by highheat » Thu May 31, 2007 6:06 am
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif] edit: found a better one from the sun.
[/font][font=Times New Roman, Times, serif] Breaking down the Class A contenders
David Selvig
The Jamestown Sun - 05/31/2007[/font] [font=Times New Roman, Times, serif] The Jamestown Sun[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Dickinson[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Pete Dobitz, 8th year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 23-8, West Region tournament champions[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2005[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Cole Frenzel, SS (.418 average, 3 home runs, 21 runs batted in, 19 runs); Kyle Schroeder, OF (.347 avg., 11 RBI, 3-2 record, 2.84 earned run average, 25 1/3 innings pitched); Travis Tooley, OF (.255 avg., 1-0, 3 saves, 0.00 ERA, 6 1/3 IP); Tyler Steffan, OF (.333 avg., 1 HR, 11 RBI); Preston Leiss, INF/OF (.250 avg., 1 HR, 10 RBI); Dan Berg, C (.238 avg., 1-1, 2.08 ERA, 8 2/3 IP); Ben Herauf, 1B (.277 avg., 1 HR, 10 RBI, 11 runs); Alex Koppinger, C (.333 avg.); Grant Kovacs, P (2-0 record, 0.87 ERA, 20 2/3 IP); Stephen Laylock, P (4-1, 0.51 ERA, 17 2/3 IP); Jackson Wandler, P/OF (2-0, 1.52 ERA, 23 2/3 IP). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: The Midgets have been very good all year, piling up 23 wins, including beating Minot 9-5 in 10 innings in the West Region tournament championship game last Saturday. Their lineup is deep and balanced and they have solid pitching depth as well, making them a serious contender this weekend. [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Minot[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Pete Stenberg, 12th year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 27-7, 2nd seed out of West[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2006[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Zac Elgie, C/P (.414 avg., 3 HR, 39 RBI, 36 runs, 4-2, 2.13 ERA, 26 1/3 IP); Jordan Martinson 1B/P (.321 avg., 13 RBI, 27 runs, 6-0, 1.04 ERA, 33 2/3 IP); Teddy Anderson, INF/P (.409 avg., 1 HR, 19 RBI, 30 runs); Shane Gathman, P/OF (.306 avg., 1 HR, 15 RBI, 6-0, 0.00 ERA, 32 IP); Ryan Bollinger, OF/P (.448 avg., 2 HR, 30 RBI, 23 runs, 3-2, 1.81 ERA, 27 IP); Ryne Hornecker, INF (.337 avg., 20 RBI, 32 runs); Kory Houston, INF/OF/P (.389 avg., 37 RBI, 11 stolen bases, 33 runs); Dane Towery, C (.403 avg., 17 RBI, 25 runs). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: Minot opened the season as the team to beat and have not disappointed. The Magicians carry a team batting average of .356 even with wood bats. Their pitching is deep and dominant with four front-line starters and plenty of talented arms behind them. In 34 games they’ve outscored their opponents by a staggering 283-64 count. [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Williston[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Brad Westphal, 10th year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 18-9, 3rd seed out of West[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2006[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Brian Qvale, 1B/P (.342 avg., 1 HR, 5 RBI, 16 runs, 4-3, 2.66 ERA, 38 1/3 IP); Trevor Sorenson, P (6-0, 0.91 ERA, 46 1/3 IP); Shawn Egge, 2B/3B (.397 avg., 16 runs); Doug Richter, C/3B (.329 avg., 14 runs, 2-1, 4.50 ERA, 12 IP). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: The Coyotes finished fifth at the state tournament last year and lost a bunch of offensive thunder off that team. They’ve won 18 games despite not having a single player with 10 or more RBIs, but do carry a solid .302 team batting average and have drawn 102 walks in 27 games.[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Jamestown[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Andy Fitzgerald, 3rd year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 15-8, 4th seed out of West[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2004[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Brady Schoeler, OF/C/P (.356 avg., 1 HR, 13 RBI, 18 runs); Andrew Lick, C/3B/P (.227 avg., 19 runs, 3-3, 4.97 ERA, 31 IP); Ross Hogan, 3B/P (.290 avg., 13 runs, 2-3, 4.25 ERA, 31 1/3 IP); Zec Tahran, 2B (.326 avg., 23 runs, 11 RBI, 9 SB); Charlie McPherson, OF (.307 avg., 22 RBI); Ben Walker, P (7-1, 2.39 ERA, 38 IP); Levi Gaunska, P (3-1, 3.25 ERA, 28 IP); Zach Welding, SS/OF (.315 avg., 10 RBI); Kyle Walden, C/1B (.345 avg., 10 RBI); Nick Walden, P/OF (.288 avg., 10 RBI, 0-1, 2 saves 13 IP); Garrett Hillius, OF (.308 avg., 13 runs, 9 RBI).[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: The Blue Jays are not great in any one area, but have been pretty consistent in every phase of the game. The defense has been shaky at times, but when they catch the ball, they usually win. Playing at home certainly won’t hurt either. [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fargo North[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Jeff Fiechtner, 10th year [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 24-10, East Region tournament champions[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2006 (runner-up)[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Tanner Bombenger, INF (.412 avg., 18 runs, 9 RBI); Alex Bergeron, C/P (.288 avg., 19 RBI); Andrew Herian, P/OF (5-0, 1.07 ERA, 32 2/3 IP); Sam Hirchert, P/OF (.254 avg., 1 HR, 11 RBI, 2-0, 0.93 ERA, 15 IP); Eric Flacksbarth, INF (.381 avg., 1 HR, 21 RBI, 19 runs); Justin Sheets, P/INF (.298 avg., 13 RBI, 14 runs, 2-0, 1.31 ERA, 16 IP); Nick Pederson, OF (.345 avg., 21 runs, 13 RBI). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: Considering what they lost after finishing as the state runner-up in 2006, nobody saw a 24-win season coming for the Spartans. They had to replace 70-percent of their innings pitched from last year and 30-percent of their hitting. Needless to say they reload pretty good at North.[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Grand Forks Central[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Bill Lorenz, 1st year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 11-14, second seed out of East[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2006 (state champion)[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Alex Moe, C (.361 avg., 10 runs, 2-0, 2.74 ERA, 7 2/3 IP); Joel Riopelle, OF/P (.365 avg., 22 runs, 9 SB, 2-4, 1.88 ERA, 41 IP); Alex Kreis, P/INF (.279 avg., 1 HR, 11 RBI, 3-3, 1.81 ERA, 38 2/3 IP); Danny Meyer, INF/P (.311 avg., 11 RBI, 1-2, 5.58 ERA, 21 1/3 IP); Beau Saiers, INF/OF/P (.222 avg., 1-2, 2.19 ERA, 22 1/3 IP); Brady Sullivan, INF (.228 avg.).[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the defending champs. With a new coach and essentially a new team, they won their first four outings before a 10-game losing skid put them in a 4-10 hole in early May. They’ve won eight of 11 since, including a second-place finish at the East Region tournament. The Knights snuck into the state tournament last year and that worked out quite well. They would have no complaints with a repeat run or something close to it.[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Fargo South[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Donn Bryant, 5th year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 20-8, third seed out of East[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2002[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Billy Sholl, CF (.415 avg., 21 RBI, 18 runs); Max Rusch, 3B/P (.339 avg., 12 RBI, 6-1, 1 save, 1.05 ERA, 40 IP); Tim Rude 3B/P (.273 avg., 16 RBI, 18 runs, 11 SB, 2-2, 0.50 ERA, 28 IP); Matt Lee, INF/OF (.318 avg., 19 RBI); Kyle Kingsley, P (5-0, 1.12 ERA, 31 1/3 IP); Jacob Edland, P (3-3, 1.35 ERA, 36 1/3 IP); Erik Sorenson, P (2-1, 2.24 ERA, 25 IP). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: After a four-year hiatus from the state tournament, the Bruins come to town with 20 wins in 28 games. Pitching has carried them to this point as they enter tournament play with a sparkling 1.17 earned run average. Junior Max Rusch (6-1) and sophomore Kyle Kingsley (5-0) have been outstanding on the hill. [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]West Fargo[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Coach: Brett Peterson, 4th year[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Record: 10-18, 4th seed out of East[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Last time at state: 2005[/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Key players: Justin Rheault, CF (.349 avg., 14 runs); Grant Schmidt, 1B (.268 avg., 1 HR, 14 RBI); Cole Horsager, P (1-3, 6.63 ERA, 19 IP); Adam Crist, C (.311 avg., 9 RBI); Anthony Charbonneau, LF (.315 avg., 13 runs, 8 RBI); Josh Ferguson, P (3-1, 1.54 ERA, 22 2/3 IP); Luke Steckler (0-4, 4.63 ERA, 19 2/3 IP). [/font]
[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Season so far: West Fargo got hot at the right time. The Packers entered the East Region tournament with just eight wins in 25 games. They started 0-5, lost seven of nine late in the season only to catch lightning in a bottle at Jack Williams Stadium. They upset Wahpeton in the opening round May 24 and beat Devils Lake in a state-qualifying game two days later for a trip to Jamestown.[/font]
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Last edited by highheat on Thu May 31, 2007 7:04 am, edited 1 time in total.