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Houston Chronicle
Monday, Feb. 23: 1998
High schools
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THE RIGHT OF SPRING
Class SA rankings
1. SPRING (21-10 In 1997) - The Uons have to
like their chances to win any game with Josh Beckett (9-4,
150 strikeouts last year) and Mike Bell (16 wins in two
years) on the mound. Spring also returns five starters and
will be better athletically and defensively than ever.
2. BELLAIRE (25-5) - The Cardinals should have
a better overall pitching staff 'Nith righty Matt laird and
lefty Jon Gonzalez. Offensively, Rocky Manuel's squad is
solid with 18 Tommy Crosby, SS Enrique Cruz, LF Ken·
nard Bibbs, CF Kyle Smith and RF Bany Smith. Bellaire
is going after its 10th trip to state and seventh state title.
·3. CLEAR LAKE (21-8) - The Falcons, who lost in
the region semis last year, figure to have better pitching
behind lefties Jon Switzer (Arizona State signee) and Dan
Willingham (Houston signee) and hitting with C Jed Morris
and CF AJ. Parfino. The hardest part might be surviving
24-5A
4. ELKINS (18-91 - The Knights were yoong last
year and could mah.Jre into the team to beat in the area
Rick carpenter's group has solid pitching with RHPs Kevin
Lawson (14-1, career). Jason Slanina and Jeremy Hart
The stacked batting order is led by 28 Mike Wilson, 1B
Scott Huffman, SS Myron Johnson and RF Jeff Reed.
S. BRAZOSWOOD (25.11) - Scoring runs shouldn't
be a problem for the Sues, who return seven starters,
including 1B Andy Cavazos (.486), 38 James Jurries
(.462, 8 HR, 20 RBI) and OF/SS Trent Jones (.474, 8 HRs,
32 RBis). Daniel Stringer (7-4) will be the NO.1 prtcher. '
6. CLEAR CREEK (22-6) - Jim Mallory's team could
contend for the region again with - what else? - pitching
and defense. Pitctlers Ryan Lambeth (8-1) and Derek Clifton (7·2) give the Wildcats an awesome 1-2 punch on
the mound. Lambe1h, who plays filSt base, hrt .340 last
spring in district.
7. CONROE (18-9) - The loss of transfer U;P Chad
Boyd leaves the pitching burden on the shoulders of righty
Gar! Makowsky. But Conroe's lineup is solid. especially
in the infield, where 1B Makowsky, 28 William Bolt, 38
Patrick Beale and SS Lou Ferrell are back.
8. KLEIN (13-11) - Rice signee Chris George, a
lefty who can throw bullets, is one of the best pitchers
around and is one of five starters back for the Bearkats.
Klein's senior-laden ballclub has been playing together
since their sophomore seasons and could jell.
9. FORT BEND AUSTIN (19-8) - Donlbe1 on the
Bulldogs missing the playoffs this year with eight starters
bael<. including RHP Chris Sheffield. Austin shouldn't have
problems scoring runs either with 28 Troy Holt, SS Jacob
Gobar,' CF Nick Waligura and 38 Sheffield all back to
shore' up the 01lense.
10. LAMAR (19-9) - Last year's state quanerfinalists
return their entire infield - C Carson samples. 18 Dash
Kohlhausen, 28 Landon Keith, SS Hunter Bro\M1 and 3B
Justin Massey - and Eddie Lang in RF. The biggest question win be pitching, VY'here lefty Nick Martin and righty
Wesley Simmons will vie for the No. 1 spot.
i:
11. DOBIE (22·7·1) - The 'Longhorns' pitching is
improved this year with holdovers Nathan Mitchell, 23-SA's
MVP last year, and Russell Minter. Dobie has mostly un-
proven players elsewhere, sans the return of Mitchell at
third base (.313) and Zach Roberts in center.
12. KLEIN OAK (16-10) - Too years removed from
nearly winning a state title, the Panthers look to rebound
from last season with six starters back and better team
chemistry. Klein Oal(s lineup is set with C Jerod McQuain,
28 Eric Schindewolf, SS Kyle 8ridvv'ell, LF Joe COIerick
and RF Blake Davis.
13. THE WOODLANDS (26-4) - Lookforlhe Highlanders, who lost in the Region II finals ~e last two years,
. to field a more athletic team this year. Leading the holdovers are C Brandon Natale and CF Boone DuBose. Pitching will be the big question mark as lefthanders Nick Hir-
sch and Matt Drosjack and righthander Ryan Rafferty lake
ov~r.
.
14. SPRING WOODS (22·7) - Coach Charlie Maiorana's Tigers welcome back slugger Neal Stephenson,
who was moved from third base to the outfield. He will
. get help offensively from 1B Tony Palazzolo and SS Keith
Ahrens. Junior f1HP Joseph Kantz (7-2) could have a
breakthrough year.
1S. BAYTOWN STERLING (24-3) - New coach
Paul Tadlock inherited a team that included RHP Dustin
Lansford, "Who has signed with Texas A&M, and some
experience at the plate with C Blake McRay, 1B Russell
Wilks, 28 Robby Dickson, SS Chad Johnson. LF Rocky
wnite and CF Stayton Powers.
Others to watch - Kingwood (22-7), Westfield (14-
12), Baytown Lee (16-12), Cypress Creek (23-4) and Cypress Falls (22-10).
, :
- BRIAN McTAGGART
Spring begins the season as the top-ranked team in the area thanks in large
part to a group of returning starters that indudes, from left, Stephen Ghutzman,
Zack Sandell, Kyle Humphreys, Mike Bell ar
give the Uons two strong starting pitchers.
Top-ranked LioI1;s hope their time has come
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Houston Chronicle
All-Greater Houston teams .,.'
FIRST TEAM
The fIrst two weeks in February give high school
baseball coaches a chance to linker with their lineupsdming scrimmages in an effort to field the best team
possible.
.
It also is a time to find out where the problem areas
and weaknesses are.' Spring coach Kenny Humphreys
has been working as hard as anyone the past two
weeks, although he hasn't able to pinpoint any weaknesses.
"We're hitting the ball, we're getting good pitching,
.we're scoring runs," he said
In a span of 34 innings in three scrimmages, Spring
has allowed only five hits and hit 10 home runs, and
the Lions' defense, which has been the Achilles' heel
in the past, has been solid with only one error.
"The weakness could be when we get down and behind, what are we going to do?" Humphreys said "We're
still waiting to see that." .
. With seven starters returning, including two dorninant pitchers, from last year's 21-10 team, the Lions
probably won't fwd themselves behind often. Spring enters· the season, which begins today, as the Chronicle's
No. !-ranked area Class 5A team. .
After winning five of seven state titles from 1989 to
1995, area 5A teams have come up short at Austin the
past two years. Spring is outto break that drought
"Of course, that's a realistic goal," Humphreys said
"I wouldn't say, 'Yellh, we're going to do that.' I've been
in (coaching) 19 years now, and I know this: you've got
to have good players, you've got to make some right
decisions, you've got to have the pitching and you've
got to be a little lucky and stay healthy.
. ''With all of that. we've got a good a shot.as anybody."
The biggest reason fur optimism is on the mound
where junior Josh Beckett (9-4, 150 sbikeouts) and senior Mike Bell (16 wins in two years) give the Lions an
unmatched 1-2 punch.
.
Beckett, the district's Most Valuable Player last year
as a sophomore, tossed three no-hitters with his 94-mph
heat and should be a first-round majol'-league draft pick
next June. Bell was clocked at 90 mph during scrimmages.
"Those two kids keep getting better," Humphreys
said. ''That's a scary thought. Beckett would've been
drafted last year as one of the top five picks. The Bell
kid had a tremendous sophomore year and won eight
games his junior year but over the summer and fall he
just hit a spurt there. He's throwing really well."
Although Humphreys said Beckett is ''probably the
best high school baseball player in the nation," the
I pitcher is not letting it get into his head
''You just have to block it out," Beckett said ''You just
take it and say thanks. You don't just run and get a big
head with it"
Offensively, Spring should be solid with returners
An'!Y Paienno (second base), Kyle Humphreys (third
Name
. Josh Beckett
So Pettrt
Chris George
Gary Majewski
Nathan Ml1cheil
Pitchers
Class
SChool
Junior
Spring
Senior
Sharpstown
Senior
Klein
Senior
St. Pius
Senior
Dobie
catcher
Daron Bertillion
senior
St. Thomas
Infielders
Adam Dunn
Myron Johnson
Lou Ferrell
James Junies
Senior
Senior
Senior'
Senior
J.P. M'chell
Ch;p Ambres
Senior
Senior
Senior
New Caney
Elkins
Conroe
Brazoswood
Outfielders
Blake Davis
Jersey Village
Beaumont West Brook
Klein Oak
Designated hitter
Neal Stephenson
Senior
Spring Woods
U1ility
Ryan Lambeth
Senior.
Clear Creek
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers Chris Sheffield, Sr., Fort Bend Austin; Mike
Bell, ·Sr., Spring; Dustin Lansford, Sr., Baytown Sterling;
Pat Holmes, Jr., Baytown Lee; Jon Switzer, Sr., Clear
Lake.
Catcher - Carson Samples, Sr., Lamar.
Infielders - Ty Garner, Sr., Kingwood: Chase
Lambin, Sr., Cypress Falls; Hunter Brown, Sr., Lamar; Kyle
Humphreys, Sr., Spring.
Outfielders - Kennard Bibbs, Sr., Bellaire; A.J. Porfirio,
Sr.: Kyle Smith, Jr., Bellaire.
.
Designated hitter - Trent Jones, Sr., Brazoswood.
Utility - Bryan Sneed, Sr., Westfield.
1. LITTLE CY
1997) - The Bea
(1M, 0.90 ERA) OJ
pitching staff. The 1
and lost 1-0 in the
two position player
and AF Daniel Fe;
2. MONTGOMI
went 7-4 for Com
and Kyle Zenier ~
replace graduated
power for speed \
Joey Romano, CF
3. BRENHAM
~e:1~R~%O~
~e~:ell~1~YM~
Majewski and RF
I
4. NEDERLA~
Byars will try to leal
ment for the third ti
from their lineup I
2B Daryn Rrtchey
Michael Melancon
S. STRAKE JE
state champs retun
ing all-state perton
1B/RHP Steve,Ro\
Rechsig (.333), R
Simms (.340) all tl
6. JASPER (2
62 strikeouts in 51
returning lettermer
dogs will be ancl1
and RF Justin Du
prtching staff. '
7.NAUETTS\
off their second CI
some hitters and 0
SS/P Brad Dusek
ane
C Will Chapman (
with nine HRs
s:olidify the offenSE
8. COLUMBU:
base) and zack Sandell (center field), Billy Green (rj~t
field). Newcomer Stephen Ghutzman is a switch-hilling
catcher.
David Rhone, the starling point guard in basketball.
will play shortstop and Aaron Karns, the starling quarterback in football, will play left field Beckett will play
first when-not pitching and Bell will see time at designated hitter.
"We've got five kids returning' that have been battletested," Kenny Humphreys said "Now what we have
to offer with that is we're going to throw in three great
athletes, and this is something that's going to be a little
unusual to our team."
What won't 00 unusual is Spring piling up the wins.
''We do have some talent," Kenny Humphreys said
''1 just think if we stay healthy up on the mound and
do the things we're supposed to do, I sure think we're
right in the hunt. We're as good as anybody in town."
prise Hallettsville il
toughest SA circUi
back. led by SS !
itzsch and Kris KlJ
9. PORT NEe
Nederland coach J
and inherits nine
Screen and 55 Tra
Bryan Gohlke will
10. LIBERTY I
the regIonal finals
will make another
inclUding 3B/P J.f
Tony Bua, all of wI
OTHERS TO t
(12-12), Weimar (2
and Second Bapti