Youth will be served on the baseball diamonds of the North Olympic Peninsula this season.
At every area high school, underclassmen will be counted on to step up and contribute from the opening pitch.
There also are two new managers in Andy Lingle at Chimacum and Darrin Dotson at Quilcene.
PORT ANGELES
Coach: Vic Reykdal, second season.
Last year: 6-11 overall, 6-10 Olympic League (seventh).
Top Returners: Logan Ciaciuch (sr., SS); Jace Bohman (jr., OF); Eathen Boyer (jr., OF); Curran Bradley (jr., OF/P); Travis Paynter (jr. P/1B/3B); Matt Hendry (sr., INF); Connor Heilman (sr., 1B/OF); Ricky Crawford (sr., OF).
Newcomers: Noah McGoff (so, INF); Ryan Rodocker (jr., P/OF); Tanner Gochnour (jr. OF); Janson Pederson (jr. INF/P).
Outlook: The Roughriders have another small senior class, but a large group of juniors saw the field last year as underclassmen.
“The juniors got a lot of experience last year, so we’re hoping to see them improve and do better,” coach Vic Reykdal said.
Reykdal said that a bigger and stronger Travis Paynter will be their No. 1 pitcher, but he’s looking to a trio of arms to help chew up innings.
“We have three other guys, Pederson, Bradley and Rodocker, that are doing well for us and can fill the role,” Reykdal said.
Reykdal said Ciaciuch, Bohman and Boyer will be Port Angeles’ best bets at bat, with Crawford and Gochnour able to see more time after being derailed by injuries last season.
“We have our work cut out for us, but I think we’re better than we were last year and we should be able to contend for a postseason spot,” Reykdal said.
SEQUIM
Coach: Dave Ditlefsen, 10th season.
Last year: 13-9 overall, 10-6 Olympic League (three-way tie for second); lost in district playoffs.
Top Returners: Tanner Rhodefer (sr., P/OF); Dusty Bates (sr., OF); Evan Hurn (jr., SS); Nigel Christian (jr., 1B/P); Daniel Harker (jr., P/INF); Ian Dennis, jr., C).
Newcomers: James Grubb (so., P/OF); Austin Hilliard (so., OF/P); Leighton Pace (so., INF).
Outlook: “We only had three seniors last year, so we get the core of the kids back,” Ditlefsen said.
“Four of our top pitchers are back from last year, so it’s more of a veteran crew on the mound. We were pretty young last year.”
Ditlefsen feels his team will be in the playoff mix again this year.
“The league is real tight,” he said.
“North Kitsap is always a team to beat. I think it will be a dogfight between second and sixth. There are lots of returning players, many of them all-league players.”
PORT TOWNSEND
Coach: Tom Webster, seventh season.
Last year: 4-15 overall, 2-14 Olympic League (last).
Top Returners: Joe Hoffman (jr., IF/P); Berkley Hill (so., C/IF/P).
Newcomers: Matthew Widmer (jr., SS/P/C); Austin Widmer (jr., C/P/SS); Lucas Foster (jr., OF/1B); Jackson Foster (fr.,OF/1B).
Outlook: The Redhawks are low on numbers and experience this season, and saw All-Olympic Leaguer Sean Dwyer and Jacob Ralls, two of their best players last year, turn out for soccer and golf, respectively.
“We are pretty inexperienced,” Webster said.
“We have some football kids that have never played high school [baseball] before.
“We don’t have a bunch of returning guys. Really we are just trying to keep baseball alive.
Port Townsend has struggled to have enough kids for little league and Babe Ruth teams in past years.
“This is an excellent group to coach and teach them the game,” Webster said.
“They’ve taken to it and are enthusiastic.”
FORKS
Coach: Wayne Daman, third year.
Last year: 5-15 overall, 3-15 Evergreen League (sixth).
Top Returners: Javier Contreras (sr., P/SS); Faustino Farias (sr., OF); Caleb Adams (sr., utility); Reece Moody (jr., 1B); Parker Browning (so., 2B/P).
Newcomers: Reece Blattner (fr., 3B/Util); Garrison Shumack (so., OF); Gavin Palmer (so., C).
Outlook: The Spartans return top pitcher Javier Contreras and will look to scrap their way to Evergreen League wins.
Moody, last year’s leading hitter, has a lingering labrum injury that may force him to miss the entire season.
“It’s a rollover from wrestling, and we’re hoping it’s not a tear, but we will find out with an MRI here soon,” coach Daman said.
Daman said Forks won’t use youth as an excuse.
“We expect to improve every week, play dirtbag baseball and get better as the year goes on,” he said.
CHIMACUM
Coach: Andy Lingle, first year.
Last year: 2-15 overall, 2-12 in Nisqually League.
Top Returners: Ari Pape-Uphoff (sr., OF); Lane Dotson (so., P/C/1B); Myles Hundley (sr., CF/P); Quinn Dowling (jr., 2B/P).
Newcomers:Johnny Rogers (jr. P/3B/OF); Logan Shaw (fr., C/1B/P); Henry Lovekamp (jr., SS/P).
Outlook: Lingle takes over a youthful Cowboys team that has struggled in the past few seasons, but he’s looking to move forward.
“I just want to see progress,” Lingle said.
“As long as we are making progress, being positive and picking up your teammates, the wins will come eventually.”
He plans to spread the innings across his large pitching staff in the early going.
“Early in the season, we are going to save our pitchers arms and work on building up our pitching staff before we hit the 1A schedule,” Lingle said.
The new coach has enjoyed his team’s approach so far.
“Our whole entire team is this way really: a great, positive group of kids,” Lingle said.
“They pick each other up, nothing but good comments for each other, cheering each other on. There’s really a good, positive vibe so far with the team.”
QUILCENE
Coach: Darrin Dotson, first season.
Last Year: 7-5.
Top Returners: A.J. Prater (jr., SS/P/C); Eli Harrison (jr., P/C); Triston Williams (sr., 3B/OF); Nate Weller (jr., 1B/P); Dillon McEdwards (jr., C/3B).
Newcomers: Ben Bruner (8th, OF/2B/P); Olin Reynolds (8th, OF).
Outlook: Dotson described his team, which includes five eighth-graders on the 15-player roster, as “super young.”
But Dotson, an experienced travel team and little league coach, likes what he sees.
Prater is the Rangers’ biggest talent.
“He’ll play short and pitch, but that kid could drive the bus for us,” Dotson joked.
“He’s skilled.”
Harrison will serve as Quilcene’s top pitcher and brings a good bat to the plate.
“Realistically, I want to finish in the top two [in the SeaTac League],” Dotson said.
“Mount Rainier Lutheran has a really experienced team and we will be challenged by them.”
