By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — Last year’s baseball team was one of the most successful in Glendale history.
With most of its key contributors returning, this year’s group has the potential to be even better.
The Falcons graduated just three players — and one full-time starter — from a team that won 25 games and clinched a share of the Ozark Conference title last spring. With two all-state players headlining an even deeper roster, the Falcons are searching for their third district title in four years.
“We go into this season with high hopes and an excited confidence,” Falcons coach Jim Julian said. “We return a lot of our core from last season, and with that comes experience and consistency.”
The all-state selections – senior Brooks Kettering and sophomore Sebastian Norman – are among 10 returning Falcons who earned some form of postseason honors on a young 2022 squad.
“With the exception of a couple of guys, we were sophomores and juniors,” Julian said. “There was a lot of team and individual successes last season, and I think the experience and learning curve that some experienced will be very beneficial for confidence individually as well as for the team.”
With four of their top five pitchers and 18 letter-winners returning, Julian said the Falcons are not just a more experienced group this year — they also have a deeper bench than they did last spring.
“That should create a lot of healthy competition for this group throughout the season,” he added. “We have a lot of guys that are capable of getting the job done at any point in time.”
That starts with Norman and Kettering, Glendale’s top returning hitters.
Norman is one of the top sophomore talents in the nation, helping Team USA win gold at the U-15 Baseball World Cup last summer. The Oklahoma State commit hit .389 with 28 runs batted in and stole 14 bases while splitting time between third base and a brand-new role in the outfield.
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“He showed a lot of range and the potential to be a game-changing outfielder,” Julian said. “His above-average speed and strong arm could make him a strong weapon in the outfield. He will hit in the top third of the lineup. He swings a big bat and has the speed and aggression to change games. Sebastian will also look to log more innings on the mound this spring.”
Kettering, a shortstop/pitcher, batted .378, drove in 20 runs, recorded 16 extra-base hits and stole 18 bases during his junior year. The Southeast Missouri commit also excelled on the mound, going 3-1 with a 2.18 earned-run average and three saves.
“He will hit in the top half of the order and do a lot of good things for us offensively,” Julian said. “He loves to play the game and plays and practices with a quiet, joyful intensity. He brings a lot to our team skill wise, but also brings maturity and leadership.”
Carter Lewis, Spencer Pottebaum, Drew Wedgeworth, Mark Ross, Cam Stratton, DJ Cofield and Alex Rankin all return after earning all-conference honors one year ago.
Lewis, Pottebaum and Cofield are seniors.
Lewis, a Drury commit, is a first baseman who hit .284 and drove in 25 runs last season.
Pottebaum went 5-4 with a 3.04 ERA during his junior season. He and Kettering will anchor the Glendale pitching staff.
Cofield, the centerfielder, stole 18 bases, batted .260 and drove in 21 runs.
Wedgeworth, Ross, Stratton and Rankin are all juniors.
Wedgeworth is a left-handed pitcher coming off a 4-0 season in which he posted a 1.98 ERA. Ross is a Central Arkansas commit who batted .294 with 22 RBI while playing third base. Stratton, an infielder, hit .241 and drove in 12 runs. Rankin can play catcher, outfielder or designated hitter and hit .301 during a 25-RBI campaign.
Kaleb Julian earned spots on the all-conference and all-district teams despite breaking his hand in a game against Webb City. The junior ended the year with a 5-1 record and 3.06 ERA.
Junior outfielders Kellen Lindstrom and Brayden Biggers and sophomore catcher Graham Satterwhite also return after seeing significant varsity playing time last spring, while infielder Ryder Young and pitcher Drew Replogle round out Glendale’s six-player senior class.
Junior newcomers Kelson Radford, Adam Henke, Brandon Phillips and Brendan Moran will all compete for varsity playing time, as will sophomores Dom Licata, Easton Friesen, Rex Deters and Noah Goforth.
All eight can pitch. Licata, Henke, Radford and Goforth are outfielders, while the rest are infielders.
“We only graduated three guys, so ‘new’ spots will be few,” Jim Julian said. “That being said, as deep as we could be, there will be plenty of opportunities for guys to win a spot.”
Glendale, Parkview, Fair Grove and Hillcrest will all compete in a March 10 jamboree at Parkview.
The Falcons will open the season with a doubleheader, hosting Verdigris (Oklahoma) and Nixa on March 18. Their Ozark Conference schedule kicks off when West Plains visits on March 28.
“As always, the Ozark Conference is going to be tough,” Jim Julian said. “We feel like we should have a good chance of winning going into any game we play, but our schedule is difficult. By strengthening our schedule and playing in the OC, we hope that gets us prepared and ready for the district that we get placed in.”
