NPC 2009

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']1. East Rowan--Everything TJ said above....I echo those sentiments. They are completely loaded at every position. I think every position player can play at the next level. Pitching is going to be incredibly deep. Shive is the definite #1. They have three pitchers coming up from JV that would have thrown on most varsity squads last year (Gobbel, Troutman, Johnson). Cody Laws returns as the presumed #2. This is how good this team can be.....Alex Litaker, who I don't think threw a single inning last year on the varsity team, signed yesterday to pitch at Brevard. If this team accepts the Ijames' into the fold and everything meshes well, I think this East Rowan could be the best team they have put on the field in the last 20 years. East has tremendous talent, but they also have a smart, knowledgable, passionate coach in Brian Hightower who the players want to win for and enjoy playing for.

2. West Rowan--Miclat is a great leader and player. Shepherd and Crucitti transferring in makes a good team a really good team.

3. Moorsville--I'm not sure what they have left to pitch. I know their JV team has been very successful (split with ER last year). I'm not sure any of those kids can shut down the Mustang lineup like one of the arms at LN or WR.

4. Lake Norman

All of the above teams would compete for the top position in most conferences. It's going to be interesting to see what happens when they start beating up on one another. I think East has to be ranked the #1 team in 3A, barring injuries, and the odds on favorite for the conference championship. West and Moors are top 10 caliber teams as well.[/FONT]

 

Mooresville no doubt lost 2 huge starting pitchers for us, but we have the following.

Aaron Meadows (Catawba), all conf. He can bring it and didn't pitch much last year but will probably be called on this year. If his stuff is on he is as nasty as anyone.

Keith Little. soph lefty still learning the ropes but will get some Varsity time this year. Tall Lanky lefty had a great fall and gave up football to concentrate on baseball

Wes Dumford (rising jr). Wes had a great fall. Tall and lanky and as smart as anyone I have seen on the mound. When he is on will make you swing at the bad pitches only.

Ian Walters, sr, lefty. Ian has great movement and will have to pitch great for Mooresville to do well.

Brett Compton. Will burn up some innings. Great velocity.

Jeffrey Mason. Can burn up some innings.

Chris Bonaventure. As sligh as they get on the mound. Loves pressure situations.

Mooresville defense and bats will be solid...

You are adding Billy Nantz (catcher outfield). Lots of power and fast. Hunter Nanney will hit for average and put it out.

Still have Dylon West (all conf) and Nathan Abraham (all conf)

Chris Elliott moves up as does Jacob Mays. Jake Beaver may be asked to play Varsity this year and without a doubt is the best hitter on the team. You can throw at his head and he can hit it.

These boys will be good defensively and offensively. Hopefully our pitching can match the previous years.

 

How's it going Travis, good to hear from you,,,, I like your comment "everything TJ said", now if I can just get my wife to see things that way.......

As for your comment about being the best East team in 20 years, you may be right,,,,,,, however, the 95-96 state championship team may have something to say about that. And actually the 2002 team (Cal's sr.year) may be the best team in the history of the world that got beat in first round, they were loaded.

Can't wait. My top 3: East, West, Mooresville

 

Touche on the wife comment TJ; My thoughts on those East teams

The 95 team was loaded at every position, but I think only David Trexler (NCSU then Catawba) and Jason Foster (Wingate) were the only two position players to play at the next level. Brad Rye (State Championship MVP), Chad Yates (Rowan Co. Player of the Year) could have. Granted, East Rowan wasn't as prevelant on the baseball recruiting scene as it is now. Russell Holshouser (Catawba) and Mike Morris (ECU then Catawba) anchored a very strong pitching staff. They didn't allow a run in the State Championship Series. The closer on that team, Greg Beaver, was drafted and turned pro. I think this team is most similar to the 2009 edition, in that they are strong at every position and have very deep quality pitching.

The '02 team, your right, I don't know how they didn't win it all. I think all the coaching controversy that was going on at the time really led to a lot of distractions. Cal Hayes (Cardinal draft pick), Nick Lefko (Catawba), Bobby Parnell (Charleston Southern), Drew Davis (Elon) were great at their positions. Hayes was one of the best high school players I had seen at the time. They didn't have the pitching depth, though, that this year's Mustang team or the '95 team did. Julian Sides (Charlotte) was the ace, but he didn't throw anywhere near as hard as Corbin Shive, but he was crafty. After Sides, they were a little thin. Parnell hadn't been discovered as a pitcher, yet.

I think the experience that this years team had going to Florida over Spring Break last year and going undefeated in the tournament there and the run to the State Championship that they experienced last year, will pay huge dividends in '09. East is staying home this year and playing in the local tournament. These games are going to be real crowded this year.

Coach Hightower emailed me the schedule the other day and I will post it once that thread opens up.

 

I will take West, East, Lake Norman, then Mooresville. I like the pitching of the top three too much to not put them on top and I believe in a conference such as this where as everybody top to bottom can hit, pitching is the key. West, as mentioned, added Shepherd and Crucitti, putting Shepherd with Simpson at the top of your rotation is dangerous for opposing lineups. Shive, Laws, and company make for a strong number two. Lake Norman also has three solid pitchers to turn to with Lamoscola, Whitley, and Williams. Mooresville has Meadows and Walters to head their rotation, both of whom are clearly capable, but likely a step down from last years top two. The rest of the pack is up in the air.

 

Mooresville might not have that one big stud pitcher to throw 7 strong innings but if they go into each game with a plan like they did againts Glenn in the playoffs they will surprise a lot of teams. Ask the starter for 3-4 good innings, next guy 2-3 inngs and so on. They have enough strong pitching to pull this off. The defense and the bats will keep them in each game. This also keeps your pitching staff sharp and fresh.

 

I will go with East, West, Mooresville, Lake Norman. I look for Walters, Meadows, and Compton to be strong on the hill for Mooresville. They will need some quality innings out of Bonnaventure and maybe from one or 2 sophs(Little-Holcombe). Nanney may also be an option. Hitting should be strong with West, Meadows, Compton, and Nance. Bonny and Nanny will also need to provide some timely hits. Abraham will be strong once he recovers from hand surgery. NPC will again have 4 strong representatives in the playoffs. I hope the seeding will allow them to go further before they knock each other out.

 

With Lamiscola alone, Lake Norman must be figured in the mix, he's the best lefthander in the area (IMO). Im just not sure he's got enough support to lift them into or over any of the previously mentioned 3 teams in the conference. Lake Norman should definitely be the NPC's 4th team to win a 1st round playoff game. Look for this conference to make a lot of noise on the state scene once again.

The good thing about this conference this year, is that any of these top 3 teams could conceivably win the league and quite possibly all 3 are capable of winning the state, they are all just that talented, and its quite rare that 3 teams in the same conference (especially a 3A conf) is that talented all at once.

I notice a lot of Catawba College committs/signees from names listed above, I tell ya Jim Gantt coaching the Rowan Co legion team really helps him with recruiting at Catawba. He sees a lot of local talent every season and he seems to get a good slice of it too,,,,,,,, not too difficult to see why Catawba College wins every year. He's a great coach.

 

East will be a good team this year and IMO will have a good chance to win the state championship this year. One person that ya'll are not talking about them losing is first baseman Trey Holmes, he was a sure handed and provide them with a good left handed batter. Corbin Shive is coming off of shoulder surgery but according to coach Hightower his rehibilition is going well and is Corbin is ahead of his projected return date. I don't know who will play first base, but I would think that Corbin would play there when he's not pitching. Laws and Gobbel gained valueble picthing experience over the summer by pitching for the Rowan legion team.

West should also be a good team. They were young last year and will return most everybodywhile adding to transfers. They add a good pitcher and power bat in Randy Shepherd (from Carson). Add him to a pitching staff that has Zach Simpson, and that right there will allow you to compete. Simpson hit his stride at the end of last year and it continued into his pitching for the Rowan Legion team. They have a solid ss in Miclat (signed with BC) , athlete Cruciiti who can run themdown in the outfield, and Brantly Horton who can play a varity of positions (1B, 3B, OF).

I don't know much about the other teams in the conference but I look for Moorsville and Lake Norman to make a strong push for the top of the conference.

I look for this to be a fun, wild, and interesting season of baseball. I can't wait.

 

I didn't know that about Shive. What kind of surgery