When the 2021 high school baseball season opens Saturday, the overwhelming sentiment will be an appreciation that there will be a season.
With the 2020 spring sports season in Ohio eliminated by the coronavirus pandemic, players and coaches are grateful to get back on the diamond.
In the Three Rivers Athletic Conference — despite the year away — it appears things will pick up where they left off in 2019, when rivals St. Francis de Sales (18-9, 11-3 TRAC) and St. John's Jesuit (21-7, 11-3) shared the conference title.
The Knights of 15th-year St. Francis coach Tim Gerken were voted as the 2021 title favorite in a preseason poll of TRAC coaches, receiving six of the eight first-place votes, and 61 of a possible 64 voting points.
St. John's, under first-year coach Sam Fischer, got the other two first-place nods, and was second in the poll with 52 points, followed by Clay (45 points), Central Catholic (42), Findlay (39), Whitmer (24), Fremont Ross (15), and Lima Senior (10).
ST. FRANCIS
St. Francis has 11 seniors on its roster, and Gerken expects leadership to come from three returning letterwinners — seniors Sam Harrison (shortstop, second base, catcher) and Tyler Nowowiejski (SS), and junior Trey Talboo (outfielder, pitcher).
The Knights also look for production from senior Peyton Bruns (first base, P) and sophomore Josiah Erd (C-P).
Gerken sees pitching, defense, and team speed as strengths for the Knights, but is concerned with the team's ability to score runs with so many unproven hitters at the varsity level.
“We should be able to compete for our fifth consecutive TRAC title,” Gerken said, “if our guys can continue our pitching-rich tradition, and find a way to score runs.”
The Knights were ousted from the 2019 Division I tournament with a 2-1 loss to Southview in the district semifinals.
ST. JOHN’S
At St. John's, Fischer was supposed to begin his first season as Titans head coach a year ago, but will do so for real in the next few days.
He has nine seniors on his roster, including seven players who earned letters.
Leading that group are seniors Nick Pett (SS), Jacob Davis (P), and Ryan Snyder (OF), and juniors Trey Lake (2B-P) and Reece Magers (OF-P). Pett has committed to play at Wooster, Davis at Kalamazoo.
Fischer likes the Titans' pitching and defense, but is concerned with the lack of varsity experience.
“Across the board, we have a bunch of guys who love the game and love each other,” Fischer said. “That's a really good recipe for developing and competing together. It'll be exciting to watch.”
The Titans were knocked out of the 2019 D-I tourney by Northview, 5-1, in the district semis.
CLAY
Clay (18-7, 8-6) and eighth-year Eagles coach Jim Phillips were excited in 2020 to be debuting their new artificial-turf infield, but that christening had to wait a year.
Although Clay lost some key players to graduation who never got to play their senior year, the cupboard is not bare with nine letterwinners and six seniors on this year's roster.
Leading that group are seniors Logan Heintschel (OF-1B), Trevor Jurski (P-1B), and Ethan Spears (OF-P), and juniors Spencer Fortier (2B-SS) and Jackson Kennedy (catcher). Jurski was 5-1 with a 1.63 ERA as a sophomore in 2019.
Phillips views offense, defense, and speed as team strengths, but sees inexperience on the mound as a possible trouble area.
“This team has a high ceiling,” Phillips said, “and while we have a lot of newcomers to the varsity like most teams in the area, I am confident in their abilities. We expect to compete for a TRAC and district title.
“Having lost this past season, leadership will be crucial in getting players acclimated to playing at the varsity level.”
The Eagles exited the 2019 D-I tournament in a 7-4 district semifinal loss to Anthony Wayne.
CENTRAL CATHOLIC
Central Catholic (18-9, 10-4) just missed out on a TRAC title share in its final conference game of the 2019 season, and has eight seniors on the current roster. But, only two Fighting Irish players are returning letterwinners, so 35th-year coach Jeff Mielcarek will take a wait-and-see approach.
He will rely heavily on seniors Wilson Stopera (SS-P), Owen Kitz (OF-1B-P), and Shilo Bernal (OF-P), along with junior Trey Gray (catcher), especially early in the season.
Mielcarek likes his team's athletic ability and work ethic, but is cautiously optimistic with Central's inexperience, an all-new pitching staff, and uncertainties at the plate.
“Our guys have really made it fun to be on the diamond with their work ethic, passion, and enthusiasm,” Mielcarek said. “Our season success, in terms of wins and losses, will come with how quickly our guys progress at the varsity level with our challenging schedule.”
In 2019, the Irish were beaten in a Division II sectional final by Wauseon, 3-2.
FINDLAY
Findlay (14-10, 9-5) also had a new coach ready to lead the way in 2020, but Ron Ammons will lead the Trojans for the first time this season. He has 12 seniors on his roster.
Out of 10 returning letterwinners, he will look for leadership from seniors Garit Krupp (P-infielder), Andrew Stechschulte (catcher), with Ryan Stillings (OF-P), Ethan Franks (2B-P), and Nicholas Lavelle (OF-P).
“We should challenge to finish in the top third of the TRAC, and could challenge for the TRAC title,” Ammons said.
WHITMER
Whitmer (13-13, 6-8) looks to make a climb in the TRAC this season under sixth-year coach Brad Densmore, who has eight players that were part of the program in 2019, but none at the varsity level.
The Panthers will be led by seniors Johnny Kregulka (P-utility), Cole Kimura (1B-P), Adam Sniegowski (P), Jacob Snodgrass (OF-P), and Ethan Lewandowski (OF-P), and junior Grady Mee (SS).
Infield defense and pitching depth are seen as team strengths, but Whitmer's overall lack of speed might be a trouble area.
“With the cancellation of last season, we start this year with no players that have varsity experience,” Densmore said. “However, I really like our senior class, and the leadership with this group. We had a great offseason to build off of, and will continue to work hard and focus on getting better every day, and to grow up and quickly and steadily throughout the season.”
Whitmer was eliminated from the 2019 D-I tournament in the sectionals finals, losing 7-1 to Northview.
FREMONT ROSS
Fremont Ross (7-18, 2-12) has only one starter from two seasons ago on the current roster for fourth-year Little Giants coach Jared King.
Ross will rely upon seniors Jonathan Szymanowski (IF), Erick Jimenez (P-IF), and Garrett Ebert (P-OF) for leadership, and also must get contributions from junior Owen Wright (P-OF) and sophomore Alejandro Melchor (P-IF).
Szymanowski batted .281 with 10 runs batted in and seven doubles in 2019.
King points to pitching depth as a strength, and the obvious inexperience as a potential trouble area.
“Although we have nine seniors, I consider us to be a very young team, because we only have one player with any significant time at the varsity level,” King said. “We have a good mix of older and younger guys that have some talent and are willing to compete. We will be solid on the mound, and defensively. Our biggest challenge will be gaining experience on the fly.”
The Little Giants were beaten 10-0 in the 2019 D-I sectionals by St. Francis.
LIMA SENIOR
Lima Senior (10-19, 0-14) was making some progress at the end of the 2019 season, and now will have to try to reestablish that momentum. The Spartans did not win a league game two seasons ago, but upset Findlay in the Division I sectionals and battled against Perrysburg in a 3-1 district semifinal loss.
Fourth-year coach Casey Reed will look for leadership from senior D'Ontre Cowan (P-OF), juniors Reece Waithe (C-utility), Skyler Williams (P-utility), and Dalton Hahn (P-IF), and sophomore Marshall Jordan (P-IF).
Reed sees team speed and versatility as the Spartans' chief strengths, but knows the team will need to overcome its inexperience, especially on the mound.
“We are very young and inexperienced,” Reed said. “We may go through some growing pains, but should get better as the year goes on. The kids have worked really hard in the offseason, and we are excited to see what they can do.”