Head Coach: Jordan Rogers
Previous Year Record: 20-11 (overall); 7-2 (Region 5-5A)
First Game: vs. Gulfport on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m.
Key Players: Ricky Boleware, Max Sharp, Reid Goleman, Tyler Ducksworth, John Mitchell, Andrew Howard, Chad Moses.
What Coach Rogers had to say:
“What I’m looking forward to the most this year is our pitching staff. It’s no surprise that we lost eight guys [last year] in our senior class and some of them went on to play JUCO ball. If you drew a line right down the middle of our field last year, we lost all those guys plus a couple of guys on the mound.
“But we do return the spearhead of our pitching staff with Ricky Boleware and Max Sharp, who has logged innings for us since they were ninth graders. They have thrown most of our big pitches. We also have a guy that’s off the injury list. Reid Goleman was injured last year, and he’s come back healthy. He recently signed with Pearl River Community College and had a great offseason. Those three guys are going to spearhead our force on the mound.
“We also have Destin Shoemake, Dalton Shoemake, John Mitchell, McCain Walters and Evan Mouton that will see time on the mound. We’re hoping that our pitching staff will carry us this year, especially early. Everyone says you got to be good on the mound first if you want to do anything, so we like the type of guys we have there and their work ethic.”
“The key is to have those three guys that can start in the big games and several good relief pitchers to come in and carry you through.”
On the team overall:
“We’re excited too regarding our catchers. We have Nate Conliff who will fill that role and an eighth-grader Logan Odom, who will see some time there as well. As you move over to first base, we have Ben Welch and Max Sharp, who will fill more of a dual role this year. We say that we’ve lost guys, but at first base, we have Welch, Sharp and even Goleman who can play the position, as well as Ricky Boleware who has played first base in years past.
“Moving over to second base we have Bryson Sumrall who played some off the bench last year. At shortstop, we have Tyler Ducksworth. Ducksworth played third base for us last year. He will also fill a role on the mound as a closer.
“At third base, we return Andrew Howard who played more of a DH role last year. Now he gets to play a defensive position, and we feel confident in is abilities. He’s a guy that has ice water in his veins, and he’s the guy you want at the plate with the game on the line.
In centerfield, we have John Mitchell who is finally healthy. For the past two years, he has battled injuries that occurred at football. He is finally healthy and as I mentioned he will add depth for us on the mound. Chad Moses, who had a tremendous offseason will play left field, and as I said before in right field, we have several guys who can fill that role such as Ricky Boleware.”
Region 5-5A:
“I think Laurel’s guys are a year older and more mature [on the field and at the plate]. Those guys have a lot of swings and bullets under their belt. And West Jones was kind of young last year and so was Wayne County, who got their two starters on the mound back. It seems everyone is more mature and a little wiser so to speak. It makes things even more difficult. We’ve talked about it before in years past on just how difficult our region is. And even state-wide, Class 5A is tough. You have Picayune who has a good young group that’s coming through, PRC is always good, and you got Hattiesburg who is nationally ranked. But we [as a coaching staff] is excited about it, and I think our guys are excited about it. We’re welcoming the challenge.”
