Who are the teams that should have a strong year this year?

A.C. Reynolds should have a very competative team this coming season after changing the head coach a couple years ago this team should be ready to vie for conf. champion..

Coach Hardee at Watauga will have a competative team up on the mtn. Watauga is always tough and adding a new apprentice coach, who has the ambition to be as good a coach as Coach Hignight or Coach Hardee and this team will have a lot of fire in them..Watauga plays some of the toughest teams before conference starts from Forsyth and Mech.

Alex. Central lost a lot of seniors last year but they still have some pitchers who can dominate a game and some hitters who can put the ball in play and out of the park..look for Corbett, Harrington, Lackey, and Bowles (if he is given a chance to play) to have good seasons...

S. Caldwell beat Alex. Central for the first time since joining the NW4A last year because of a coaching blunder..no matter a win is a win..Caldwell will be improved..but before they win the conference Reynolds, Watauga, A.C., and Freedom will put them to the test..Caldwell does have a top notch legion team and legion program..however all the legion players do not come from S.C., some are from Hibriten and West Caldwell... 2 of their best pitchers were from Watauga last season, Nigro and Leyshon(2003 graduates)

Freedom is due..Chapman could make an impact this year...

E. Burke will upset somebody this coming season...

 

:huh:
'03' didn't that team choke once conference play started...

this year , your right ... should be way better than last year... If they all come back ready to play.

 

Triad Area Teams

RJ Reynolds will be a solid 4A team this year. A great senior class including Nick DeRose(App.State), Jay Laramore(Lenior-Rhyne), Torrey Johnson(Undecided), and Hampton Foushee(Harvard) should lead them deep into the playoffs. A couple juniors, Johnson and Orr will have to step up but there is no absence of veteran team leadership. I'm not real sure exactly what West Forsyth will have this year. Catamount can chime in on them.

Ragsdale should have another good year as younger players step up. On the mound they have studs coming from both sides, Mullins from the right and Kensmoe from the left.

NW Guilford and North Forsyth will be competing for the Metro 4-A. North Forsyth should be the favorite. They have the talent including Addison Johnson('06), DJ Mitchell(Undecided) and Adam Speas(Mars Hill) and a lot of confidence from a lot of recent success in the Metro on their side. NW Guilford has gone through some coaching transitions but have a lot of talent. There are other good players in the conference but it may be a two team race the entire season. East Forsyth lost the farm.

In the Piedmont Triad 3-A, Glenn, although losing a couple of quality starters from last year, will return a lot and get help from last year's jv team. Ryan Caldwell, who is still uncommitted, will be looking to have a big year and I would bet will do so again. One of their most significant losses from last year's team is obviously Coach Ijames but Dale leaves John a solid program. NE Guilford lost a couple studs and while Jeremy Synan will be able to showcase his talent, they will have a tough time filling the others' shoes. SW Guilford will have to battle all year. There is help on the way from the freshmen and sophs over the next couple of years but Coach Holmes will have to be creative this year. Remains to be seen, but Jon Smith('06) has the potential to be an outstanding pitcher for SW Guilford. He will definitely be depended upon as a staff ace for the next two years.

 

No coach they didnt choke.. they lost 3 to 2 to a good Ragsdale team (with Kunta Hicks) in the 2nd round. I believe they finished ahead of AL Brown in conf play that year.. Why do you like to bust NWC balls. Didn't you graduate from there ?? Don,t GET ME STARTED AGAIN OR I'll hurt your personal feelings.

 

I agree Mudcat. The key to their season could be the development of sophomore RHP Sam Runion to go along with junior starter Blane Howell. The young righty (6'4"/190lb) throws mid-80's and is very sound fundamentally. If he becomes a force, they should have one of the better starting combos in WNC.

Here's my WNC preseason top 10

1. TC Roberson - no suprises.....if healthy, they will be one of the top teams in the state, if not the nation.
2. Franklin - SR LHP Jared Crawford and RHP Ben Savaiko will be tough to beat.
3. Owen - returns two of the top players in WNC in SR RHP Steven Hensley and catcher BJ Perry.
4. AC Reynolds - could be an exciting season, if they come together as a team.
5. East Rutherford - what can you say about this program....it's always one of the best.
6. Erwin - very well coached and always in the game....look for SR LHP Dustin Ingle and JR SS Drew Shook to have big years.
7. West Henderson - very talented, but very young....probably a year away.
8. Tuscola - Greg Munoz is one of the top hitters in the state and has a good supporting cast around him.
9. North Henderson - returns a soild team.....SR RHP/C Levi Wright and JR 1B/C Jackie Corn are players to watch.
10. Rosman - JR LHP Shane Galloway is 6'5" and knows how to pitch.

 

The best team that isn't getting NEARLY enough attention (particularly after their run last year) is Independence. This is going to be a great hitting team and dangerous from top to bottom.

The other team that I'm keeping my eye on this season that's fairly local is Myers Park. There's a lot more talent on this team than others realize. I believe that they will beat out Providence and Olympic this season, but they will come up a little bit short against South Meck.

Another fun team to watch this coming year is going to be Hopewell. There are good things going on in the north end of Meck county and they aren't all at North Meck. Hopewell is going to be a solid team.

 

U should keep an eye out for CCS

Charlotte Christian School will play a 35-40 game schedule this spring including jaunts through FL, SC & far eastern NC. It should mature a team that is deep in Jr's.

 

Easter break tourney maybe?
Where in "far eastern NC"?

 

some tourney @ Westminster Academy in south FL then a game in Jax

a dble header in Columbia, SC

shelby easter tourney, shelby NC

greenville-rose single game

 

Regular season teams vs. Playoff teams

It is always fun to read predictions for the upcoming year and I have enjoyed reading all the different comments about the various teams across the state. Being from the eastern part of the state, I have especially enjoyed reading and learning about players and teams from the west.



However, I believe there is a big difference between the best regular season teams and the best playoff teams. As you scratch your head, let me explain. I believe solid pitching and defense trumps solid hitting, so in the one game - all or nothing playoff format, give me the dominating pitcher and I will take my chances. Now what if this same team has two outstanding pitchers. With the way the playoffs are formatted, this team can ride these two arms through the playoffs. This team might be of average talent across the board except for these two pitchers, but with these two horses on the mound, they become a legitimate contender. Of course this team has to be able to create enough run support to push across a couple of runs a game. Pitching is the great equalizer and one pitcher can neutralize a line-up full sluggers. Be very nervous if you have to face this team in the playoffs. This is not to say that just because a team has a couple of outstanding pitchers they are going to win the State Championship, but they do have a chance.



As I look at the teams that have a chance of advancing in the playoffs in 05, I begin with the the teams that can send a couple of studs to the mound, then I look at who supports them in the field and finally I look to who they bring to the plate. I don't want to shortchange the importance of hitting, but I am speaking of the playoffs right now and in the tight winner take all playoff format, give me the shutdown pitchers. This is what I mean when I refer to the best team vs. the best playoff team.



Just my opinion.