Raptors baseball team finding early success

The players on the Las Vegas Raptors 9-and-younger club baseball team are fast learners.

Competing in their first league where players do the pitching, the Raptors adjusted quickly and went 16-0 to capture the crown of the Henderson Baseball Association last fall, when their squad of mostly 8-year-olds excelled in a 10-and-under division.

The Raptors then turned their attention to playing travel ball in the USSSA, entering their first tournament at the Cranberry Classic in Las Vegas, which took place over Thanksgiving Weekend and featured rules entirely new to the Raptors, such as taking leads and stealing bases.

Again playing against older, more experienced squads, the Raptors made a dynamic debut, emerging from their pool as the only team to win all three games, outscoring their opponents 54-3. The Raptors suffered their lone loss in the tourney semifinals to a top-ranked team from California, but made a lasting impression.

The team, made up mostly of players from Henderson, Green Valley and Anthem, was recently ranked No. 1 in Nevada by the USSSA, among 9-and-under teams.

"It's tremendous, considering that we really just started playing this brand of baseball the week before the tournament," manager Sam Popowcer said. "We had one week to prepare, which really made it even more rewarding. We were just hoping to be in the middle of the road. We were going in to get some experience and have fun."

The Raptors plan to play in eight or nine tournaments in their first full travel baseball season, starting with this weekend's Presidents Day tournament in Henderson, in which they'll play up an age group, against 10-and-under teams.

"We hope to one day go to the USSSA World Series, but I'm not sure if we're seasoned enough this year," Popowcer said. "We have to play up in a lot of tournaments, because there are not as many 9-and-under teams as 10-and-under."

The Raptors, who are coached by Dave Jones -- along with Rob Maiello and Dan Ward, with Scottie Maiello serving as the team mom -- feature a dozen players: Ryan Popowcer, Ridge Jones, Michael Maiello, Eli Ward, Collin Dobrolecki, Quintin Kohorst, Bryan Baugh, Kainan Pickle, Kyle Choltko, Joshua Smock, Corey Sobczyk and Ryan Blatnik.

"Dave Jones has a lot of experience coaching. He's probably the toughest coach they'll ever have, but he gets through to them," Popowcer said. "These kids all love the game. None of them are out there because their parents want them to play. They try the hardest they can and they're all great athletes.

"I consider them 12 of the best 9-and-under athletes in the city. They're a remarkable group of kids."

The strong suit of the Raptors is probably their defense, with Dobrolecki leading the way at shortstop.

"He's the youngest kid on the team and quite possibly the best," Popowcer said. "He's an unbelievable talent. We call him the human vacuum at shortstop. He stops everything."

Maiello also scoops up everything thrown his way at first base.

"I believe he's the best first baseman anywhere at that age," Popowcer said. "He can basically do a split. He has an unbelievable stretch and he doesn't let anything get by him."

Maiello is also a strong left-handed hitter, while Dobrolecki leads off.

Baugh starts in center field and is arguably the best athlete on the team, which also won a basketball league together last year.

"He's the star of our basketball team and will be a three-sport letterman one day," Popowcer said. "He's the best athlete you will find at 8 years old."

Pickle anchors the pitching staff and is also one of the team's top hitters.

"He's one of our bigger kids and he throws hard and he throws strikes," Popowcer said.

Sobczyk starts at catcher and is the team's top power hitter.

"He's incredibly big and strong with a lot of power," Popowcer said. "Defensively, we're always sound, so we never really get blown out of a game."

The Raptors are looking for sponsors to help with travel expenses. Those interested can call 373-0266.


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