SW4A Preview – 2008

November 25, 2007
For immediate release:


Ardrey Kell Knights – Coach: Hal Bagwell – 2nd season (12th SW4A)
2007 Record: 18-10
Last Conference Title: NA
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: NA
Key Losses: None

Top Returns: Jordan Darnell – P (All-SW4A) Elon University
Andrew Miller – P
Ryan Stetson – CF (All-SW4A)

The new school opened more than just a few eyes when they streaked out of the box, winning 10 of their first 11 even though they were comprised entirely of underclassmen. The Knights made it to the second round of the 4A play-offs before being knocked out by a walk-off inside the park home run. All-SW4A pitcher Jordan Darnell and lefty Andrew Miller are back plus the addition of Alex Woods give AK one of the top staffs in the league. All-Conference center fielder Ryan Stetson, the league’s top speedster, joins short stop Johnny Eaker and second baseman Brett Nyenhuis in giving the Knights excellent strength up the middle. Right field Zico Pasut provides the big bat in the middle of the AK line-up. The Knights have the talent to battle for the title and make a lengthy play-off run.


Butler Bulldogs – Coach: Kim Cousar – 11th season
2007 Record: 27-2, 14-0 SW4A – 1st
Last Conference Title: 2007
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2007
Key Losses: Matt Crump – C (All-SW4A)
Drew Gehringer – SS (All-SW4A)
Andrew Smith – P (All-SW4A, All-State)

Top Returns: Mickey Brewer – CF
Tyler Tewell – RF
Tony Hearrell – P

Butler had a magical season in 2007 as they stormed through the SW4A unbeaten in route to the league’s regular season and tournament titles and a 27-2 record. The Bulldogs were stopped in the state quarterfinals by eventual champion South Caldwell. Gone are all four of the Bulldog’s all-league players, including their starting pitchers. Coach Cousar will build this year’s team around the big bats of returning outfielders junior Tyler Tewell and senior Mickey Cochran. For the Bulldog’s to defend their title, they will need to have untested pitchers show they can retire SW4A hitters consistently. Tony Hearrell will be a good start, but will need some help.


East MeckEagles – Coach: Chet Greason– 11th season
2007 Record: 3-22, 1-13 SW4A – 8th
Last Conference Title: 1994
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: unavailable

Key Losses: Matt Sheehan - P

Top Returns: Eddie McGarth – 2B
Leighton Daniels – SS
Logan Porter – 3B

After a couple of down years, look for the Eagles to be on the rise again. East will depend of a number of first year players that have shown promise but they do return a solid core of players including infielders Eddie McGarth, Leighton Daniels and Logan Porter that went through the SW4A wars a year ago. An improved pitching staff will give the Eagles a chance to return to the state play offs this season.



Independence Patriots – Coach: Matt Dykema – 1st season
2007 Record: 12-12, 5-9 SW4A – 6th
Last Conference Title: 2004 (MECA) 2001 (SW4A)
Last Tournament Championship: 2004 (MECA) 2001 (SW4A)
Last State Finals: 2004
Last State Title: 1984
Key Losses: Byron McKoy – CF (All-SW4A)
Cory Shaylor – SS (All-SW4A)
Wes Elkins – P

Top Returns: Tyler Elkins – 1B/P
Cody Kursey - OF

A mid season scandal that saw the dismissal of several players and the coaching staff turned a promising 2007 season into disappointment for the Patriots. After starting 11-4, Independence lost eight of their last nine to finish 12-12. Rebuilding the Big-I program will not be easy with the loss of All-SW4A stars Byron McKoy to Temple and Cory Shaylor to Charlotte. Pitcher/1B Tyler Elkins will key the Patriot line-up, but Elkins will need help to keep Independence in the SW4A hunt.



Myers Park Mustangs – Coach: Bobby Simmons– 3rd season
2007 Record: 14-11, 7-7 SW4A – 3rd
Last Conference Title: 2003
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2003
Last State Finals: 2003
Last State Title: 1970

Key Losses: Tom Girwood – P
Chip Gaul – LF
Dennis Elliott – 1B

Top Returns: Chris Overman – 1B/P (All-SW4A)
Brian Holkerton – SS (All-SW4A)
Nate Cudney – P

Coach Simmons has had Myers Park on a steady climb since taking over the program in 2006. Coming off a third place finish in 2007, the Mustangs are ready to ascend to the top this year, and they have to talent to make it happen. Returning are junior left handed hitter Chris Overman, one of the league’s top hitters (43 RBIs in 2007), and all-conference short stop Brian Holkerton. MP also has one of the loop’s top left hand pitchers in Nate Cudney, who will be in the starting rotation for his third year round the league.

 

SW4A Preview - Continued

Providence Panthers – Coach: Danny Hignight– 5th season
2007 Record: 22-6, 11-3 SW4A – 2nd
Last Conference Title: 2006
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2005
Last State Finals: 1997
Last State Title: 1995
Key Losses: David Mailman– CF/P (All-State/SW4A POY)
Will Clayton – 1B (All-SW4A)
Kevin Shackelford – C (All-SW4A)


Top Returns: Ritchie Shaffer – 3B/P (USA Jr. Olympian, All-State, All-SW4A)
Eric Semeniuk – RF (Marshall)
Will Helms – LF (All-SW4A, Appalachian State)

The Panthers were hit hard by graduation losing nine seniors, including SW4A Player of the Year David Mailman, who also recorded All-State honors and was the seventh round draft pick of the World Champion Boston Red Sox. Also gone are all-league players Will Clayton and Kevin Shackelford, but do not think that the cupboards are bare for the Panthers. Returning are USA Jr. gold medalist Ritchie Shaffer to head the pitching staff, All-SW4A outfielder Wil Helms, and the big bat of Eric Semeniuk to the heart of the Providence line-up, giving the Panthers the top long ball trio in the league. Junior shortstop CA Clayton will be a force after facing the heat of a SW4A season as a sophomore last year. Catawba signee Greg Lawson will handle the Panther pitching staff. Add transfer Tyler Zupzic and without question, the Panthers will be one of the favorites to win the loop title in 2008.


South Meck Sabres – Coach: Chad Jurecka– 2nd season
2007 Record: 10-16, 5-9 SW4A – 6th
Last Conference Title: 2004
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2006
Last State Finals: 2005
Last State Title: 1989

Key Losses: Preston Shuey – 1B All-SW4A
Brent Lalas – RF
Doug Jones – SS

Top Returns: Joe Shealy – P
Spence Shuey – 3B
Casey Gebhardt - CF

The Sabres will be one of the youngest teams in the league in 2008 after losing 11 seniors to graduation and having only three rising seniors, none who saw regular action in 2007. Fortunately for South, the “young” Sabres are quite talented. Juniors Joe Shealy and Tyler Woods have been two of the top pitchers in the JV SW4A circuit the past two years with Shealy demonstrating the ability to be effective at the varsity level, finishing the season as the top Sabre pitcher after a mid-season promotion. Junior Spence Shuey led the Sabres in home runs as a sophomore last year while junior Casey Gebhardt played every inning in center field as he lead the team in batting average versus SW4A opponents, hitting .364. Expect to see sophomore Duce Wright behind the dish. As any baseball fan knows, it all starts with pitching, and the Sabres have the arms to be a contender.




Weddington Warriors – Coach: Travis Poole – 1st season
2006 Record: 16-11, 7-7 SW4A – 3rd
Last Conference Title: 2005 (South Piedmont)
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: None
Key Losses: Joe Mangum – 3B
Taylor Honeycutt – C
Spencer Terry – P (All-SW4A)

Top Returns: Tyler Pilkington – P/1B (All-SW4A, UNC-Charlotte)
Chris Fogleman – P/OF
Brent Watkins – IF/P

After finishing third in the SW4A and reaching the conference tournament finals, look to see the Warriors even higher in the standings this year. New head coach Travis Poole will find a plethora of talent on the Weddington squad. Charlotte signee Tyler Pilkington will anchor the pitching staff. OF/P Chris Fogleman and IF/P Brent Watkins both hit over .400 for the Warrior last season. Weddington JV won the SW4A with Ty Litton, Anthony Boone, and Clay Tresher all expected to be major contributors to the Warrior’s in 2008.

 

Media SW4A Preseason Predications – 5 Voters

(First Place votes in parenthesis)

1. Weddington – 33 (2)
1. Providence – 33 (1)
1. Ardrey Kell – 33 (1)
4. Myers Park – 29 (1)
5. South Meck – 17
6. Butler – 14
7. East Meck – 12
8. Independence - 9

 

This is without question the best preview of a conference I have ever seen. Thank you mincmi for all of the hard work you put into this.

 

Great Work

Good Job!

Here are a few edits I noticed. Crump was (is) a Catcher not a Pitcher. And Mickey Brewer is the CF for Butler not Mickey Cochran.

I know that Mickey Cochrane was a Hall of Fame Catcher and is now dead (died in 1962).

Great Post and Thank you for doing it!

 

Thanks for the edits. Just zoned out on Micky Brewer. Must of been my Tiger's fandom bleeding through.

 

There are alot of good players not mentioned on this post. Is this based on an opinion?

 

Great job!

I wish we could get a report like that on every conference.

 

UNtil the games are played it's all opinion... and mere speculation. The SW4A is a traditional power and there is definitely quite a bit of talent there. There are alot of talented players out there that may not get recognition till later, but most of the psters here will promote many worthy players.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Where did this come from, and how can we learn about other conferences?