advice is relax and enjoy it.
The outlook for other area high school baseball teams this year:
\ CAVE SPRING is another team that will be faced with great expectations. Many veterans are back off a squad that went 17-5, won the Roanoke Valley District regular-season and tournament championships and advanced to the second round of the Group AAA Northwest Region playoffs.
Among the luminaries are right fielder Kevin Davis (.420, six homers, 35 RBI), center fielder Robert Kaczmarek (.436), catcher Josh Salmon (.389) and shortstop Doug Kenney (.326), a sophomore. Right-handed finesse artist Robey Caldwell (5-1, 2.41) is the most experienced pitcher, but word is senior Michael Price could be the surprise of the staff.
"Basically, we're still a young team," Knights coach Roger White said. "If some of these players continue to improve on what they've done, as all good players should do, then we could be pretty good."
\ WILLIAM FLEMING has health-related questions. Al Holland Jr., an All-Timesland infielder, is coming back after separating his throwing shoulder playing football. Center fielder Eddie Jones has a pinched nerve. Mike Souma has a broken hand. Coach Al Holland insists all will be well in time. Another concern is pitching. Greg Duncan is a reliable starter, but he needs help. The trick will be to find somebody aside from hard-throwing Holland Jr.; when he's on the mound, the defense is weakened.
\ PATRICK HENRY has fond hopes of improving on last season's 3-16 misfortunes. Not unreasonable considering that coach Mark Hairston welcomes back a good core of players, including catcher Brad Wright (.482, two homers, 16 RBI), center fielder Mike McMahon (.452, two homers, 16 doubles, 24 runs) and outfielder Jeremy Bailey (.375), who is moving to leadoff to best exploit his athleticism. The pitching has potential. Left-hander Seth Callis (1-5, 2.95) and right-hander Richard Mason will be the front-liners, but predictions are that sophomores Chip Smallwood and Jordan Baxter will be heard from.
\ FRANKLIN COUNTY has a new coach in F.L. Slough, who succeeds venerable Mason Ligon. The new man will have to build around catcher Riley Hodges, the son of former major-leaguer Ron Hodges, and shortstop Chad Foutz. The pitching is green, although right-hander Jeff Hawks had a nice outing in the final of the Roanoke Valley District tournament last year.
\ WILLIAM BYRD has proved itself to be one of Timesland's elite programs. The Terriers went 17-3 and were Group AA Region III semifinalists a year ago. That came on the heels of the exploits of the previous year's outfit, which was once-beaten and a state semifinalist. Chris Carr and Shannon Gray lead an able cast this time around. Carr batted .500 and went 6-2 on the mound; Gray, the center fielder, batted better than .400 and led the team in steals. Right-hander Mike McGuire (5-1) has added some muscle, and left-hander Chris Jones shared in a no-hitter, so the pitching should be sound. John Bradberry and second baseman Rich Ellis are other well-seasoned players. Alleghany is widely assumed to be the team to beat in the Blue Ridge District, but anybody that counts Byrd out hasn't been paying attention.
\ SALEM had a baseball rebirth under then-first year coach Scott Atkins in 1993. The Spartans unexpectedly qualified for the region tournament with a strong late-season run and gave a good accounting of themselves. Salem isn't as experienced as it was last year, so a repeat performance is asking a lot. But Salem won't be toothless, not with the likes of outfielder Charlie Hammersley (.484 on-base percentage, two homers) and junior outfielder Brian Crosswhite, a good-looking Northside transfer, in the lineup. Kevin Feazell will play the infield and pitch, a duty in which his past performance has been erratic but he has a terrific arm. Sophomore John Duffy and freshman Greg Harrison are the pitchers of the future.
\ LORD BOTETOURT looks like a team that is going to have to beat people with pitching and defense. The biggest sticks belong to center fielder Jack Johnson (.375, four homers, 14 RBI, nine steals) and shortstop Shannon Williams. After that it gets iffy. Junkballing right-hander Billy Arthur (4-4, 2.85, 58 strikeouts in 46 innings) will be one of the Blue Ridge District's top pitchers.
\ NORTHSIDE will do its part to make the Blue Ridge the most interesting district around. The Vikings had six underclassman starters last year, and right-hander Mark Freeland (4-3, 2.40 ERA, 50 innings), second baseman Jay Stafford (.275, 10-for-11 stolen bases), and third baseman Shane Whisnant (.260) are the most accomplished. Catcher Trey White had a big summer in American Legion ball.
\ LIBERTY, as usual, will be a factor in the race in the Seminole District, perhaps the state's most competitive year in and year out. The Minutemen's hopes are built on a pitching staff consisting of right-hander Bev Chavin (4-0, 3.80), left-hander Johnny Cash (2-0, 3.50) and left-hander Russell Smith. The outfield will be anchored by Jamie Dooley (.308) and the infield by sophomore Greg Reynolds, who either will start again at third or will be moved to shortstop. Reynolds was only the third freshman to start for Jim Cutler in his 30 years as coach.
\ STAUNTON RIVER has five freshman, five sophomores and 11 juniors on the roster. Naturally, the experience level is thin. The team leaders probably will be catcher Dwight Orange (.280), starting for the third year, and infielder Jeff Woodford (.330).
People are thinking baseball again at CRAIG COUNTY. Second-year coach Mark Baetz has arranged what no doubt is Timesland's most glamorous preseason. He's taking the team to the Doyle Baseball School in Florida this week. We'll see what they learned when they get back. Best bets for success are right-hander Ben Boardwine (2-7, 2.70 ERA) and infielder Johnny Crawford (.400, four homers). Kris Peters is back at catcher after a year's hiatus, and Baetz is excited about Dwain Sowers, who transferred from the powerhouse program at Virginia High.
At JAMES RIVER, Randolph Howard, who founded the program in 1972, is returning as coach for the first time since 1978. For tools to work with, Howard has right-handed fireballer Keith Bryant, catcher Curtis Nolan and third baseman Chico Tolley, who also will be the No. 2 pitcher. Among Howard's challenges will be assembling a new outfield.
The big news at NORTH CROSS is that Jim Muscaro won't be coaching. Muscaro is the only coach the Raiders have had. He's turning the lineup card over to Eric Lawrence, his assistant last year. Lawrence has a lot of work to do. Pitching and defense are going to have to carry the day. Jason Davis and Scott Hayes are the primary candidates to replace graduated Ryan Shaver and Aaron Lange, who alternated at pitcher and catcher, in effect serving as a four-man battery. John Shaver started at first base as a freshman.
\ ROANOKE VALLEY CHRISTIAN returns both pitchers, left-hander Richard Booth and right-hander Rykey Rumbley but lost seven seniors. Booth (.389, 12 RBI, eight steals) and first baseman Scott Apjok (.341, 14 hits, two homers) are the primary offensive threats.
by CNB