By Shelley Ebbrecht/For OzarksSportsZone.com
Conway continued its winning tradition last season, finishing 28-4 and going all the way to the quarterfinal round of the Class 3 state tournament before ending its season with a loss to eventual state champ Mountain Grove. With eight varsity starters graduated, it’s going to be a tough road back to the state tournament for the Bears.
“We are a very different team,” said 10-year veteran coach Clay Bilyeu. “I have a group of guys that are hungry for their chance to compete at the varsity level. They have been a part of the success we have had over the last several years and want to continue in that tradition. With so much in experience, I know we will have some frustrating times and struggles, but I think by the end of the spring, we are going to be a team no one wants to play.”
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL SPRING PREVIEWS
The lone returning position player is shortstop Tayler Simpson, who was an all-district honorable mention. In his junior campaign, Simpson hit .289 with 15 RBIs. He will also be added to the Bears’ pitching rotation this spring in an effort to fill vacancies on the mound.
“We lost three pitchers who have carried the biggest chunk of our innings over the last three years and that will be a big obstacle to overcome,” Bilyeu said.
Hunter Dame went 10-3 on the mound with a 1.11 ERA and 132 strikeouts last year. He also led the team with 44 RBIs and is now playing for Missouri State. Andrew Huckaby is on the roster at Hesston College after a perfect 7-0 record last season with a 0.88 ERA. Ethan Medlock was Conway’s third ace with a 6-0 record and 1.38 ERA.
While their presence will certainly be missed, Bilyeu is confident that pitching will continue to be a major part of the Bears’ game.
THE NEW O-ZONE APP IS HERE!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID
“I feel that pitching is still going to be a strength for us, but we have some guys who are going to have to learn how to compete at the varsity level,” he said.
Only one returning pitcher will bring experience to the mound and that is Dylan Dampier, who went 5-1 last spring with a 2.14 ERA. Newcomers pitching to senior catcher Riley Rader will be juniors Brody Bilyeu, Cooper Keesling, Hunter Wissbaum and Tristen Taylor.
Wissbaum will take over at first base, Tyler Hawkins, senior, will play second base and junior Brandon Lundgren will round out the infield at third base. Playing outfield for the Bears will be senior Brett Neal and juniors Keesling, Taylor and Lane Doing.
The fresh-faced squad will be looked upon to replace offensive speed of days gone by with power at the plate to produce runs for the team.
“We will be a completely different type of team offensively,” Bilyeu said. “Last year we relied on team speed to get on base and score runs. This year we have no speed, but we do have some power and a team that has the ability to score runs in bunches. Basically, for us it will come down to how consistent we can be offensively.”
Last season first team all-state player Chris Varvruska led the Bears with a .443 average and 47 hits. Ethan Medlock led in the long ball with 4 home runs. To fill their shoes, the team has been spending their offseason in the batting cages and weight room.
“We have several guys who have been working hard in the weight room trying to get bigger and stronger and several guys who have been putting in extra time in the cages to try and get their arms in shape so they are ready to go on day one,” Bilyeu said.
Day One for the Bears will be the Lebanon scrimmage on March 14 before traveling to Pierce City for their season opener on March 17. The team will have their first tournament appearance March 20-25 in the Clever Tournament.
