The Rector Cougars finished 14-6 last season , falling in the first round of the regional tournament to eventual state runner-up Palestine-Wheatley . In order to take that next step into the state tournament , Coach Robbie Dorman will need to fill some holes in the lineup after graduating five starters from a year ago . “ The talent is there for production and success ,” Coach Dorman said . “ Pitching should still be strong after losing a key member of the rotation from last year .” Returning seniors Cooper Rabjohn , Drew Henderson , and Ashton Scott lead the way for Rector . All three will play key roles in the field , on the mound , and at the plate . Rabjohn is a two time All-State pitcher and shortstop that will be number one in the rotation as he has since his freshman year . Finishing last season at 5-2 , he had a 1.61 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 41 innings . At the plate , Rabjohn hit . 342 with a . 415 on base percentage last season and will be right in the heart of the lineup . Fellow All-State selection , Henderson , will be the battery mate behind the plate and pitch when needed . Henderson hit . 393 with a . 595 on base percentage for the Cougars last year and is an excellent defensive catcher and leadoff hitter . Classmate Scott will man third base and be a fixture in the pitching rotation . On the mound , the senior had a 1.55 ERA in limited innings last season . Scott has an excellent curveball and will have to expand his role as the number two guy in the rotation this season . At the plate , Scott hit . 310 last year with a . 388 on base percentage and will hit in the heart of the lineup . Junior Hayden Vavak returns in center field . Vavak makes great contact and is tough to strike out . He will look to get on base as he moves up the lineup . Freshman Colton Haywood will look to make an immediate impact for Rector . Haywood will play shortstop and pitch showcasing a great swing from the left side of the plate . Senior Kaden Avery is a great athlete that returns to baseball after some years off and should adapt quickly and contribute . Senior Carter Hill , junior Kolton Watson , sophomore Chance Lopez , and freshman Austin Avery all have the talent to step in and contribute this season . The 2A-3 conference will be tough once again , but NEA Sports predicts that the Rector Cougars will be right in the mix of the title chase , earning a trip to the regional with a chance to make it to state .
The Paragould Rams finished 10-20 in the brutal 5A East conference a year ago , but with almost the entire lineup and pitching staff returning , Coach Jacob Giles is expecting to see some improvement this season . Parker Thompson hit right around . 300 last year as a sophomore and will once again be the starting shortstop . Thompson also had an ERA of just under 3.00 in 52 innings a season ago . Sam Hunt , Isaiah McChristian , Avery Dearing , Noah Turpin , Korbin Phillips , and Wyatt Eckles will all be returning and looking to improve offensively with a year of experience under their belt . Corban Bailey also returns from an injury to resume catching duties this season . Almost the entire pitching staff returns as well . Along with Thompson , Dearing will see a significant increase in innings , as will Hunt and McChristian . Karson Reid will be one of the biggest impact players as a newcomer . Coach Giles says Reid has come such a long way offensively , defensively and on the mound . Another guy they are excited about is Oliver Earnhart . Earnhart swings the bat really well and coach is excited to see what he can do this season . Coach Giles is very optimistic about this group . “ Our foundation is pitching , defense and quality at bats ,” he said . “ Strengths for us this year should be almost everything : pitching , defense , experience and approach at the plate . Offensive Production is the one area we hope to see the biggest improvement , and I think we will . This team has a tremendous work ethic and great team chemistry . We ’ re excited to see what they do this year .” NEA Sports expects to see some improvement in Paragould , with the Rams having an outside chance at a playoff spot .
The Paragould Lady Rams have a large roster with some returning experience and leadership that Coach Marty Williford believes will ignite a turnaround from last season . “ We have the pieces and the player leadership on this team to succeed . We were missing that leader last year on the team ,” Coach Williford said . “ We have many pieces to work with this year . We have 25 players on the team this year . I am very excited for this team . We have worked hard this offseason , and we hope to carry that over into the season .” Returning to the circle for the Lady Rams is senior Lauren Stanley . The lefty had 127 strikeouts a year ago and is looking to add to those numbers . KK Massey is another senior who pitched some last season and has worked at it to help provide depth at the pitching position . Stanley will bat at the top of the lineup and play first base or in the outfield when not pitching , while Massey will also hit early in the lineup and play a lot at shortstop . Molly McPherson will hit in the heart of the lineup and play one of the corner infield positions . McPherson has gotten stronger this offseason and worked on bunting effectively as well . Madi Langston will bat in the middle of the lineup and has shown a lot of pop in the offseason . Langston will catch most of the time , but may play some first base when needed . Some additions to this year ’ s team has Coach Williford excited . Madison Martin will play a huge role this season . Look for her to fill a hole at second or centerfield and provide a spark with her bat . Ava Beasely will hit from the left side and be a problem for opposing pitchers . Beasley will play in the outfield where she can get to most anything hit her way . Starlyn Edwards will provide speed on the base paths and in the outfield should be a huge asset to the team . Returning experience and some new , young talent should help Paragould compete in the brutal 5A East conference . NEA Sports predicts the Lady Rams will be in hunt for one of the final state tournament berths in May .