Prep Preview Baseball
Greater Spokane League
Predicted finish
| 1 | Gonzaga Prep |
| 2 | Lewis and Clark |
| 3 | Mt. Spokane |
| 4 | Shadle Park |
| 5 | Ferris |
| 6 | Mead |
| 7 | North Central |
| 8 | Central Valley |
| 9 | Rogers |
| 10 | University |
GSL outlook
A year after finishing eighth in the State 4A tournament, the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups lost seven starters to graduation. But coach Brian Munhall isn’t looking for sympathy. He’s simply looking to reload as he seeks his third Greater Spokane League title in as many years.
Munhall returns all-league-caliber pitchers Connor Cherry and Cael McKeirnan, who last year served as the closer, among nine seniors with which to make another strong run at state glory.
“We return two all-league pitchers and should have a very strong offensive lineup with great team speed,” Munhall said.
However, the Bullpups graduated the entire infield and two starting pitchers. Munhall will be starting a freshman at shortstop and has players competing for open spots at second and third base.
It always helps to have two-time All-GSL Jordan Rathbone behind the plate and junior Jack Machtolf at first base or the outfield.
Mt. Spokane finished third at State 3A last season, but lost seven starters, including ace Drew Rasmussen , now at Oregon State.
“We have six seniors that know how to pitch and compete,” coach Alex Schuerman said. “This group loves to compete and loves to play.”
The Wildcats don’t have “a lot of varsity at-bats under our belts,” Schuerman said. But “we believe our pitching will keep us in every game.”
Veteran Ron Brooks guided the Shadle Park Highlanders to a 12-6 finish last year in league, but gone are catcher-turned- quarterback Brett Rypien and hitting phenom Evan Douglas.
Brooks, however, gets five starters returning to a roster of mostly seniors, including infielder and pitcher Jonny Krupla and fellow infielder Jahden Nguyen.
“Many of these kids have two previous years of varsity experience,” Brooks said. “Hopefully, that experience can carry over to their senior season.”
Lewis and Clark blossomed at the end of last season and upset Gonzaga Prep 3-1 in a 12-inning thriller to capture the District 8 4A championship.
Coach Steve Bennett has seven starters returning from last year’s 12-6 squad.
“We return a lot of defensive experience and have a chance to be deeper offensively,” Bennett said.
But the Tigers will need to find someone to step up on the mound. “Our pitching depth is completely unproven and we need a few guys to step up,” he said.
Along with veterans Ethan LaValley and Tyler Hojnacki, Bennett said he expects good things from Camden Bendickson, Nick Nystrom and Connor Eakin.
The Ferris Saxons lost two-thirds of its starters to graduation and 10 players in all from a team that finished 10-8 last year.
Jim Sharkey stepped down to focus on football and Scott Ward has stepped in to guide the Saxons, who return senior shortstop/pitcher Tanner Parker and fellow seniors TJ Liss and Aaron Beaulaurier. Several teams mentioned junior first basemen Jake Ochoa as a player to watch.
Ward said the team’s youth could limit how far his team goes.
We “need young pitchers to develop and throw well to be competitive,” he said.
The Mead Panthers have five starters and nine lettermen returning to a squad that went 6-12 in the league.
Other than two sophomore catchers in Max Johnson and Scott Neely, Panthers’ coach Jason Reich feels good about his returning experience.
We have “two starting pitchers return ( Justin Dolezal and Robert Elsensohn),” he said. “We are returning both middle infielders Brian O’Rourke and Drew Clark.”
Stolen-base threat Daniel Munoz anchors a speedy outfield. “We should improve on last year’s records with a great deal more experience at most positions,” Reich said.
North Central failed to notch a single GSL win last year. New coach Mark Douglas said he has a “strong class” of underclassmen to add to the seven returning starters.
“We have six sophomores and three juniors on varsity and all have a legitimate shot to play every day,” Douglas said. “This is a group that we can build a successful program around.”
Great Northern League
Predicted finish
| 1 | West Valley |
| 2 | Cheney |
| 3 | East Valley |
| 4 | Clarkston |
| 5 | Pullman |
GNL outlook
East Valley ran away with the Great Northern League last year with a 14-4 record and made the first round of the state playoffs.
But coach John Phelan graduated six seniors and has five returning starters.
“Not many players have varsity experience,” Phelan said. But we are “hoping to have a competitive, fun season.”
One newcomer to watch will be Colin Spendlove, who plays both outfield and pitcher, Phelan said.
The Cheney Blackhawks finished with an 11-7 record in the GNL last season and return even fewer starters (4) than the aforementioned Knights.
But coach Mike Cagle, in his second campaign in Cheney, lists pitching depth as a strength. However, he said run production could be one of his team’s weaknesses.
We “hope to finish in the top three of the GNL,” Cagle said. “I expect the league to be very competitive top to bottom.”
He listed Harrison King, Cameron Marchand and Cade VanWormer as players to watch.
West Valley finished fourth in the league at 10-8 last year but the Eagles have seven starters returning for coach Cory Aitken.
We have “a lot of senior leadership,” Aitken said. “We have good speed. Pitching will be a strength.”
However, West Valley will have to convert infielders to outfielders to shore up the numbers. He mentioned Austin Lee, Josh Foster and Hunter Liberg as players to watch.
“We expect to have a chance to play for the league title … and to make some waves in the state tournament,” Aitken said.
Northeast A League
Predicted finish
| 1 | Freeman |
| 2 | Colville |
| 3 | Lakeside |
| 4 | Medical Lake |
| 5 | Deer Park |
| 6 | Riverside |
| 7 | Chewelah |
| 8 | Newport |
NEA outlook
Freeman ran away with the Northeast A League last year with an 18-0 record. But Colville and Deer Park come over from the Great Northern League.
The Scotties have eight starters returning, including league MVP Jake Phipps, to the team that ended last season with a 1-0 loss to eventual champion Naches in the state playoffs.
“We are deep on the mound,” said coach Chad Ripke, who mentioned Phipps, McKabe Cottrell, Ian Johnston, Simon Rooney, Koby Kent and Jack Paukert. “I have a lot of talent on the team. I expect us to compete for a league championship.”
Lakeside finished last season in second place with an 11-7 record in the first year under Tim Klein.
Like the Scotties, the Eagles have several players returning, including brothers Chase and Jordan Kuhnert, who is a four-year starter along with Tucker Anderson. But Lakeside must find an answer to its pitching depth.
We are “looking forward to competing for a league championship,” Klein said.Medical Lake finished 10-8 last year and coach Kerry Kelly has seven starters returning for the Cardinals.
Kelly said a new player to watch will be sophomore Phillip Murray.
“We have a solid pitching staff,” Kelly said. “We do not have a lot of power in our lineup. We will depend on playing small ball and putting pressure on the defense with our team speed.”
The Deer Park Stags hope to improve on their 2-16 campaign in the GNL while playing in the new league.
Coach Tanner Knutson has six returning starters and he also said to keep an eye on freshman Kooper Tobech, who plays shortstop, first base and pitches.
“If the Stags can do the little things right, it should be a much-improved season from 2014,” Knutson said.
Riverside finished an even 9-9 last season and coach Derek Todd may have a tough time replicating that record with only two starters returning.
He listed pitching depth as his team’s weakness. But he likes his team’s ability to put “pressure on the defense” with “contact hitting.”
Players to watch for the Rams include Justin Zale, John Coppock and John Boggetti, said Todd, who believes that senior Steven Witt may be the best hitter in the league.
“With the new playoff picture, we just have to make it in and anything can happen,” he said.
Chewelah had a rough year in the NEA and finished with a 2-16 league record. But coach Luke Jeanneret has five starters returning.
He listed “aggressive hitting, senior leadership and energetic young kids” as strengths for the Cougars.
It “should be an exciting team to watch,” Jeanneret said. “We are looking to improve on last year.”
Others of note
The Colton Wildcats lost Jake Straughan to graduation and three other starters who won the State 1B championship last year.
But coach Pat Doumit said that playoff experience should help the Wildcats, who return senior catcher Austin Meyer, who has led off every game since his freshman year.
But questions linger on the mound.
“We only bring back about a quarter of our innings pitched,” Doumit said. “It could be an ongoing process finding where guys fit.”
Also in the Southeast 1B, Garfield-Palouse coach Jim Stewart has eight returning starters who hope to unseat Colton.
He mentioned Wyatt Griner, Kaleb Schaub, Hunter Woltering and Evan Weagraff as players to watch.
“We had to move some kids around,” Stewart said, “so we’ll see how quick everyone adapts to new positions.”
In the Northeast 2B, Liberty coach Kyle Kimble has four starters returning for the Lancers, who finished 7-12 in his first year as coach.
He mentioned brothers Kyle and Matt DeGon and Tyler Haas as newcomers to watch.
“Our season will be determined by our ability to pitch and put the ball in play,” Kimble said. “Our defense is good enough to keep us in ball games.”
In the Northeast 1B, Selkirk coach Charles Snow has six starters returning. He mentioned Calvin Petrich, Joey Dickenson and Peter McAnerin as newcomers to watch.
The Rangers “are a young team full of players with potential,” Snow said. “We practice hard, and are focused. Usually, those two items lead to good things.”