Youthful North squad could contend for 4A state tournament berth
By Jerry Giese, Journal sports writer | Posted: Wednesday, May 23, 2007
North's baseball team is still young.
Finally, there will be seniors in the Stars' starting lineup. Right fielder Mike Tillo and second baseman Billy Meacham are the elders on a youthful, but veteran bunch.
They may be young, but in the past, they didn't play like it. Current sophomore Dean McArdle was the starting pitcher two years ago in a Class 4A substate final against a senior-dominated Council Bluffs Lewis Central squad that beat perhaps then, the state's youngest 4A squad, 3-0 in a final at Lewis and Clark Park.
Last year, McArdle was the losing pitcher in a 9-2 substate final loss to Mason City. Over the last two seasons, he has posted a 9-5 record.
The combined record of the two substate final squads, by the way, was 48-32-2.
"Our goal is to finish this thing off and get back to state," said second-year North Coach Brian Drent, who guided last year's team to a 24-17 record.
"The last time North went was 2004. It's going to be a tough road again for us. One thing though, all the pieces of the puzzle are together. It's just a matter of executing."
Nick Tillo executed a team-high .443 batting average last year as a freshman while Meacham hit .413 with three home runs and 39 RBIs. Brian Wanner hit .392 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs as a frosh.
Third baseman Max Martin and shortstop Matt Negaard, who got their varsity start as freshmen, are juniors. First baseman Chad Piersma and catcher Josh Jessen are sophomores this season.
"As a coach, it's great to have all this experience," said Drent. "Last year was my first year here and it was nice to have everyone back, understanding what they had to do, so there was no period of adjustment.
"Most of these guys have been around two or three years. The chemistry is great. These guys are a joy to be around. They know they've come up short a couple of times, but their desire to get to state is strong as it has ever been."
Brian Atchison, who guided North to a state tournament berth in 2004, nearly got the Stars back to state in 2005. Following the substate final loss to Lewis Central, he forecasted a bright future for North.
Atchison, who coached Bishop Heelan to a 37-4 record last year, has a 160-36 coaching record. The Crusaders lost three all-state players and four other starters from a team that fell 6-3 to Cherokee, an eventual Class 3A state tournament participant, in the district finals.
Jared Ocker, who coached Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto to a 20-8 record and a tie with Westwood for the Maple Valley Conference championship, is the new head coach at East. Coach Matt Stevenson's West squad hopes to bounce back from a 16-23 season.
East
Ocker, a 1997 East High School graduate, went 9-3 on the mound as a senior for a team that fell 8-4 to Ottumwa in the Class 4A state tournament finals. He won 11 games in his last two seasons with the Black Raiders and has a talented pitching staff that could enable his team to contend for the Missouri River Activities Conference title.
Steve Johnston, a first-team all-district pitcher, went 5-2 last year. Reese Sudtelgte (4-2), Nick Lanning (1-2) and Wes Angerman (0-0) are the Black Raiders' top four starters. Johnston, Angerman and Lanning each throw between 80 and 85 miles per hour and Sudtelgte has the best curve ball on a staff that will need to improve their earned run averages.
"We establish the fastball, then build off that," said Ocker. "We make sure the kids can throw a breaking ball and a changeup for stirkes. You have to throw a change."
Angerman, a part-time outfielder last year, hit .441 with 13 RBIs. Four others topped .300, led by second-team MRAC shortstop Jared Barth (.381, 24 RBIs). First-team catcher Skyler Stillwell (.358, 22 RBIs), third baseman Johnston (.344, 1 HR, 20 RBIs) and second-team center fielder Andy Compton (.321, 24 RBIs) are also back.
Heelan
Alex Hicklin enjoyed a productive season last year for the Crusaders, hitting .440. The squad's leader with 52 hits, he also provided three home runs, three triples, 11 doubles and 57 RBIs.
Hicklin was playing in his first season for Heelan after playing for strong North teams in 2004 and 2005.
"Alex is the catalyst," said Atchison. "He was the toughest out on our team last year. He has a great understanding and a great approach at the plate. There's a great focus and calm about him."
Pitcher/catcher Jeff Kerian went 9-0 last year and also hit .420 with one home run and 26 RBIs. Third baseman Brock Martin (.400, 1 HR, 29 RBIs) and utility player Kasey Neumann also returns, projected near the top of the Crusaders' batting order.
Mike Bisenius will play right field. Newcomers A.J. LeMoine, Joe Greer and Andy Lawler are also competing for positions while Chris Calvillo and Shea Hacker will compete for infield spots.
"Great programs reload, they don't rebuild," said Atchison. "We aspire to be that program. We'll continue to make an aggressive run at the MRAC crown."
North
Drent's squad hit .333 as a team last year and had four other regulars topping .300.
Mike Tillo hit .377 with two home runs and 42 RBIs. Others surpassing .300 were Martin (.338, 1 HR, 19 RBIs), McArdle (.331, 28 RBIs) and Piersma (.322, 1 HR, 22 RBIs).
"Offensively, I feel very good about our top six, seven hitters at the plate," said Drent. "A lot of it is our approach at the plate. We're aggressive and we find good pitches to hit.
"We're lucky. We have a bunch of kids who have done stuff in the off-season to get better at the plate."
North hit 19 home runs last year, but also slugged 67 doubles. Meacham had 15 two-baggers while McArdle added 13.
"We're more a doubles type of team," said Drent. "What we want to do is dictate the tempo, hit early in the count. We want to be in control of the situation."
Alex "Bo" Smith went 2-0 on the mound last year. Meacham and Wanner were each 1-2.
West
Dustin Wauhob will be one of the players Stevenson will lean on as the Wolverines try to get back to a winning baseball season.
Wauhob, a senior shortstop, hit .243 with 11 RBIs. On the mound, he was 4-5, with a 3.20 ERA, but he boasted two victories over Heelan.
"Each game, he comes out mentally prepared," said Stevenson. "He could be one of the top pitchers in our league this year. His attitude is great. He wants his team to win."
The Wolverines return two other fulltime starters from last year. Centerfielder Dylan McClary hit .280 with tho home runs and 25 RBIs while second baseman Zach Hesse hit .258 with 11 RBIs.
Several individuals could contend for starting positions. C.J. Nolan, who hit .344 in 13 games, could play at first base or third base. Dan Foreman (.264, 10 RBIs), a third baseman last year, moves to catcher while Matt Henning will play at third base. Alex Jones and Dex Gordon are battling for the starting spot in left field. Ryan McDermott adds depth at first base.
"I hope we developo more consistency in our hitting," said Stevenson. "We won't hit with a great deal of power, but we have good team speed. Every swing, we want to get consistency."
Finally, there will be seniors in the Stars' starting lineup. Right fielder Mike Tillo and second baseman Billy Meacham are the elders on a youthful, but veteran bunch.
They may be young, but in the past, they didn't play like it. Current sophomore Dean McArdle was the starting pitcher two years ago in a Class 4A substate final against a senior-dominated Council Bluffs Lewis Central squad that beat perhaps then, the state's youngest 4A squad, 3-0 in a final at Lewis and Clark Park.
Last year, McArdle was the losing pitcher in a 9-2 substate final loss to Mason City. Over the last two seasons, he has posted a 9-5 record.
The combined record of the two substate final squads, by the way, was 48-32-2.
"Our goal is to finish this thing off and get back to state," said second-year North Coach Brian Drent, who guided last year's team to a 24-17 record.
"The last time North went was 2004. It's going to be a tough road again for us. One thing though, all the pieces of the puzzle are together. It's just a matter of executing."
Nick Tillo executed a team-high .443 batting average last year as a freshman while Meacham hit .413 with three home runs and 39 RBIs. Brian Wanner hit .392 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs as a frosh.
Third baseman Max Martin and shortstop Matt Negaard, who got their varsity start as freshmen, are juniors. First baseman Chad Piersma and catcher Josh Jessen are sophomores this season.
"As a coach, it's great to have all this experience," said Drent. "Last year was my first year here and it was nice to have everyone back, understanding what they had to do, so there was no period of adjustment.
"Most of these guys have been around two or three years. The chemistry is great. These guys are a joy to be around. They know they've come up short a couple of times, but their desire to get to state is strong as it has ever been."
Brian Atchison, who guided North to a state tournament berth in 2004, nearly got the Stars back to state in 2005. Following the substate final loss to Lewis Central, he forecasted a bright future for North.
Atchison, who coached Bishop Heelan to a 37-4 record last year, has a 160-36 coaching record. The Crusaders lost three all-state players and four other starters from a team that fell 6-3 to Cherokee, an eventual Class 3A state tournament participant, in the district finals.
Jared Ocker, who coached Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto to a 20-8 record and a tie with Westwood for the Maple Valley Conference championship, is the new head coach at East. Coach Matt Stevenson's West squad hopes to bounce back from a 16-23 season.
East
Ocker, a 1997 East High School graduate, went 9-3 on the mound as a senior for a team that fell 8-4 to Ottumwa in the Class 4A state tournament finals. He won 11 games in his last two seasons with the Black Raiders and has a talented pitching staff that could enable his team to contend for the Missouri River Activities Conference title.
Steve Johnston, a first-team all-district pitcher, went 5-2 last year. Reese Sudtelgte (4-2), Nick Lanning (1-2) and Wes Angerman (0-0) are the Black Raiders' top four starters. Johnston, Angerman and Lanning each throw between 80 and 85 miles per hour and Sudtelgte has the best curve ball on a staff that will need to improve their earned run averages.
"We establish the fastball, then build off that," said Ocker. "We make sure the kids can throw a breaking ball and a changeup for stirkes. You have to throw a change."
Angerman, a part-time outfielder last year, hit .441 with 13 RBIs. Four others topped .300, led by second-team MRAC shortstop Jared Barth (.381, 24 RBIs). First-team catcher Skyler Stillwell (.358, 22 RBIs), third baseman Johnston (.344, 1 HR, 20 RBIs) and second-team center fielder Andy Compton (.321, 24 RBIs) are also back.
Heelan
Alex Hicklin enjoyed a productive season last year for the Crusaders, hitting .440. The squad's leader with 52 hits, he also provided three home runs, three triples, 11 doubles and 57 RBIs.
Hicklin was playing in his first season for Heelan after playing for strong North teams in 2004 and 2005.
"Alex is the catalyst," said Atchison. "He was the toughest out on our team last year. He has a great understanding and a great approach at the plate. There's a great focus and calm about him."
Pitcher/catcher Jeff Kerian went 9-0 last year and also hit .420 with one home run and 26 RBIs. Third baseman Brock Martin (.400, 1 HR, 29 RBIs) and utility player Kasey Neumann also returns, projected near the top of the Crusaders' batting order.
Mike Bisenius will play right field. Newcomers A.J. LeMoine, Joe Greer and Andy Lawler are also competing for positions while Chris Calvillo and Shea Hacker will compete for infield spots.
"Great programs reload, they don't rebuild," said Atchison. "We aspire to be that program. We'll continue to make an aggressive run at the MRAC crown."
North
Drent's squad hit .333 as a team last year and had four other regulars topping .300.
Mike Tillo hit .377 with two home runs and 42 RBIs. Others surpassing .300 were Martin (.338, 1 HR, 19 RBIs), McArdle (.331, 28 RBIs) and Piersma (.322, 1 HR, 22 RBIs).
"Offensively, I feel very good about our top six, seven hitters at the plate," said Drent. "A lot of it is our approach at the plate. We're aggressive and we find good pitches to hit.
"We're lucky. We have a bunch of kids who have done stuff in the off-season to get better at the plate."
North hit 19 home runs last year, but also slugged 67 doubles. Meacham had 15 two-baggers while McArdle added 13.
"We're more a doubles type of team," said Drent. "What we want to do is dictate the tempo, hit early in the count. We want to be in control of the situation."
Alex "Bo" Smith went 2-0 on the mound last year. Meacham and Wanner were each 1-2.
West
Dustin Wauhob will be one of the players Stevenson will lean on as the Wolverines try to get back to a winning baseball season.
Wauhob, a senior shortstop, hit .243 with 11 RBIs. On the mound, he was 4-5, with a 3.20 ERA, but he boasted two victories over Heelan.
"Each game, he comes out mentally prepared," said Stevenson. "He could be one of the top pitchers in our league this year. His attitude is great. He wants his team to win."
The Wolverines return two other fulltime starters from last year. Centerfielder Dylan McClary hit .280 with tho home runs and 25 RBIs while second baseman Zach Hesse hit .258 with 11 RBIs.
Several individuals could contend for starting positions. C.J. Nolan, who hit .344 in 13 games, could play at first base or third base. Dan Foreman (.264, 10 RBIs), a third baseman last year, moves to catcher while Matt Henning will play at third base. Alex Jones and Dex Gordon are battling for the starting spot in left field. Ryan McDermott adds depth at first base.
"I hope we developo more consistency in our hitting," said Stevenson. "We won't hit with a great deal of power, but we have good team speed. Every swing, we want to get consistency."
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