A-3 Baseball Preview
Wallace Miners
1996 record: 21-8, 5th at state
Coach: Bob Schreiber, 7th year
Top returners: Heath Schilleriff, junior, right-handed pitcher/shortstop; Kevin Teske, junior, rhp/ss; Scott Thomas, sr., 1b/3b; Chris Sevy, sr., of/rhp; Kevin Lee, jr., of.
Newcomers: Jeremy Johnson, sophomore, of; Dale Bourgoeis, soph., 3b.
Coach’s comment: “We’re rebuilding, but we have some experience mixed with the young kids. They have some enthusiasm and want to play.”
Outlook: Wallace is coming off one of its best seasons in recent years. The Miners have thin numbers (12). Schreiber continues to run the program on a shoestring budget (including donations from his own pockets). Miners opened Tuesday with 4-3 win at St. Maries.
Lakeside Knights
1996 record: 1-9
Coach: Ken Staggs, first year
Top returners: Brendon Nelson, sr., 1b/rhp; Ken Pluff, jr., ss/rhp; Brad Nelson, sr., 2b; Buck Allen, jr., cf.
Newcomers: Ted Colley, jr., utility; Jake Harding, soph., of; Joe Lachnit, soph., catcher; Todd Morris, jr., utility; Dustin Brouse, soph., 3b.
Coach’s comment: “We’re weak in three or four spots. If they step up, we could play good ball. But we don’t have a junior varsity program and the kids don’t play in the summer, so it will be tough.”
Outlook: Staggs, 48, an umpire the past 11 years, thought his coaching days were over. But Stacy Monk resigned and school officials couldn’t find an immediate replacement, so Staggs agreed to help for a year or two. The Knights open Saturday against Lake City’s freshmen.
A-3/A-4 softball preview
Lakeside Knights
1996 record: 5-4.
Coach: Brian Chase, 2nd year.
Top returners: Margaret SiJohn, sr., p/if; Alecia Hoffman, sr., 1b; Harmony Hammons, sr., ss; Angela Flint, jr., if/p; Bernie Twoteeth, sr., of; Mindy Middleton, jr., of.
Newcomers: Sunni-Jo Mullen, frosh, 3b; Josetta SiJohn, frosh., if; Kristina McPeak, frosh., rf.
Coach’s comment “Once we get going, we’ll be tough. We’ve got some great athletes, but they don’t have a lot of softball experience.”
Outlook: Lakeside has to play fastpitch in the area, then switch to slowpitch at state.
, DataTimes