The skillfull seven

Season looks bright for group of teams with talented rosters

Advertisement

Likely the deepest division top-to-bottom in Southern Nevada this season, the Sunrise Region's Southeast Division should be interesting to watch this spring, with all seven teams having a realistic chance of earning a playoff berth.

Ranked No. 13 in the nation by Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association in its Top 25 rankings released April 3, Silverado, coached by Brian Whitaker, is the top of the division and is considered by many as the most talented team in the Silver State.

When one looks at the Skyhawks' roster loaded with players off their summer 2005 state championship American Legion team, perhaps it's easy to see why they are the favorite at the Class 4A level this season and a team worthy of recognition by Baseball America.

Silverado (24-11, last year) started the year off 12-1-1 and was ranked No. 1 in Class 4A in Southern Nevada by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in its initial rankings unveiled March 23. With six returning starters, a solid battery, a strong infield and outfield, and two key transfers, it seems few could argue with the Skyhawks' top ranking.

With Brenton Van (8-1, 1.64 ERA last year), Kevin Rath (5-1, 1.76 ERA), an ailing Chad Robinson -- he underwent shoulder surgery in July -- Chasen Bradford and Chris Welch, Whitaker's team should be able to hold opponents at bay. Evidence of this domination on the mound was apparent after Silverado's first eight games as Van (18 innings pitched) and Bradford (16 IP) had perfect ERAs of 0.00, while teammate Welch had allowed just one earned run in his first 15 innings pitched.

Behind the plate, Whitaker has a luxury enjoyed by few, with three backstops worthy of a starting spot. Last year's catcher Kyle Bostick (.432 this year) moved to second base when Durango's Mike McDade, an All-Southern Nevada pick, transferred to Silverado. Another quality catcher, Jimmy Duffy, came from Bishop Gorman and adds to Silverado's embarrassment of riches at catcher.

In the infield, the Skyhawks feature Rath (.448) or McDade at first base, Bostick at second, Rance Roundy -- who was batting .500 (23-46) to start the year -- at shortstop and Van or Trevor Kirk (.400) at third base. If Robinson, who along with Roundy signed with UNLV, does return to health, he should see time at the hot corner where he was a second-team All-Sunrise selection last season. For now, Whitaker is using him as designated hitter, where he has been effective, batting .487 with four home runs and a city-leading 22 RBIs.

In the outfield, Ryan Whitesitt starts in left, sophomore and leadoff man Jordan Keegan (.467) plays center, while Matt Warner (.378) mans right field.

The defending division champs Skyhawks' lone loss on the early season was at defending champs Sierra Vista, (7-6, March 11) but Silverado showed the Mountain Lions what it's made of two days earlier at Silverado as Van out-dueled Sierra Vista ace Drew Leary in a 1-0 Skyhawks' victory.

Fellow Sunrise Region coach Tom Pletsch, who returned to lead his alma mater Rancho this year and whose Rams were pounded by Silverado 23-1 on March 13, said he believes the Skyhawks are the team to beat in town.

"Looking at Silverado, being (ranked) 35th in the country by Baseball America (in its preseason prep rankings), they look very strong," Pletsch said. "Silverado has developed a really solid program."

Besides being deeper than the average prep team, Silverado, which won its only state baseball title in 2000 when Van's brother Robbie was the star pitcher, also is bigger than the competition, boasting 10 players on its roster who stand taller than 6 feet.

Liberty (6-20), coached by Kris Jensen, boasts one of the top outfields in the league with seniors Anthony Reveles and Kyle Pecorino, who both signed with Mesa (Ariz.) Community College.

Senior Andy Gallardo is the Patriots' top pitcher, but Reveles also has shown he can shut down the opposition when given the ball, and freshman Kyle Rynearson has showed promise. Providing early offensive punch for Liberty, which is seeking its first playoff appearance after opening its doors just three years ago, were Reveles (.464), R.J. Santigate (.500), Andre Navarro (.452), Pecorino (.355), Kraig Kalver (.375) and Pete Mazzamuto, who hit for the cycle in a 26-0 pasting of Western on March 10. If Green Valley, Coronado or Foothill should slide too much this season, the Patriots may have enough experience now to snag the division's fourth playoff spot.

Rancho's Pletsch thinks Liberty's enrollment numbers make it hard to compete for now, but sees a promising future once the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley becomes fully developed in the next couple years.

"They're probably the smallest 4A school there is," Pletsch said. "Realistically, they have kids that are interested in baseball, but they're still a ways away. They need to get their numbers up out there. When there's more houses out there (Southern Highlands) and their numbers go up, they'll be more competitive. They're in a tough division."

Coached by Xenon Brooks, second-year school Del Sol (8-22) finds itself in a similar position as Liberty -- trying to mature as quickly as possible for a new high school playing in the same division as some of the best teams in state. Senior Derek Vay, juniors Ryan Klorman, Randy Cruz and Joe Keiser and sophomores Matt Burge and Brian Madrid are among the seven starters returning for the Dragons, who like Liberty, hope some of the more well-known names in the Southeast Division slip a bit to give them a shot at the playoffs.

Another quality team in the league is Mike O'Rourke's Coronado (17-11) squad, which started this campaign off 6-3-1. The Cougars just missed the playoffs last year, losing a tiebreaker to Foothill.

Coronado's roster is a bit more experienced than last year's and may surprise some in the division. Seniors Trevor Clausen and Stephen Singer are the Cougars' top hurlers, while Ben Morris, a second-team All-Sunrise pick last season, catcher Carmen Romano (.436/2 HRs/15 RBIs this season), brothers Gary (.439) and Ed Detweiler (.389), Jake Whiteaker (.436), Jake Wagner, Donovan Ladlaw and Jordon Blanchard provide a lot of pop in the lineup.

Playing in a division with the likes of Silverado, Basic, Green Valley, Foothill and improving Liberty and Del Sol, Coronado will have to earn its playoff berth the hard way -- by winning its divisional games like it did last year.

Ranked No. 3 in the city by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in its March 30 rankings after starting the season off 9-1, Basic (22-10) always fields a quality team under the direction of coach Mike Kazek. The Henderson school graduated seven players off last year's roster and has just 13 members on its varsity team, but most of them are quality upperclassmen.

Helping the Wolves get off to their hot start was senior catcher Kylee Hash, who was tied for the lead in the area early with five home runs, was third with 12 RBIs, and was second in batting, boasting a .581 batting average. Last year, the All-Southern Nevada pick smashed seven homers while knocking in 41 runs with a .381 average.

On the mound, Basic has two solid seniors in Matt Stine -- who threw a three-hit shutout against Eldorado, out-dueling Sundevils' ace Josh Creveling on March 16 -- and Brandon Romero (.455), who also had knocked in 17 runs in Basic's first six contests.

And with solid support from the likes of Steve Hewitt (.333), Nick Feher (.333), Jesus Lopez and Marcus Romero (.481), Basic should be all right in this powerful division and should again expect to capture one of the Southeast's four playoff spots.

Usually a perennial powerhouse on the diamond, Green Valley (27-10), coached by Nick Garitano, may have to work extra hard this season with such a young squad. With seniors Justin Mishalow (.354, 33 RBIs last year) and Josh Konicek (.417 this year) and sophomore Matt Harrison (3-0, 1.75 ERA in 2005) returning, Garitano has some experience with which to work. And with bats like Adam Javate (.423, three home runs), Marshall Kennebrew (.333), Kyle Konicek (.406), Nick Melino (.419), Tyler Jones (.333) and Sean Parker in his lineup and a pleasant 3-0 start from pitcher Max Javate (1.17 ERA), along with some solid innings from Kiel Harmon and Jeff Monaco, Green Valley should again be in position to qualify for the postseason.

Despite having just three returning starters, the Gators, who were ranked No. 7 by the Review-Journal in its March 30 poll after a 8-3-1 start, showed early they're capable of playing with anyone, with wins over defending state champion Sierra Vista (4-2, March 18) and Durango.

But Rancho's Pletsch thinks the Gators have their work cut out for them in the rugged Southeast Division.

"Green Valley's always been loaded," he said. "And Nick Garitano's done a great job, but they're fairly young this year. That's the toughest division over there."

Bill Bainbridge's Foothill Falcons (19-14) should also be in the thick of the race when divisional play begins in the rugged Southeast and will likely be in a fight for the division's fourth and final playoff berth. Seniors Kevin Kreier (.366 last year), Josh Soto (.313), Geoff Hilts and Justin Strait are among Foothill's top returnees.

A 25-4 loss in its divisional opener at home against Silverado on March 29 revealed that there may be more of a gap between the Skyhawks and the other top teams in the Southeast.

According to Rams coach Pletsch, Foothill is as tough as anyone when it throws its ace Kreier (5-3, 3.32 ERA last year).

"When he (Bainbridge) pitches Kevin Kreier, they can be in a game with everybody," Pletsch said of the Falcons ace, who also starred for Foothill's basketball team.

Southeast Division play continues Wednesday, when Green Valley hosts Foothill at 3:30 p.m., Liberty welcomes Basic at 3:30 p.m., and top-ranked Silverado hosts Coronado at 3:30 p.m.