SW4A Preview – 2007 Part 1

Ardrey Kell Knights – Coach: Hal Bagwell – 1st season (11th SW4A)
2006 Record: NA
Last Conference Title: NA
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: NA
Key Losses: NA

Top Returns: Johnny Eaker – C
Jordan Darnell – P
Zico Pasut – OF

Veteran coach Hal Bagwell will have his hands full creating a new team after leaving South Meck following ten successful seasons. The Kell Knights will have no seniors, but Coach Bagwell will have some familiar faces to build his team around that followed him to Kell. Junior catcher Johnny Eaker was the leading hitter for the junior Sabres in 2006 batting an even .500 and threw out nearly 60% of attempted base stealers. Junior pitcher Jordan Darnell was 6-1 for the South JV with a 1.37 ERA and saw some varsity level action with the Sabres will anchor the Kell hurling staff . Sophomore Zico Pasut will be asked to supply the power in the Knights lineup, as he showed great promise and pop last season at the JV level. With five play-off spots for the SW4A, do not be surprised to see Kell grab one of those in its initial season and give the favorites all they can handle throughout the league season.


Butler Bulldogs – Coach: Kim Cousar – 10th season
2006 Record: 12-12, 4-8 SW4A – 6th
Last Conference Title: 2002
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2000
Key Losses: Matt Bjorkstrom – P (All-SW4A)
Harrison Helms – CF
Scott Edwards – P

Top Returns: Andrew Smith – P (UNC-Charlotte)
Drew Gehringer – SS (UNC-Greensboro)
Matt Crump – C (Wingate)

Coach Kim Cousar probably has his most talented Bulldog team since Butler won three consecutive SW4A titles (2000-2002) and made back to back trips to the 4A semi finals in 2001 & 2002. Four year starter senior short stop Drew Gehringer will join seniors Shawn Wixted (3rd) and Andrew Smith (P), both three year starters, giving Butler the most experienced team in the league. Senior Matt Crump is regarded as one of the leagues top signal callers, while seniors Derek Blanton and Hunter Glass both return to the right side of the Bulldog infield. Without question Butler will be a contender for the league crown and has the talent to make a long play-off run.


East MeckEagles – Coach: Chet Greason– 10th season
2006 Record: 8-17, 2-10 SW4A – 7th
Last Conference Title: 1994
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: unavailable
Key Losses: Justin Schumer– P/SS (All-SW4A)
Griffin LaFone – 1B
Shane Ludwick - P

Top Returns: Matt Sheehan - P

The East Meck Eagles struggled for much of the 2006 season, recovering from massive graduation losses from a play-off team the previous season, while playing many young players. Coach Greason will have a huge loss again in replacing one of the league's top players in Justin Schumer and will lean heavily on returning pitcher Matt Sheehan to get the Eagles back into the play-off hunt.


Independence Patriots – Coach: Gary Weiker– 1st season
2006 Record: 20-6, 8-4 SW4A – 2nd
Last Conference Title: 2004 (MECA) 2001 (SW4A)
Last Tournament Championship: 2004 (MECA) 2001 (SW4A)
Last State Finals: 2004
Last State Title: 1984
Key Losses: Robby Bray– P (All-SW4A, POY)
Billy Enright – SS (All-SW4A)
Evan Taylor – CF (All-SW4A)


Top Returns: Byron McKoy – CF (Temple)
Darrell Simmons – C (Lenoir Rhyne)
Cory Shaylor - SS (UNC Charlotte)
Wes Elkins - P


New head coach Gary Weiker takes over reins for the Patriots in 2007. Independence will need to find a way to replace SW4A play of the year Robby Bray who was 37-5 as a pitcher for the Patriots, including winning a game in the state championship series as a sophomore. The Patriots also lost two other all-league performers, but return probably the leagues’ speediest player in CF Bryon McKoy. All-conference catcher Darrell Simmons returns to handle the revamped pitching staff and most likey Cory Shaylor will move to short stop giving the Patriots great strenght up the middle. If coach Weiker finds the arms to assist Wes Elkins that can get SW4A hitters out, the Patriots will once again challenge for the title.

 

SW4A Preview 2007 - Part 2

Myers Park Mustangs – Coach: Bobby Simmons– 2nd season
2006 Record: 12-11, 5-7 SW4A – 5th
Last Conference Title: 2003
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2003
Last State Finals: 2003
Last State Title: 1970
Key Losses: Jack Myers – CF (All-SW4A)
Scott Matthews – SS (All-SW4A)
Jordan Cudney – P

Top Returns: Tom Girwood – P
Nate Cudney – P
Hank Stephens – C


The Mustangs were up and down for much of the 2006 campaign under new head coach Bobby Simmons, finishing in the middle of the league pack. But with another year with his players, look for Coach Simmons to bring the Mustangs back to the play offs for the first time since making a state finals appearance in 2003. Myers Park returns two key pitchers in seniors Tom Girwood and Nate Cudney plus battery mate Hank Stephens as the Mustangs look to work their way up the league standings in 2007.



Providence Panthers – Coach: Danny Hignight– 4th season
2006 Record: 21-6, 9-3 SW4A – 1st
Last Conference Title: 2006
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2005
Last State Finals: 1997
Last State Title: 1995
Key Losses: David Scism – CF (All-SW4A)
Ryan Semeniuk – LF (All-SW4A)
Shane Small – P (All-SW4A)

Top Returns: David Mailman – P (Wake Forest)
Will Clayton – 3rd
Ritchie Shaffer – 2nd

If teams thought that Providence might take a step back after losing their entire outfield and all-league pitcher Shane Small to graduation, they just might think again. Coach Danny Hignight and the Panthers remain loaded as they look to win their 3rd consecutive SW4A title. The Panthers return one of the leagues’ top players in pitcher David Mailman. Senior infielders Will Clayton and Evan Wilkerson and standout Sophomore Ritchie Shaffer will keep the Panther defense at the top while third year starter Spence Handel will share the mound duties with Mailman. Marshall signee Kevin Shackelford will once again handle the Panther pitching staff. Providence has all the tools needed to make a deep run in the state 4A play-offs.


South Meck Sabres – Coach: Chad Jurecka– 1st season
2006 Record: 20-8, 8-4 SW4A – 2nd
Last Conference Title: 2004
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: 2006
Last State Finals: 2005
Last State Title: 1989
Key Losses: Matt Andress– P (All-SW4A)
Chase Austin – SS (All-SW4A)
Ryan Morris – P (All-SW4A)

Top Returns: Doug Jones – SS (Appalachian State)
Brent Lalas – OF
Preston Shuey – 1st

First year coach Chad Jurecka has the unenviable task of replacing popular Sabre coach Hal Bagwell. It would not have been so bad if the Sabres had not lost two of 2006’s top pitchers in Matt Andress and Ryan Morris, a 4th round selection of the Cleveland Indians. The Sabres also lost two other three year starters in Chase Austin and Reid Rollison plus three other starters to graduation and nearly their entire rising junior class to Audrey Kell in zone reassignments. Fortunately for Jurecka, the cupboard is not entirely bare. All-league 2nd baseman Doug Jones will move to short stop and most likely will be joined by Brent Lalas in the infield. Big bats in Jesse Miller, Preston Shuey, and Tyler Doster will still be in the Sabre line-up. In fact, Jones, Miller and Lalas were the Sabres’ top hitters for average in 2006 of players that had more than 30 at bats. The key for Jurecka and the Sabres making a 4th consecutive play-off appearance will be finding the pitchers who can get SW4A hitters out.




Weddington Warriers – Coach: Bobby Austin– 5th season
2006 Record: 15-9, 6-6 SW4A – 4th
Last Conference Title: 2005 (South Piedmont)
Last SW4A Tournament Championship: NA
Key Losses: Nick Fogleman - P
Scott Summey – LF (All-SW4A)

Top Returns: Joe Mangum– 3B (UNC Pembroke)
Taylor Honeycutt – C (Appalachian State)
Spencer Terry– P (All-SW4A)
Tyler Pilkington – P

Weddington surprised many in their first year of SW4A play last season when they finished 4th in the league and narrowly missed the play-offs. The future only looks brighter from there, as the Warriors return seven of their top nine from last year’s squad and add a strong group up from the JV team that tied for the junior league title. Seniors Joe Mangum and Taylor Honeycutt anchor the infield and behind the plate respectively while senior Spencer Terry and junior left-hander Tyler Pilkington will lead the Warrior arms. While many will favor Providence or Butler to win the league title but do not be surprised to see the Warriors at the top come season’s end.

 

most likely John Danza will move to short making the Patriots extremely strong up the middle. [/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure John Danza was a senior last season.

 

Danza is now at Lenoir Ryne College

I believe you are referring to Corey Shaylor (UNCC signee)
Shaylor is a great player w/ great work ethic, and will be the anchor for this team.

 

Thanks MVaughn.

 

mincmi,

Thanks for the overview....looks like the SW4A will be pretty tough again this year. No off days for any team.

 

Pretty sure Wes Elkins at Indy is a senior this year and Spencer Terry at Weddington is also a senior this year. Both played travel ball for me last year.

 

East will find another arm besides Shane "Sunshine" Ludwick. He should have graduated in '06.

 

typo?

got to be a typo...............Weddington WORRIERS??

 

you have Honeycutt from Weddington listed as an outfielder. He signed with App State as a Catcher. I would find it hard to believe if Weddington has a batter catcher than Honeycutt