Southeastern and Eastern District Predictions

i still think wb is the favorite.Jacob thompson shut down indian river in the district tournament.

IR Braves, the pitcher is Nick Thompson

IR Baseball... after reading alot of posts recently, it seems that you've started to change all of your opinions now that you are no longer associated with indian river.

I think WB is the team to beat in the area. With Thompson ('11) and Johnsonbaugh ('12), they have 2 of the better shut down pitchers in the area. Defensively, they should be OK.

Offensively, Garrett Brooks ('12) will be a table setter for Johnsonbaugh and Thompson. Whatever they don't drive in, Doggett ('11) and McAndrews ('11) will clean up.

GB will be strong with Stokes ('10) and Flaherty ('11) on the mound. Also, Van Asche ('10) can throw. Defensively, they will be OK with Higgerson ('11) and Lee ('11) up the middle in some form.

Offensively, Lee and Higgerson will probably hit 1 and 2 with Stokes and Van Asche at 3 or 4. Grissom ('11) should be in the middle of the lineup and drive in a lot of runs.

I think the SED will be the top district this year with both WB and GB making noise in the Region. Don't forget Grassfield or IR either.

I actually disagree with Maury and Granby on the Eastern District.

I believe Churchland will be favored to win it. They have 2 good returning pitchers.

It should round out to be 1. Churchland, 2. Maury, 3. Granby, 4. Lake Taylor or Norview;

For LT, we are very young this year. Pitching staff will be made up of T. Jones ('12), T. Erby ('13) and A. Costa ('12). Only one SR on roster, so a lot will depend if young ones continue to develop from the fall.

well i know the team pretty well from last year and i think they had better hitting last year i think they will lose alot at the leadoff spot.and some other spots arent as strong.And Nick thompson shutdown Ir last year.And as far as Gb i think there hitting was better last year i thought? i could be wrong though.

I think the SE District will have some strong teams this year. This is how I see them finishing the regular season, the playoffs could go to any of the top four.

Tier 1 teams

1 Great Bridge- Wiley Lee could take a t ball team and make them competitive. This team may not have the very best talent but they will be the best prepared, the most fundamentally solid and have the best chemistry in the district. The core of the team has been playing together since they were 9 years old. Each week a different player will step up to beat you. Coach Lee's coaching ability attracts transfers in each year to bolster the program. For the second year in a row a top young player from Hickory has made the move to GB. I look for about 14 wins from this program.

2- Western Branch- Bolstered by Nick Thompson's bat and arm and a strong group of underclassman this team is capable of winning each time out. Next year they should be awesome. Again like GB their core group has been together since they were 9 years old and the chemistry is there. Coach Wright keeps the younger players interested and involved and isn't afraid to play them if they warrent playing time. 13-14 wins

3 Indian River- No coach gets more out of his players than Steve West. His talent pool is probably the shallowest of the top 6 teams but he consistently puts out tough competitive teams. IR returns most of their top players and has a good young group coming along, but I think their depth puts them just a game or so behind GB and WB this year. They won it all last year and it would be no suprise to see them win it again but I think GB and WB are just a little bit better, playing their younger players last year may have cost them (GB and WB) both some games but makes them stonger in the long run.
12-14 wins

4. Grassfield- Maybe the best pitching staff in the district and good coaching will put Grassfield into the District Playoffs this year. Coach Todd is only in his third year, but the Wiley Lee disiple is putting a good program together, but the chemistry and attitude is not quite up to the first 3 programs. Look for them to be competitive every game but to maybe lose a game or two they shouldn't. Come playoff time however they just may be the favorite with their top 2 pitchers going.
11-14 wins

Tier 2 Teams:

5 Deep Creek: One of the scrappiest teams their only real weakness is a lack of depth. They have some of the top players in the district but the loses of players to the Grassfield program is a tough hurdle they haven't over come yet. They can beat any team in the first tier without it being considered a big upset, but they could drop games to any of the lower rated teams also. Look for them to be just outside the playoffs but to have some big wins. 8-10 wins

6 Nasemond River: The most under performing team last year and they lost a lot of very good seniors. They still have a strong group of young players and could make noise. Last year the coaches seemed to try to blame a parent for their poor performance instead of looking inward where the blame probably belonged. If they can get it together they will be very competitive and be able to beat anyone, they will just mentally have to put last year behind them. 6-9 wins

7 Hickory: Hickory has the deepest pool of talent in the district. They should be in contention for first place every year but unfortuneitly every year a lot of that talent ends up filling the rosters of Great Bridge, Atlantic Shores and Greenbrier Christian. Again this year some good young talent has left. Lack of player development and oppertunity seems to be to blame. Imagine last year with Inman going 8-0 in the district during the regular season if Hickory's 1-2 punch was Inman and Eddie Butler, but Butler got cut as an 8th grader and sat on the bench as a 9th grader then left for GBC where he ended up being drafted without ever being given a chance to play at Hickory. Last years JV captain is now at GB. The only reason they are in this tier and not the next one is they still have talent, just not experience. At least 5 of the starting lineup will have no more than 2 varsity at bats and most will have none. Last year it was 6 out of 9 that had no experience. 6-8 wins

Tier 3:

Kings fork and Lakeland:

I don't like talking about these two teams together but they are both in similar situations. Both lost some good seniors, both have good coaching and both play hard. Look for some upsets out of this pair, they will be an easy win for no one. 4-6 wins

Tier 4: Oscar Smith

Really should get an incomplete but I have a feeling they relish this situation. They can go for broke as they have nothing to lose. A new coach who will bring a winning attitude this program just may be closer to respectability than anyone thinks. OS defineitly has the atheletes to compete, they just have to get them on the field and get them to believe. Maybe not this year but keep an eye on them. 2-3 wins

This is just my opinion, I reserve the right to be wrong.

redbird u really think that Cox ('10) Ingraham ('11) and Ellis ('10) from Grassfield would not be considered near the top of the shutdown arms in the area? Have you even seen these 3 kids pitch? Seems to me that if you have they would deserve to be included as some of the top arms in the SED. I wonder how you would leave them or Ali ('10) IR off the above post?

My Predictions are as follows corn-
1 western branch
2 indian river
3 great bridge
4 grassfield
5 hickory
6-nansemond river
7-oscar smith
8 lakeland
9-deep creek
10-kings fork

I think most in the area all agree the top four teams will be IR, GB, WB, Grassfield......you can put them in any order you want too, until you get to the playoffs. I would like to see the SED go with the same format as the Beach and let 8 teams get in the playoffs.

I believe the main factor will be how the #2 and #3 starters fare against the teams outside of this group.

true saipan.

A lot depends on the schedule. If one of the top 4 plays the other 3 in a row with no break compared to one that may have a game or 2 between the big games that could make all the difference in the final standings.

this is the sed schedule depending on rain.
wk.1
3/16
1.Lakeland at Deep Creek
2.Indian River at Grassfield
3.Great Bridge at Oscar Smith
4.Hickory @ Western Branch
5. Kings Fork at Nansemond River
wk.2 3/19
1.Deep Creek at Kings Fork
2.Grasfield at Lakeland
3.Great Bridge at Indian River
4.Nansemond River @ Western Branch
3/20
5.Oscar Smith at Hickory

wk.3 3-23
1.Western Branch at Deep Creek
2.Grassfield at Great Bridge
3.Indian River at Hickory
4.Kings Fork at Lakeland
5.Nansemond River at Oscar Smith

wk.4 3-26
1.Deep Creek at Oscar Smith
2.Kings Fork at Grassfield
3.Hickory at Great Bridge
4.Indian River at Nansemond River
5.Lakeland at Western Branch
wk.5 3-30
1.Deep Creek at Indian River
2.Hickory at Grassfield
3.Oscar Smith at Lakeland
4.Western Branch at Kings Fork
5.Great Bridge at Nansemond River
wk.6 4-2
1.Great Bridge @ Deep Creek
2.Grassfield at Western Branch
3.Nansemond River at Hickory
4.Indian River at Lakeland
5.Kings Fork at Oscar Smith

Wk.7 4-13
1.Hickory at Deep Creek
2.Nansemond River at Grassfield
3.Lakeland at Great Bridge
4.Kings Fork at Indian River
5.Western Branch at Oscar Smith
wk.8 4-16
1.Deep Creek at Nansemond River
2.Oscar Smith at Grassfield
3.Great Bridge at Kings Fork
4.Lakeland at Hickory
5.Western Branch at Indian River
Wk.9 4-20
1.Grassfield at Deep Creek
2.Western Branch at Great Bridge
3.Hickory at Kings Fork
4.Oscar Smith at Indian River
5.Nansemond River at Lakeland

2nd.Half
Same schedule opposite home team.

As for Hickory losing talent, don't forget about the Upton's. After Justin was cut from the JV team in 8th Grade and played JV in 9th.
The team may go as far as the Grower(sp?) kids arm can take them because he is the top pitcher returning with questions to as who will be no. 2.
They have a talented outfielder who is a senior and a very good young shortstop who this year will be a sophomore.
Hickory doesn't have much of a varsity coach or a JV coach. The head coach won't even show up to the offseason hitting practices. The practices are run by a father with plenty of coaching experience

The pitching matchups should be critical. Last year, Indian River beat Western Branch when Ali pitched, and Western Branch beat Indian River when Thompson pitched. Similarly, Great Bridge and Western Branch traded games depending on the pitching matchups.

The altered schedule could affect outcomes also. Indian River plays Grassfield and Great Bridge in the first week. Does IR throw Ali in the first game of the week or the second? Grassfield and Great Bridge should throw their #1s against IR, but IR won't have the opportunity to throw Ali both games. Later in the season, other teams will face similar dilemmas.

Any of the top four or five teams could win the district, and a team's best #2 pitcher may determine the second team into the regionals.

I dont get why people say gb is gonna be so good.i dont think wiley lee son was that good.there pitching is pretty good.but i think there bats wont be as good.

El Gato, And don't forget that rain can totally change the order in which the games are played.

speaking of # 2 pitchers...

Thompson then Johnsonbaugh(sp)-WB
Ali then ?- IR
Cox/Ingraham- GF
Stokes then ?- GB


can anyone fill that in or add input?

@DCHEAT, I think Cox and Ingraham are the other 2 best shut down arms in the area. I have seen Ellis throw a handful of times and control seemed to be an issue. I see him to be more of a thrower than a refined pitcher. Just my opinion and worth as much.

@topdawg, it's Grauer.

@ofs, GB is very talented.

@bbfan, GB has Stokes/Flaherty/Van Asche

ive seen wiley lee son play he is not that good.who did gb pickup from hickory?i will admit gb should have pretty good pitching.but i dont see there hitting be as good as last year from what i know of.even my brother said why should gb be that good?Indian river other pitcher is Matt dickason.

Brian Beard transferred to GB from Hickory.

I guess your brother will get too see how good GB is twice this year.

that's why they play the gm.i styill think gb will be third in the district.we only lost 3-1 to gb once last year.yes i think gb is pretty good and maybe ranked to start to start the season.

teams i think ranked in district
1 western branch 2 indian river and 3 great bridge

About Hickory...I am not sure how often they can throw Grauer...they have no one to catch him. Not even anyone from JV.

They did get a transfer back into the area - Brock Jaeger - who pitches. He was 83-85 and was effectively wild this fall. He may be the ace and Grauer staying behind the plate more.

Doesn't Hickory have a junior pitcher this year as well with experience from last year?

im sorry guys.i was wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by topdawg:
Doesn't Hickory have a junior pitcher this year as well with experience from last year?

Colin Hancock but he didn't play any this summer and I don't think he played the fall either. He hasn't been to winter workouts either.

quote:

Originally posted by ofs10
im sorry guys.i was wrong.

??? Wrong about what?

wrong about calling names out .

Where is Grauer at pitching wise? Like velocity?

quote:

Originally posted by topdawg:
Where is Grauer at pitching wise? Like velocity?

85-87

there is a Hickory p that is a so. which i think is pretty good.can't think of his name.

Redbird, I agree that Cox and Ingraham are arguably 2 of best shut down arms in the area, add that another opinion believes that Ellis can “throw” at the next level - meaning that he may just be better than what you have implied (IMO) - gives Grassfield some luxury and some options that most of the other high schools don’t have. I would say Grassfield has some quality depth not only in pitching but other area’s as well. What Grassfield needs to overcome is losing those close games and be able to “manufacture” runs (they have left a lot of runners on base). GB, IR, and WB coaches have excelled at doing that.

Absolutely Rian is a top flight pitcher and can pitch at the next level, but he can also play infield and is probably thought of more as an infielder/offensive threat than a pitcher while Cox and Ingram are basically pitchers. I don't think anyone disrespects his ability on the mound, he probably gives Grassfield the best 1-2-3 punch in the area. Grassfields losing close games and not manufacturing runs comes mostly from the programs lack of experience, remember it's only 3 years old and it's already considered a top flight program, it's just going to have to pay it's dues before it reaches the IR, WB or GB status, but it'll get there sooner rather than later.

B,

Rian definitely has arm strength and can pitch. It wasn't meant as a slight. I guess I could have been more descriptive. I can see him as a position player and possibly a reliever in college. He's in a great spot. Having someone of the caliber as your #3 is a great luxury. If GF can score some runs, they will be very good.

quote:

Originally posted by ofs10:
there is a Hickory p that is a so. which i think is pretty good.can't think of his name.

He is now a Jr. His name is TJ Lighton. He had battled some minor arm issues last summer and fall. He is 80-82 when healthy. Great kid.

redbird, there was a guy that pitched against us at ir jv that was a freshmen p cant remember his name.

Lathrop is his last name i believe

Any predictions about possible P.O.Y/ all-district teams?

quote:

Originally posted by ofs10:
redbird, there was a guy that pitched against us at ir jv that was a freshmen p cant remember his name.

Lathrop wasn't even touching 80 last year. I don't see him pitching at the varsity level unless he hits a growth spurt. He was #4 or 5 pitcher for JV. He logged a lot of innings because the defense set up better with him on the hill. He is a great kid.