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Dominion among Dulles baseball challengers
The 2008 Dulles District baseball season is under way, and as the weather warms, the smack of the glove and the ping of the bat allure.The Dominion Titans are among those Dulles clubs looking to challenge Broad Run and Potomac Falls for Dulles diamond supremacy.
Those two schools, along with Park View, were separated at the top by only two wins in 2007, and there was a three-way tie for fourth, including Dominion.
The Titans turned in a respectable 8-6 district record and were 13-8 overall with a ball club featuring 10 seniors.
"We can compete with anyone in the district," coach Jay Raines said. "I expect a lot of close games."
If right-handed starting pitcher Chris Taylor spots his fastball like he did in the Titans' season opener March 12, Raines will not see the opposition score often.
Taylor, who spent the off-season refining control by working on his mechanics, threw nearly all fastballs to hold the Cougars to one run on four hits in six innings, striking out seven in the no-decision.
"I like throwing the fastball. I can locate that pretty well," said Taylor, who reported that he's already receiving college feelers. He is a junior who earned all-district recognition last season as a second baseman.
"He's an outstanding pitcher for us," Raines said. "That [performance against Manassas Park] is what we're going to expect out of him."
Raines also will be expecting several players to take over roles vacated by graduation. All-district choice Jordan Taylor is no longer manning third base for the Titans, so much of the offensive production will fall to the squad's only seniors, Jonathan "Bubba" Noro and all-district second-teamer Geoff McCowat.
Anthony Bartolotti takes over duties behind the plate, while Raines looks to speedy Matt Sherrill to get on base from the leadoff spot and patrol center field.
"We definitely need a lot more practice and game experience," Raines said.
Dominion is not alone in its task of finding new cleats for most of the positions on the diamond. Heritage is undergoing the turnover of nearly half its rosters. Loudoun County departs with three all-district players, and Park View loses two.
Broad Run, the district's defending champion, and Potomac Falls are poised to build on last season.
"Broad Run and Potomac Falls have to be the front-runners with the way they finished last year," Patriots coach Mickey Leap said. "Any other team could compete as the year goes along."
Dominion coach Raines said, "I think we can be in the mix. Broad Run is real solid, Potomac Falls is real solid. But several teams have lost a lot."
Freedom coach Chris Bourassa agrees that the Spartans and Panthers are the ones to beat, but "the rest of the district is up for grabs. The three through eight spots in the standings [are] extremely hard to predict."
The Spartans return four All-District performers from last season's district championship club that went 11-3 and won a game in the Region II tournament.
Broad Run coach Pat Cassidy's aim is clear: "Our goal is to compete for the Dulles District title. That is our primary goal every year."
Left-handed starter Cole Shain will try to improve on his 7-2 record and 1.02 ERA before heading for The College of William & Mary next year. He is countered by righty Trey Brocke, who went 6-2 for Broad Run in 2007.
Outfielders Andrew Mann and Patrick Murphy will see if they can match their .400-plus batting averages of last year. First team All-District players Chris Jessop and Ryan Diviney, .300 hitters last year, anchor the infield.
Potomac Falls welcomes back top starters Jake Kline and Mike Detaranto along with seven position players, including the Dulles Player of the Year in first baseman Aaron Sweger, a .506 hitter and All-State choice. The Panthers finished 9-5 in the Dulles, but managed the district's best nondistrict mark of 7-4.
"We should have the capacity to compete in the Dulles District, but all will depend on how we end up fitting together as a unit on the field," said Joe Terango, the only baseball coach the 11-year-old program has known.
Unanimous All-District selection Cory Flickinger is gone to West Virginia Wesleyan College, but Terango will fit together Rob Malan (3B), Greg Woodlief (SS) and James Waggoneer (CF).
The Park View Patriots are coming off one of their more successful campaigns in recent years with a second-place mark of 10-4.
Kyle Irish, a first-team all-district third baseman and a second-team all-district pitcher, graduated, as did three other Patriots. Three-year starters Billy Bradley at short, Adam Foltz at second and Dylan Smith behind the plate support newcoming pitchers Ben Rosado and Adam Flees.
"We have a very close team that will play hard," Park View coach Leap said. "If our young pitching staff competes, we could be in the thick of the district at the end."
Like Valley, the Heritage Pride is in full turnover mode, losing seven starters plus four pitchers to graduation, including all-district outfielder Joey Donofrio. The Pride went 8-6 against Dulles foes.
John Rogerson will anchor a young pitching staff and provide offensive punch while being a dugout leader in his senior season. Brenton Peters, a point guard on the hardcourt, will manage the game as the Pride's shortstop.
"Our team is going to have to play solid defense and keep scores low to finish near the top," coach Ryan Price said.
After a difficult 2007 on the diamond, Freedom and Briar Woods are seeing their talent bases improve.
In the Freedom Eagles' first season, they won one game. In their second, they won five. Entering their third year, Bourassa hopes for a similar increase.
"We will be a better overall team this year than last," Bourassa said. "We must improve on our percentage of first-pitch strikes."
Big first baseman Kyle Severns and freshman catcher Matt Murphy will take over from graduated cleanup hitter Mike Diaddigo, who nailed eight of 17 potential base-stealers. Freedom's only all-district selection, outfielder Justin Anderson, transferred after posting team-leading totals in hits and RBI.
The Eagles will field a junior varsity team for the first time in 2008.
Like Freedom, the Briar Woods Falcons are developing their third-year program with young pitching, led by Ian Hickman, who averaged more than a strikeout per inning last year.
Despite a winless record, coach Josh Mosser believes the Falcons have potential in this year's district race.
"The program goal is to host a first-round district tournament game, which would mean a top-four finish," Mosser said. "I think [we] will approach a .500 record this season."
Bulldogs, Vikings look to continue AAA success
Loudoun Valley is experiencing an influx of new faces, while Stone Bridge features flamethrowers in its pitching arsenal.
Wayne Todd's Loudoun Valley Vikings face the daunting challenge of replacing their entire pitching staff and eight position players from a squad that won the National District with a 21-4 record in 2007.
"You cannot replace the players we lost," Todd said. "You take the younger players and adapt to their strengths."
Todd will look to catcher Wes Walker handling a staff led by Adam Reed and Austen Davis. A pair of sophomores, Tyler Owens at third and Daniel Fleming at short, man the left side of the infield.
The Bulldogs rode the right arm of 6-foot-8-inch All-District pitcher Ty Weaver to produce a 17-8 overall record, and their 10-4 mark was good for third in the tough Liberty District.
Stone Bridge coach Sam Plank loses one player from that team, and looks to Mike Stancik and Brian Wheaton to propel the offense while sidewinding Mike Palmer and Weaver lead the staff.
"Ty is throwing the ball very well," Plank said. "He worked very hard during the off season and it is showing."
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