2007 Southwest Florida High School baseball preview capsules:
Ida Baker
Coach: Chad Turner
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 6-15
Key returnees: Sr. P Matt Pike, Soph. CF Miles Rubinski, Jr. SS Cody Coffman, Jr. C Shaun Delozier, Jr. 1B/OF Alex Lakes, Soph. 3B Dustin Mishka.
Newcomers to watch: Soph. P Tyler Padilla, Jr. P Kevin Alex, Soph. P Ryan Munzert, Soph. OF Ryan Rogowski.
Season outlook: This is Ida Baker’s second year of varsity baseball. The program has one senior. “I expect us to go out and compete in every game,” said Turner, in his first season as coach. “We’ve got a group of guys that really just works extremely hard every day and I expect us to compete in every game.”
Barron Collier
Coach: Ted Parsons
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 28-4
Key returnees: OF Jeff Schaus, 2B Anthony Palumbo, SS Rick Neet, 1B Kenny Carlson, C Antonio Nickel.
Newcomers to watch: OF/P Zack Levitt, OF/P Justin Leith, INF Trace Davidson.
Season outlook: The Cougars reached the Class 5A state semifinals last year, losing 4-2 to Hillsborough. Parsons is very optimistic about the group he has returning from last year. The 2006 team had three seniors named to The News-Press All-Area first team — 3B Marcus Rodriguez and Ps Ian Parry and Brett Eckler. Eckler and Parry were a combined 18-4. Schaus, now a senior, was also a first-team All-Area selection last year, when he hit .402, with 23 RBI and 10 stolen bases. The 2006 Cougars had 13 seniors. Schaus, though, is a big-time talent, ranked No. 68 on Baseball America’s list of the nation’s top 100 prospects. Although Parsons, who was The News-Press All-Area Coach of the Year in 2006, lost all that talent, he believes the 2007 team should do well. “If everyone is able to stay healthy, we should be very competitive by the end of the year,’’ Parsons wrote in an e-mail.
Bishop Verot
Coach: Tom LoSauro
District: 3A-12
Last year’s record: 11-15
Key returnees: Sr. P Josh Koza, Jr. SS Austin Flores, Jr. C Ryan York, Jr. 3B Anthony Vlahovic, Soph. P/INF Bobby Borchering, Jr. CF Josh Hinkle.
Newcomers to watch: Soph. P James West, Soph. C/OF Craig Toggweiler.
Season outlook: That losing record last year was a rarity. LoSauro is in his ninth season as coach and 16th year at the school, and can’t remember another losing season. “It may be the first time ever,” he said. Between 1994 and 2000, Bishop Verot reached the state final four three times and won the title in 1994. LoSauro believes his team will get back on track this year. “Extremely optimistic,” he said. “The last two years, we have played a very young lineup and I think that this year that lineup has matured, so not only are they good players they’re also experienced.” Juniors Flores, York and Hinkle are about to begin their third season starting on the varsity. Flores led the 2006 team with 19 RBI. Hinkle led the squad with four homers.
Canterbury
Coach: Derek Carlson
District: 2A-12
Last year’s record: 6-14
Key returnees: Sr. p/inf Jared Levine, Soph. P/C Tommy Munoz.
Newcomer to watch: Fr. P/INF Timmy Betts.
Season outlook: Canterbury lost seven of its nine starters from last year, when it was 0-8 in district play. Carlson may carry four eighth-graders this season. Munoz pitched 12 innings last year and struck out 14. Levine was 2-2, with a 1.50 ERA.
Cape Coral
Coach: Jim Bruni
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 11-12
Key returnees: Jr. 3B Miguel Rodriguez, Sr. P Ryan Defeo, Jr. OF/P Anthony Torres, Sr. OF Chris Huffman, Jr. 2B Brandon Mulloy, Jr. C Jordan O’Day.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. OF/P Jonathan Castillo, who moved to Cape Coral from New Jersey.
Season outlook: Bruni, who previously coached at Ida Baker, is in his first season at Cape Coral and is optimistic. “I’m looking for big things,” he said. Bruni’s looking forward to having a healthy Rodriguez, who missed nearly the entire 2006 season with an injury. Mulloy led the 2006 squad with six stolen bases.
Charlotte
Coach: Josh Corr
District: 5A-12
Last year’s record: 14-12
Key returnees: Sr. ss/P Robert Crews, Sr. 2B Pete Williams and Jr. C Brooks Beisner.
Newcomer to watch: Soph. P/1B Dylan Vitale.
Season outlook: Corr, who is in his first season at Charlotte after two years at Lemon Bay, is optimistic. “I’m expecting big things from this team,” he said. “I think we have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle. It’s just a matter of fitting them together and playing together.” Beisner hit .340 last year. Crews led last year’s team with nine steals.
Clewiston
Coach: Vance Johnston
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 12-8
Key returnees: Sr. SS/OF Jared Combass, Sr. 1B/P Kale Mitchell, Soph. 3B/P Isandro Marquez.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. INF/P Nick Raiola, Sr. P/OF Josh Adams.
Season outlook: Clewiston’s record last year included a 7-1 mark in district play. The district include Estero and Riverdale. “That’s a tough district,” Johnston said. “We played pretty good baseball last year.” Clewiston lost five players who were a big part of that team. Johnston hopes to maintain the program at last year’s level. “Hopefully, we’ll be very competitive and win some games,” he said. Combass hit .354. Marquez was 5-2, with a 2.60 ERA, and had 29 strikeouts and only nine walks in 35 innings.
Community School of Naples
Coach: Jon Ayres
District: 2A-12
Last year’s record: 11-15
Key returnees: Sr. P/INF Will Gardner, Sr. P/INF Mitch Villani, Sr. C T.J. Ousley, Sr. P/OF Andrew Marinaro, Soph. P/SS Torre LoCascio, Soph. P/1B Will Ellert, Soph. 2B/C Ian Perkovich.
Newcomers to watch: Fr. OF/2B Mark Rocha, Fr. OF/1B Oliver Rogers.
Season outlook: Ayres wrote in an e-mail that his team is “looking forward to the toughest schedule ever played at CSN.” It will include a spring-break trip to Atlanta and a trip to Clemson, S.C. Ayres said his team has a “good mix of senior leadership and young talent.”
Cypress Lake
Coach: Rick Little
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 9-18
Key returnees: Sr. inf Alex Estrella, Sr. OF James Figuerado, Sr. P/inf Mitch Larson, Sr. C/inf Craig Norling, Sr. P/OF Casey Schneider, Sr. P/UTL Keifer Wainright, Jr. C/inf Joe Bocchino, Jr. P/UTL Jorge Delfin, Soph. UTL Brandon DeRita, Soph. 1B/OF Brian Sirmans.
Newcomers to watch: Fr. inf/P Joe Bocchino, Fr. inf/P Jay Murray, Fr. inf/OF Glen Sirmans.
Season outlook: Although coming off a losing season, Little likes what he has seen. “We’ve had a tremendous offseason, as the kids have shown a solid work ethic and desire to improve,” Little wrote in an e-mail. He believes better days are ahead. “We are a very competitive bunch that will only get better in the next couple of years,” Little wrote.
Dunbar
Coach: Justin Gallon
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 4-17
Key returnees: Sr. inf Drew Hopple, Sr. 1B/P Casey Sullivan, Soph. OF Tim Watkins, Soph. OF/P Mason Prater.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. C/inf Steven Swallo, Fr. inf/P Evan Richardson.
Season outlook: Gallon sees the Tigers improving. “Our expectations, we’re definitely going to be very fundamentally sound on the defensive part and just basically the biggest part is the team attitude is much better,” he said. “We’ll definitely win more games than last year.”
Estero
Coach: Frank Turco
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 28-2
Key returnees: Nearly the entire team, and they’re almost all seniors — SS John Tolisano, P Zach See, 2B Rey DeJesus, OF/1B Marcus Klusucek, LF Caleb Nemitz, C Carlos Saez and CF Alex Lozada. And Jr. 1B Jovan Afanador.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. P Kyle Pearson, a transfer from South Fort Myers. Tyler Bighames, a move-in from San Diego who also plays basketball, is penciled in to play third or second when he joins the baseball team.
Season outlook: Expectations are high. The 2006 team won a school-record 28 games and was ranked No. 2 in the state when it was knocked out of the playoffs in a regional semifinal. “I’m hoping the kids have a bad taste in their mouths,” Turco said. Tolisano is ranked No. 22 in the nation in Baseball America’s list of the top 100 prep prospects. He hit .610, with nine homers and 49 RBI, and was the All-Area Player of the Year in 2006. The Wildcats were 6-0 in district play last season.
Evangelical Christian School
Coach: Jeff Kieffer
District: 2A-12
Last year’s record: 19-6
Key returnees: Sr. P Isaac Hicks, Sr. SS/P Phil Lowe, Sr. OF Micah Christian, Sr. 3B Sean O’Halloran.
Newcomers to watch: Kieffer said he has three freshmen competing for starting positions but doesn’t want to name them yet.
Season outlook: The Sentinels were 8-0 in district play last year and lost only two players from that team to graduation. They have nine returning lettermen. “We’re really expecting to do well again,” Kieffer said. Lowe hit .429, with five triples and a .688 slugging percentage. Hicks was 10-2, with a 1.29 ERA. He had 109 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 74 2/3 innings.
Fort Myers
Coach: Mike Christensen
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 17-10
Key returnees: Sr. OF Jake Constantine, Sr. SS Mike Garczyznski, Sr. C Garrett Tinsley, Jr. P Anton Dapcic, Jr. C/3B Danny Gundel, Sr. P Rhett Donathan, Sr. P Danny Weiss, Sr. CF Brad Morse.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. P Bryant Tinsley.
Season outlook: The 2006 team was 17-10 overall and 6-3 in district play with a junior-laden squad. The Green Wave returns a second-team All-Area infielder, Weiss, and three players who were honorable mention All-Area last year — Constantine, Dapcic and Morse. Gundell hit .389 last season. “I think we’ll do very well pitching-wise,” said Christensen, a Fort Myers High graduate, class of 1994. “We’re definitely returning some hitters.” Christensen replaced Jimmy Roberts, who is now focusing on coaching football.
Gateway Charter
Coach: Steve Cato
District: 3A-12
Last year’s record: 0-13
Key returnees: Sr. C Bryan Smith, Jr. P/1B Zach Sloan, Jr. CF Ryan Deviney, Soph. C Adrian Pitts.
Newcomer to watch: Jr. ss Bill Rafferty.
Season outlook: The 2006 season was Gateway Charter’s first year of varsity baseball. It was placed in a tough three-team district with established programs Bishop Verot and Sarasota Cardinal Mooney. Gateway Charter doesn’t have an on-campus varsity field yet but will play a full schedule this year. “Our expectations are to continue to improve,” Cato said. “That was our goal last year and we did.” All the players return from last year. The team will have three seniors this season.
Golden Gate
Coach: Bob Smith
District: 4A-12
Last year’s record: 12-14
Key returnees: Sr. P/OF/3B Joaquin Santovo, Sr. 2B/P Rey Valdez, Sr. SS Felipe Perez.
Newcomers to watch: Soph. P Cody Mattson, Soph. P Kyle Walls, Soph. C Michael Spano, Fr. P/inf Stephen Grove.
Season outlook: Golden Gate is about to start its third season of varsity baseball. Santovo, Valdez and Perez are three-year starters. The 2006 team had only one senior. Smith, who coached Barron Collier to the 1997 Class 5A state title, believes the program is getting stronger. “I think pitching and defense will be strong,’’ he said. “If we can hit, we’ll do fine.”
Gulf Coast
Coach: Jeff Rosa
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 24-1
Key returnees: Sr. ss Michael Johnson, Sr. C Nathan Wyss, Sr. 1B Frank Mambuca, Sr. P Mike Quigley.
Newcomers to watch: Rosa said: “A good number of returning sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to play every day.”
Season outlook: The 2006 team was 24-0 before it was knocked out in the district tournament and returns a strong core. Johnson hit .393 and stole 10 bases last year. Wyss hit .364, with a team-high 26 RBI. Mambuca hit .304, with two homers, two triples and 22 RBI. Rosa, not surprisingly, is optimistic. “If our pitching matures quickly, we should have a solid season,’’ Rose wrote in an e-mail. “It is a good group to work with. Many challenges lie ahead in a difficult district.” The district includes teams with solid baseball traditions — Barron Collier, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Mariner and Cape Coral.
Immokalee
Coach: Brian Bruce
District: 4A-12
Last year’s record: 14-11
Key returnees: Sr. OF/C Daniel Garcia, Sr. 1B/P Spencer Davenport, Sr. inf Lucio Martinez, Jr. inf/P Zeke Yzaguirre, Sr. OF Eugene Herrera, Jr. C/inf Joe Valdez, Sr. OF Donovan Deloach.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. OF Adrian Ibarra, Soph. inf Ruben Lucio.
Season outlook: Seven seniors graduated from last year’s district runner-up squad. Herrera will be a key in the quest to post a winning record again. He hit .430 last year and led the team with 25 stolen bases. Garcia hit .339, with a team-high 16 RBI.
LaBelle
Coach: Ron Dunbar
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 4-15
Key returnees: Jr. P/SS Caleb Jordan, Jr. P/CF Freddy Robbins, Sr. 1B Chad Lutkenhaus.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. C John Davis, Sr. 2B/P Jan Blazek.
Season outlook: Blazek is a foreign-exchange student from the Czech Republic, where he learned to play baseball. Davis transferred from Clewiston. Lutkenhaus is busy in basketball, in which he ranks second in the area in scoring (20.8 points per game), first in rebounds (10.9 per game), second in steals (3.6 per game) and third in blocks, with 42. Dunbar believes the last time LaBelle had a winning season was 2002. “I’m very excited about this year,” Dunbar said. “I think we’re going to surprise some people.”
Lehigh
Coach: Clint Montgomery
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 4-19
Key returnees: Jr. P/OF Jeff Hall, Jr. P Jose Vidal, Jr. P/DH Mike Robinson, Jr. 2B Nolan Cavalo and Jr. SS Josh Lopez
Newcomers to watch: Soph. 3B/P Shane Maree, Soph. UTL Dairon Roque, Fr. OF Tim Schmidt and Soph. C Manny Vidal.
Season outlook: The Lightning finished last in district play last year, at 0-8, but are in a very tough district with Gulf Coast, Barron Collier, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers and Mariner. Barron Collier and Mariner have each reached the state final four in the past two years. Montgomery said he had one freshman and eight sophomores on last year’s varsity. “We’re still a young team,” Montgomery said. But not as young. “We’ll be more experienced,” he said.
Lely
Coach: Dave Miller
District: 4A-12
Last year’s record: 6-16
Key returnees: Sr. C Mike Graczyk, Sr. P/OF/1B Kevin Swisher, Sr. P/OF Matt Morris, Sr. SS/2B Bryan Norgard.
Newcomers to watch: 1B Marty Kraus, OF Ryan Routenkratz.
Season outlook: The 2006 Lely team started 0-5 but didn’t collapse. The Trojans bounced back and had a stretch where they were 6-9. “We want to continue to build off the success that we had toward the end of last year,” Miller wrote in an e-mail. Morris hit .348 last season.
Lemon Bay
Coach: Tim Harridine
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 17-13
Key returnees: Sr. CF Alex Walker, Sr. P/1B Robbie Downing, Sr. P Pat Lowe, Sr. P Russell Kastor, Soph. inf Ryan Brynovich, Sr. inf Orlando Menendez, Jr. 3B Robbie Nabers, Sr. OF Jon Hibbard, Sr. C Chace Caminiti.
Newcomers to watch: P Colby Howard, inf Casey Phillips.
Season outlook: The Manta Rays return eight lettermen. Harridine is in his first year as coach. Walker hit .449, with four homers, last year. Lowe was 5-1 and had 51 strikeouts in 44 innings.
Mariner
Coach: Steve Larsen
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 17-12
Key returnees: Sr. P/1B Mark Rose, Jr. CF/P A.J. Reyes, sr. 2B Bobby O’Connor, Soph. C Mike Zunino, Sr. OF/P Angel Espinal.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. Jake Weber, Soph. OF/P Ryan Schneider.
Season outlook: The Tritons have multi-sports athletes such as Rose, who quarterbacked the football team. O’Connor plays basketball. So does Weber, who moved from Ohio. Schneider is on the wrestling team. Although O’Connor, Weber and Schneider will be late in joining the team, Larsen is optimistic. “We’re going to be all right,” he said. O’Connor led the Tritons with a .344 batting average and eight stolen bases, and tied for the team high in RBI with 23.
Moore Haven
Coach: Jamie Brown
District: 2A-12
Last year’s record: 9-13
Key returnees: Sr. C Barrett Ringstaff, Jr. CF Richard Anderson, Jr. UTL Cody Gunn, Soph. P/1B Michael Johnson.
Newcomer to watch: Soph. SS Dalton Britt.
Season outlook: Ringstaff has started since his eighth-grade year. Britt will start as a sophomore. Brown is optimistic. “I think we’ll be able to compete in our distrct,” he said.
Naples
Coach: Rick Turner
District: 4A-12
Last year’s record: 19-8
Key returnees: Soph. P/1B Josh Patton, Jr. inf Cody Frank, Sr. P/SS Chas Frontz, Jr. OF Jordan Zech, Sr. C Cannon Crews.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. C/OF Fred Wingate, Soph. inf Tyler Koronas.
Season outlook: Naples was 8-0 in district play last year. “I didn’t expect it,” Turner said. “We feel we’re as good as we were last year and maybe a little better. Patton was third in the area in ERA (0.70) last year as a freshman. Zech hit .400 and stole 16 bases. Frank hit .423, with 22 RBI.
North Fort Myers
Coach: Garry Kamphouse
District: 5A-15
Last year’s record: 17-8
Key returnees: Sr. 1B Michael Panicaro, Sr. 1B/P Ryan Meiser, Sr. P/1B Nathan O’Jibway, Jr. 2B Ronald Petito.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. C Colin Johnson.
Season outlook: The Red Knights are in a challenging district with Gulf Coast, Barron Collier, Fort Myers, Mariner and Cape Coral. “Definitely a tough district,” Kamphouse said. “We got some pretty good pitching. I think our pitching and defense are a key. We’re young everywhere except on the mound.” O’Jibway was 3-1, with a 2.65 ERA, last year.
North Port
Coach: Rob Rowe
District: 5A-12
Last year’s record: 14-14
Key returnees: Jr. P Henry Manna, Sr. P/3B Ryan Stansbury, Sr. C Ryan Core.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. 2B Matt Plough, Soph. SS Jake Sutton, Jr. CF Brian Love, Sr. OF Robert Manna.
Season outlook: The 2006 team hit .345. “The pitching wasn’t there,’’ Rowe said. “This year, we have a younger team but the outlook is a positive one. We have a pretty good offensive club. I think we’ll be pretty good all around.”
Palmetto Ridge
Coach: Pete Garcia
District: 4A-12
Last year’s record: 10-14
Key returnees: Sr. OF Justin Zanella, Sr. OF/P Dan Heaton, Jr. 1B/P Ray Hernandez, Soph. P Alberto Cardenas, Soph. inf Anthony Erigoyen, Sr. OF Alex Menedez.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. inf Michael Slabach, Jr. P/inf Cody Lewis.
Season outlook: This will be Palmetto Ridge’s third year of varsity baseball. “I expect big things from this team," Garcia said. “We’re three years into it. We’ve got experience on the varsity, which is new.” Only two seniors started last year. Hernandez hit .403, with 20 RBI. Cardenas was 5-1, with a 3.86 ERA, last season.
Port Charlotte
Coach: Bob Bruglio
District: 5A-12
Last year’s record: 7-13
Key returnees: Soph. P/1B David Holmberg, Sr. P/inf Josh McElwee, Jr. OF Victor Candaleria, Jr. P Zach Moreno, Sr. P/OF Randy Bianchi and Sr. P/inf Nick Jones.
Season outlook: Bruglio said he has only four seniors. “We’re still young,’’ he said. “The kids are getting a little smarter and older. We plan to be around.” How will the team perform? “It’s hard to say where we’re at,” Bruglio said.
Riverdale
Coach: Bob Pringle
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 13-12
Key returnees: Sr. OF/1B/P Bo Greenwell, Sr. P Ben Nobles, Sr. OF Niko Annzone, Sr. SS Mike Pledger, Sr. OF/C Tim Palmer, Sr. inf Jordan Holland, Jr. C Jordan McChesney, Jr. 3B Nick Stewart.
Newcomer to watch: Jr. P/OF Justin Richardson.
Season outlook: The 2006 Riverdale team was, according to Pringle, “very young.” This year’s team should be stronger. “We have high expectations,” Pringle said. Greenwell, who has verbally committed to play at the University of Miami, is coming off a banner junior season during which he hit .446, with 28 RBI, 12 doubles and 31 stolen bases. McChesney hit .376, with 21 doubles. “We should be ready to step up,” Pringle said.
South Fort Myers
Coach: Dennis Gomez
District: 4A-11
Last year’s record: 7-20
Key returnees: Sr. P/inf/of Brian Gibson, Sr. p/of Chad Marcus, Jr. CF/P Andy King, Jr. SS/P Ricky Ingram, Soph. C Chad Vanderbosch.
Newcomers to watch: Jr. INF Cody Jenks, Soph. 1B Alex Basile.
Season outlook: This will be the school’s second year of fielding a baseball team. It didn’t have any seniors last year. “We have more experience,” Gomez said. “This year, we were able to prepare for the season. The kids played in the wood-bat league in the fall and were lifting weights. Plus, we have a good core of kids that take it upon themselves to work out.”
St. John Neumann
Coach: Michael Hoffman
District: 2A-12
Last year’s record: 9-16
Key returnees: Sr. inf Leo Martinez, Sr. P/SS Nathan Poteet, Sr. P/OF Adam Nurenberg, Sr. OF/P Anthony Casimini, Jr. C R.T. Brown.
Newcomers to watch: Fr. INF/P Will Affleck, Soph. 1B/P Mike Reibesel.
Season outlook: Hoffman is looking to his senior pitchers to have big years. Martinez was 5-8 last year, winning more than half the team’s games. Poteet went 2-1, with a 2.96 ERA. “As always, we expect to have an opportunity to contend for the district,” Hoffman said. “That’s our expectation every year.”
Southwest Florida Christian
Coach: Michael Tindle
District: A-10
Last year’s record: 6-17
Key returnees: Jr. P/SS Alex Santos Jr., Sr. P/SS Cameron Holmes, Sr. 3B/P Matt Dunn, Jr. 1B Colin Dudley, eighth-grader SS Graham Corey.
Newcomers to watch: Sr. of Ryan Gogerty, Fr. 2B Alec Doersterling, Fr. OF Nick Todd.
Season outlook: The baseball program is heading into its third year. The team doubled its win total from three its first year to six last season. This year? “Our goal is to double the win total,” Tindle said. “I think we have a chance to do that.” He’s particularly high on Corey, who hit .327 as a seventh-grader. “This kid, I really believe he is the next John Tolisano,” Tindle said, referring to Estero’s nationally ranked prospect
