it will be a tough job to find a successor that is as dedicated. “He is a very
honorable mention member, sophocaring and nurturing coach. He is one
more Amber Roth, have accounted for
of the nicest guys you will ever meet,”
two-thirds of the team’s offense. On
said Antal.
the other side of the ball, sophomore
As the team gets used to a new
Sam Pfenning has emerged as a great
head coach next season, they will have
number two pitcher behind Kaufman. all of their players returning to sup“Sam has stepped up and gave us a
port them. “We’ll have stronger senior
chance to rest Kaylene which will really leadership next year. We have talented
benefit us for sectionals,” said Antal.
soon-to-be juniors who will no longer
Another key contributor to the
be underclassmen that we’ll be expectteam this season has been freshman
ing big things from,” said Antal.
Sidney Byrkett. She has been the
team’s courtesy runner. For readers not
Warrior Boys Baseball
familiar with this term, it is strictly
The first season without Joel
in softball. This rule allows a player
Mishler has gone a lot smoother than
to enter the game once an inning to
it could have. Coach Jason Rahn has
run for another player such as a team’s really done a great job leading the
pitcher or catcher. This opens up the
team this season. “Rahn’s been great
game for a lot of strategy and Byrkett’s this year. He really emphasizes the
speed has been a huge advantage. “We philosophy to get as much work done
have never used a courtesy runner like as possible in as little time as we can.
we have this year in my past two years He knows what he’s doing. He coaches
with the program,” said Antal.
and acts as if he’s been around for quite
Although some players have
awhile. All the guys respect him as well
contributed more in the statistical
as our other great coaches,” said senior
categories than others, Antal does
catcher, Darren Stillson.
not feel like one player is less valuable
This season could have gone a comthan another. “I’m most proud of the
pletely different direction after their
way the girls have stuck together this
1-5 start but they turned it around to
season,” said Antal. “They have done
win eleven out of their next twelve
an incredible job at rising up to the oc- games. “We’ve had great leadership
casion to make up for the absence of a
from all of the returning letter winsenior class this year.”
ners (thirteen of them) and we hope to
Moving ahead to next year, the
carry some of our momentum into the
Warriors have a lot to look forward to. state tournament,” said Stillson.
They will have a strong senior class
The struggles earlier in the season
made up of two All-Conference memcan be credited to facing tough compebers as well as team captain Michelle
tition. Also, the defense wasn’t nearly
Mowery. This year’s lack of upperas strong as it is now. “Our defense
classman has provided the younger
has really stepped its game up over the
members of the team with a lot of
past couple of weeks. We started off
experience. “Field time is the biggest
making a decent amount of mental erthing with young players. At practice
rors along with actual errors, but as the
we do a lot of drilling on the offensive
season progressed, we have really put it
and defensive side of the ball, but
all together,” said senior first baseman
nothing replaces being on the field
Luke Miller.
during pressure situations. I think
This year’s Warriors are a group
having that experience is where they
dominated by seniors. The produchave progressed the most this season,” tion and leadership has really made a
Antal remarked.
difference according to Stillson. “We
Next year a new coach will replace have great senior leadership. All of us
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