Vikings count on youth
New Berlin West baseball team relying on underclassmen to make move this season
In 2006, West baseball coach Tom Farina kept five sophomores on the varsity team with an eye on the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
That move paid off with consecutive Woodland Conference North Division titles.
Out of necessity, namely a large graduation loss (six players) from the 2008 title team, Farina tried his hand again at rebuilding, or as he and many other coaches from successful programs like to call it: reloading.
This year's 17-player roster consists of seven sophomores - Brad Duggan, Austin Brzeski, Josh Lindner, Jake Rink, Adam Ruiz, Zach Schmidt and Bryan Thiessenhusen - and freshman Zach Scholz, almost all of whom are varsity starters or key contributors who have helped the Vikings race out to a 9-4 start as of Monday.
"We knew we'd be replacing people and knowing what I had coming from the freshman team and the jayvee team, I knew we'd be a young squad," Farina said. "I wasn't exactly sure who'd fill those spots."
Farina quickly found out the talented youngsters were varsity-ready. Scholz starts in right field and leads off; Thiessenhusen, a catcher, and Duggan, a shortstop, are in their second year on the varsity and both start; Rink is the starting first baseman. Brzeski pitches and plays the infield; Ruiz is an outfielder; Schmidt plays the infield; and Lindner would have been the team's second or third starting pitcher had it not been for an injured shoulder.
"This is the youngest (team) I've ever had, and there are always unknowns when you have young guys," Farina said. "But I think they're capable. Otherwise, they wouldn't be here."
When a team rebuilds, um, reloads, it takes a solid group of upperclassmen to guide the varsity newcomers, show them the ropes and give way when a younger player is ready to start. Farina has six seniors and three juniors on his roster and said each one knows his role on this year's team. Senior outfielder Tony Smith agreed.
"(The coaches) are going to put the best players out there so we can win," Smith said. "It's not like (the sophomores) are not better than the seniors. (Farina) told some of the seniors you might not play too much. They understand."
Duggan agreed and said he, his classmates and Scholz do not sense any animosity from the upperclassmen.
"They're all really supportive," Duggan said. "They just want to win. If we (underclassmen) need to be out there, they're fine with that. They're a good bunch of guys. It's nice because we're all friends. We have good chemistry on the field, and the older guys have really helped us out and understand that we're still young and improving."
That improvement has been evident the last few weeks. The Vikings began the season with two wins in six games but won seven straight entering this week, including a recent stretch during which they scored 46 runs in four Woodland victories.
"We figured we'd be better at the end of the year than at the beginning," Farina said. "Right now, we're ahead of schedule. It could slow down or it could continue. That depends on them."
Smith said this year's team can be as good as the back-to-back conference title-winning teams of 2007 and 2008, and added that if the unit stays healthy and continues to progress, it could lead New Berlin West to its first-ever state tournament berth at any time in the next three seasons.
Duggan took that one step further.
"Definitely, I could see us being state champions by the time we're seniors," Duggan said. "If we keep hitting the ball and pitching like we are, we have a legitimate chance to making that goal a reality."
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
SENIORS: (6) Ben Falls, Bryan Heltemes, Steve Korducki, Paul Marx, Jim McCrory, Tony Smith
JUNIORS: (3) JJ LaValley, Jesse Riehle, Chris Treptow
SOPHOMORES: (7) Brad Duggan, Austin Brzeski, Josh Lindner, Jake Rink, Adam Ruiz, Zach Schmidt, Bryan Thiessenhusen
FRESHMAN: (1) Zach Scholz
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