By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
Sherwood baseball Coach Billy Goodman thought his team had a good chance of winning the 4A Maryland state title in 2007 — his team was undefeated heading into the playoffs and could mash the ball from the plate. But that year, Sherwood fell in the state final.
Last season, Goodman entered the year with a rag-tag group of players that on paper would have been beaten by several Montgomery County teams. Yet this time, the Warriors got hot at the end of the year and won the state title.
So entering this season, it’s anybody’s guess as to what can happen not only with Sherwood, but with anybody around the county – especially in the 4A.
“It is a strong region with eight or more teams who could win it — QO, Wootton, Sherwood, Magruder, Blake, Richard Montgomery, Walter Johnson, Gaithersburg and us,” Whitman Coach Joe Cassidy said. “Also Northwest has a ton of talent coming back. So it is wide open this year.”
Sherwood enters the season with a much younger and less-experienced roster than last season. Only three positional starters – 1B Gary Mullings, OF Tommy Barksdale and OF Adam Ginsburg – return this season.
“Last year I knew what my pieces were. They might not be big-time guys, but I knew who was where the first day. This year, I’m still penciling guys in places,” Goodman said. “They’re still green behind the ears. A lot of the guys aren’t prime-time players.”
But a trio of strong pitchers come back to the Warriors. Starters Teddy Fletcher and Will Bowie return to the hill both with plenty of experience from last year and both throwing hard. Nate Toll, a 6-foot-4 reliever, also returns top pitcher Kyle Schindel as well as Brandon Metro.
“They’re going to have to hold people down. We don’t have any big sticks,” Goodman said. “Bowie and Fletcher can dominate. We’ll just play one-run games, boring baseball.”
Goodman said some members of his team have the aura that they can’t be beaten after winning last year’s title, but he expects them to be humbled quickly, especially because Ginsburg, who is perhaps the Warriors best threat at the plate, is leaving for Italy for three weeks as part of a Rock and Roll school production.
“We may struggle early but I think we can be there in the end,” Goodman said. “We’re not going to fool anybody because of last year. If they’re going to get me, they’re going to get me. But if we go down, we’ll go down fighting.”
NORTHWEST IS PENCILED IN
The team Goodman is perhaps most concerned with is Northwest, who he called the dark horse of the county.
Coach Matt Noble has an experienced team returning after going 7-10 last season and falling to Gaithersburg in the second round – a team that may have its starting lineup more solidified than most other teams.
Senior pitcher and first baseman Dominique Vattouone is perhaps the Jaguars’ top threat. He batted .304 with 13 RBI last season and despite going 0-5 on the mound last year against the county’s top teams, he is looking impressive after a solid American Legion season.
Vattouone’s battery mate John Krahling returns behind the plate after hitting .421 with 15 RBI last season. Sophomore Jeffrey Ta, who batted .400 with just two strikeouts all last season, returns at second base. Excellent defensive shortstop Alex Pyser and Poolesville transfer Nick Loftus round out what should be a standout infield.
“We have a solid group of returning players that should finally move us into the top half of the 4A West region for the first time since moving up from 3A, where we were a consistent Top 3 team,” Noble said.
BLAKE BATS ARE BIG
The Bengals went 14-4 last year and return six of its seven infielder-outfielders. Five of the six starters batted over .300 last season on a team that averaged .325.
Leading the way is Preseason All-State 3B/P Tommy Cunningham, who hit .492 with 25 RBI, 2 home runs and a .763 slugging percentage. Shortstop Jake Lorber and second baseman Taylor Miller have sure gloves and are adept at getting on base and swiping bags.
The biggest question mark will be the Bengals’ pitching as Anthony Hanagan (1.55 ERA) and Ryan Rehman (1.44 ERA) both graduated. Six players will vie for pitching spots, including seniors Collin Keegan and Jimmy Smith.
QUINCE ORCHARD RETURNS STRONG
The Cougars went 13-5 last season, losing to eventual state champion Sherwood 4-3 in eight innings in the second round of the 4A West region playoffs.
But Quince Orchard returns nine seniors this season, including captain Mike Ryan, who led the team in wins and RBIs last season and was named to the Preseason All-State team. Tyler Ewing and Anthony Howard are two strong seniors and 2B Frank Barkanic and 3B Greg Price are two juniors to look out for.
“We have a nice mix of seniors, juniors, and some sophomores and freshman fighting for starting spots this year,” Coach Jason Gasaway said. “Our success will be centered around pitching and defense, which will be helped by an improved offense from last year.
AROUND THE HORN
Last year’s favorite, Gaithersburg, has a new Head Coach in Jeffrey Rabberman, who was an assistant coach to athletic director Jason Woodward last season. The Trojans lose perhaps the area’s best player from last year in pitcher Kevin Brady, who is now at Clemson, and eight starters overall. Heavy hitter Nick Vergelli is also gone.
It’s a very young team with five sophomores that has plenty of talent but little varsity experience. The Trojans, who went 20-2 last season, should have deep pitching with Kory Smigocki and Nick Riley and be solid defensively, however.
Churchill has high expectations with seven returning starters and sophomore Bullis transfer Nathaniel Russ. Third baseman Alex Goodman brings the biggest bat along with shortstop Bryce Shemer. The Bulldogs went 5-11 last season.
Whitman went 14-7 last season before losing to Gaithersburg in the region semis. The Vikings lost half of their starting infield but their top three pitchers — Danny Williams, Reid Kellam and Ethan Thompson – all come back.
Seneca Valley Coach Terry Changuris feels his team’s hitting should be improved and its pitching and defense strong this season, adding up to what could be another year like last season’s or better. The Screaming Eagles won the 3A West, reaching the state semifinals for the first time in program history, before falling to eventual state champion La Plata. Pitcher Tyler Klitsch, P/1B Brian Black and C Russell Main are the team’s top returners.
Wootton, who went 15-2 last season, lost two of its top players but returns plenty of talent as well. Evan Poppas and catcher/quarterback Mike Mooney should headline the batting order and pitcher Scot Bergman is one of the county’s top hurlers.
Clarksburg is looking to make a run in the 2A West this season with seven returning starters from last year’s 11-6 squad. Senior and sophomore brothers Brendan and Brody Milligan lead the way. Brendan is a three-year starting pitcher who went 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA last season and Brody, the younger of the two, batted .452 with 18 RBI as a freshman last season. Senior catcher Josh Creighton also brings the lumber.
Blair could be another 4A player coming off a 10-11 season. The Blazers return Brady Ettinger, who led the team with a .388 batting average last year, and catcher Alex Egber, whose defensive prowess has him being scouted by Stanford. Blair did take three tough losses from last year’s team, however.
Paint Branch may be an underdog this season after graduating five starters, but the Panthers have good team chemistry and Frankie Poulos returning. Poulos put up monster stats last season, hitting .420 with 25 RBI and 3 home runs. He went 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA on the mound.
Coach Bill Wright, who previously headed Bethesda-Chevy Chase, takes over at Richard Montgomery. He went to the state finals twice while at B-CC.
Watkins Mill went 2-15 last year but has a “Worst to First” motto this season with 12 seniors, four juniors and two sophomores back. Keegan Aaron and John Escobar lead the way for the Wolverines this season.
Magruder was 10-7 last season but loses its top three players. Senior SS Brad Blum, P/2B Drew Culver, P Josh Kohn, P Matt Luber and OF Adam Mower are the top returners.
Springbrook is coming off a 3-16 season with a team that didn’t have any major departures. Senior outfielder Charles Brown leads the Blue Devils after hitting .333 last season.
Kennedy is almost a completely new team after graduating eight seniors from last year’s 8-8 team. Juniors Noah Gray and Kyle Kozuszek will head the rotation.
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