Weather permitting, teams ready to play ball [Corrected 03/29/03]

Joe Everson Correspondent Correspondent Mike Boyle contributed to

If April showers bring May flowers, what does March rainfall bring, besides baseball makeup dates?

Five North Side Greater Spokane League teams and Northwest Christian of the Northeast A League have been battling the weather as their seasons get under way. League play began for GSL teams a week ago, while NWC will wait until April 12 to open.

In the GSL, Mead, Mt. Spokane and Rogers are in the American Division with Ferris, Lewis and Clark, Cheney and Clarkston. North Central and Shadle Park join Central Valley, East Valley, West Valley, University and Gonzaga Prep in the National.

North Central

Head coach: Scott Harmon

The Indians have been the cream of the GSL crop for the past three years, but the departure of 11 seniors, including three-time all-GSL performer Patrick Donovan, will bring NC back to the pack.

"We need the seniors we have to have senior-type seasons," says Harmon. "They need to be able to lead and step up in big situations. We've got some good younger kids, though, who will pressure our older players for playing time."

Harmon returns only three regulars: junior pitcher/outfielder Matt Oye, senior third baseman Tom Destefano and junior catcher Nathan Farr. The roster includes several seniors, including pitcher/first baseman Randy Folsom, first baseman Jeff Broadwell, three-sport athletes Josh Statler and Tom Stockton in the outfield and infielder Chris Davis.

NC's juniors are backup catcher Billy Fletcher, pitcher/ outfielder Dominic Benascek and left-handed pitcher Luke Kitzen. Four sophomores - outfielders Corey Anderson and Eric Regalado, infielder Sean Carnahan and versatile Corey Davenport - complete the squad.

"We'll have a different type of team," Harmon says, "but we feel we can still be OK."

Shadle Park

Head coach: Ron Brooks

The Highlanders are one of the league favorites, with 13 returners and the GSL's deepest pitching staff. Competition for playing time will be intense, with players on Brooks' smaller squad vying for innings.

"Our strength has to be our pitching," Brooks said. "With the number of kids we have back, the type of arms we have and the short GSL season, we should be in good shape."

On the mound, Shadle will look to three senior veterans: 6-foot-5 Brandon Harmon, perhaps the GSL's toughest right-hander; Brandon Zimmerman and Jason Gonwick, who carries the ESPN-ish nickname "The Wind" (get it? Gonwick the wind).

They'll be joined on the hill by fellow seniors Dan Newbury and Bobby Orne and junior Brad Thompson. The other end of the Highlander battery will be senior catcher Scott Burkhardt.

The infield includes junior first baseman Ryan McVicker, middle infielders Alex Scarpelli, a junior, and senior Ryne Webb and junior third baseman Darin Holcomb. The allsenior outfield has Phil Ross, Jared Kuhn and Nate Hasenoehrl, and juniors Shawn Powell and Matt Filippini and senior Jay Schuetzle will provide depth.

Rogers

Head coach: Jim Wasem

Year in and year out, Wasem keeps the Pirates competitive. And with strong pitching and defense, this year should be no exception.

Wasem has four returners, only one of them a senior. That's second baseman Bubba Crowley, who joins junior veterans Erick Zacher (catcher) and Travis Bertholf (pitcher/ outfielder) and sophomore shortstop Eric Kelly.

The Pirates have several seniors, including outfielders Brian Seidel, Ty Sandberg and Steve Greer; pitcher/infielder Ryan Erickson; infielders Chad Galvin and Ryan Curley; and first baseman Brent Bowerman.

Junior third baseman Ben Biegel, junior pitcher/first baseman Jake Bussard and sophomore infielder Bret Kellogg complete the squad.

"Travis should be our No. 1," Wasem says, "but after that it's wide open. We've got good hitters in the middle lineup, so we'll look for ways to move runners around."

Mead

Head coach: Kevin Workman

Workman has reason for his optimism. "We're very strong and experienced up the middle," he said, "and we've got lots of pitching. We've got three guys going after the No. 1 spot, and I may not be able to name my ace for a while."

Four of the Panther returners are seniors: catcher Brett Miller and his twin brother Bradd, the Mead centerfielder; shortstop Regan Brown and pitcher/first baseman Ben Thigpen. Junior second baseman Chad Flett joins that experienced group, and will join Thigpen and Brown as the Panthers' top three pitchers. Workman also got a nice surprise in junior transfer pitcher/outfielder Chris England.

He has four other pitchers as well, utilityman senior Ryan Wood, lefty middle reliever junior Scott Wagstaff, junior Nate Lewis, an everywhere guy, and senior Aaron Gilbreth.

Junior Jeff Walker will be at third base, senior Nick Serbousek in the outfield, and junior Andy Blevins the backup catcher.

"Our pitching and defense we know about," Workman said. "Right now our offense is our weakest area, and needs to develop."

Mt. Spokane

Head coach: Dave Whitehead

The Wildcats will be led by all-GSL infielder Joel Clark, a two- year starter who will hit third and be Whitehead's No. 1 pitcher. He'll be joined in the lineup by three seniors, first baseman Alan Cabaerly, outfielder Kyle Petersen and pitcher/second baseman Darren Bennett, who will probably be Mt. Spokane's No. 2 pitcher.

Whitehead also has three junior lettermen, infielder Zach Servatius, outfielder Brandon Cantu and pitcher/outfielder Adam Walker, who had the most playing time of last year's sophomores.

Junior newcomers are catcher Kenny DeMello, utility player Peter Sowards, first baseman Jacob Dedisch, third baseman Ryan Rodin, outfielder Garrett Swanson and pitcher Ryan Schultheis. Drew Griggs and Kylie Demmit are seniors new to the varsity.

Two sophomores, middle infielder/ pitcher Cameron Joslyn and pitcher/ utility Luke Raynor, and freshman Michael Armendariz complete the varsity roster.

"I can't really tell you how we're going to be," said Whitehead. "We've never been this young - I just hope to get better every week and make some noise in the playoffs.

Gonzaga Prep

Head coach: Greg Gores

The Bullpups also will be senior-dominated this year, as Prep returns five starters from a 10-8 team that was fifth in the GSL last season.

Fourth year coach Gores will welcome back two All-GSL first team performers in pitcher Shamus O'Doherty, and center fielder Tyler Shamburger. Senior left fielder David Tomlin also returns to give the Bullpups a potent 1-2-3 punch.

"I think the middle of our order is the strongest it has ever been," said Gores.

Senior third baseman Zach Cunningham, senior pitcher/right fielder Phil Lenoue, senior pitcher/1b-3b Drew Schoentrup, and sophomore catcher Billy Karwacki come back with the experience that should serve Prep well.

Four-year starter O'Doherty leads the pitching staff that will be bolstered by the return of Lenoue, who sat out last season with a broken collarbone.

"Having Shamus is a tremendous asset," said Gores. "Anytime you get a kid with his experience, and you get someone who has thrown as many games as he has, it's a huge advantage."

Northwest Christian

Head coach: Rick Biel

In their second season in the Northeast A League, the Crusaders are looking for improvement from a .500 season a year ago. Biel has hopes of a finish as high as second place. He concedes first place to 2002 state champion Colfax, which returns all five of its pitchers.

"I'll be disappointed if we're lower than third," Biel said.

NWC has nine returning players, eight of whom will start. Seniors include pitcher/first baseman Brice Sodorff, shortstop Josh Blair, pitcher/third baseman Derrick Mitchell, outfielder Jaren Pilling and second baseman Jared Greene.

Juniors Michael Case, who'll pitch and catch, and Kevin Schmidt, who will play everywhere, also are back, along with sophomore outfielder/pitcher John Hauck. Sophomore catcher/outfielder Nate Jasper also lettered.

Biel also has seniors Pat Clinton and Scott Glover, freshman Nathan Sargent and sophomores Josh Greer and Kris Williams on the varsity.

This sidebar appeared with the story:

ROSTERS

Shadle Park

Yr. Pos.

Josh Burkhardt 12 C

Matt Filippini 11 1B

Jason Gonwick 12 P

Brandon Harmon 12 P

Nate Hasenoehrl 12 OF

Darin Holcomb 11 3B

Jared Kuhn 12 OF

Ryan McVicker 11 1B/P

Yr. Pos.

Dan Newbury 12 P

Bobby Orne 12 P

Phil Ross 12 OF

Shawn Powell 11 OF

Alex Scarpelli 11 IF

Jay Schuetzle 12 IF

Brad Thompson 11 P

Ryne Webb 12 IF

Brandon Zimmerman 12 P/1B

North Central

Josh Statler 12 OF

Sean Carnahan 10 SS

Chris Davis 12 2B

Luke Kitzan 11 OF/P

Randy Folsom 12 1B/P

Dominic Benoscek 11 OF/P

Tom Destefano 12 3B/C

Corey Anderson 10 OF/P

Matt Oye 11 OF/P

Billy Fletcher 11 3B

Eric Regalado 10 OF

Tom Stockton 12 OF

Jeff Broadwell 12 1B/P

Logan Davenport 10 1B/P

Nate Farr 11 C

Mead

Andy Blevins 11 C

Regan Brown 12 IF/P

Chris England 11 OF/P

Chad Flett 11 IF/P

Aaron Gilbreth 12 OF/P

Nate Lewis 11 U/P

Bradd Miller 12 OF

Brett Miller 12 C

Nic Serbousek 12 OF

Ben Thigpen 12 IF/P

Scott Wagstaff 11 IF/P

Jeff Walker 11 IF/P

Ryan Wood 12 U/P

Rogers

Eric Kelly 10 SS/P

Steve Greer 12 P/OF

Brian Seidel 12 OF

Eric Zacher 11 C

Ty Sandberg 12 OF

Bubba Crowley 12 IF

Gary Cox 12 C

Ben Biegel 11 3B

Bret Kellogg 12 IF/P

Ryan Curley 12 IF/P

Travis Bertholf 12 P/OF

Ryan Erickson 12 P/IF

Jake Bussard 12 P/IF

Colin Smith 11 OF

Brent Bowerman 12 1B

Mt. Spokane

Peter Sowards 11 U

Joel Clark 12 IF/P

Zach Servatius 11 IF

Drew Griggs 12 U/P

Alan Caverly 12 IF

Kyle Petersen 12 OF

Darren Bennett 12 P/IF

Adam Walker 11 OF/P

Brandon Cantu 11 OF

Kylie Demmitt 12 OF

Ryan Rodin 11 IF/P

Marcos Armendariz 9 OF/IF

Luke Raynor 10 C/OF

Ryan Schultheis 11 P

Jacob Didesch 11 IF

Garrett Swanson 11 OF

Kenny DeMello 11 C/IF

Gonzaga Prep

Alec Gardner 12 SS

Brett Cameron 12 2B

Zack Cunningham 12 3B/C

Billy Karwacki 10 C/P

Shamus O'Doherty 12 P/1B

Drew Schoentrup 12 P/3B

Kevin Davis 11 2B

David Stone 11 IN

Levi Wissink 12 P

Phil Lenoue 12 P/OF

Kyle Rekofke 11 OF

David Tomlin 12 LF

Clint Treat 12 OF

Mike Varga 11 P

Marc Espinoza 11 IN/OF

Tyler Shamberger 12 CF

Northwest Christian

Brice Sodorff 12 1B/P

Josh Blair 12 SS

Michael Case 11 C/P

Derrick Mitchell 12 P/3B

John Hauck 10 P/OF

Jaren Pilling 12 OF

Kevin Schmidt 11 OF/C

Jared Greene 12 2B

Nate Jasper 10 C/OF

Josh Greer 10 3B/OF

Kris Williams 10 OF

Nic Winters 10 OF

Nathan Sargent 9 OF

Pat Clinton 12 2B

Scott Glover 12 OF/P

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