Page 8 - RVO Diamond Roundup March 2017

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SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017 | RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL REVIEW
CONWAY CHRISTIAN EAGLES
Eagles plan to build depth to overcome early-season injuries
MARK BUFFALO/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION
Conway Christian senior pitcher Zach Harris fires one against Pangburn in early-season action.
BY DONNA LAMPKIN STEPHENS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Eight starters, including four seniors, return from Conway Christian’s 17-6 squad that won conference, district and regional championships last year.
But the injury bug has hit hard already in 2017.
“This is the first time in the past couple of years that we have had significant injuries, and we are going to try and fight through them,” coach Andrew Roberson said.
The positive spin is that the Eagles will be able to build some depth while senior Rob Hogue and sophomores Jevin Callaway and Jacob Bowman are out. Callaway is out for the season; Hogue, the returning first baseman, and Bowman are expected back by late March.
But despite the uncertainty, the Eagles are aiming high in 2017.
“We expect to compete for conference, district and regional championships and work on advancing in the state tournament,” Roberson said.
Conference: 2A-4 East
Coach: Andrew Roberson
Assistant coaches: Joe Crowsen and
Ryan Smith
2016 record: 17-6
Mascot: Eagles
Returning starters: Rob Hogue, Seth
Smith, Trey Starkey, Zack Harris, Winston Strawn, Jackson Quick, Jacob Wood and Nick Scherrey
The Eagles are seeking their first state championship.
Conway Christian won the 2A-4 East Conference and District titles last year before sailing through the Class 2A West Regional at Magazine, knocking off Johnson County Westside, 23-0; and Hackett, 17-0; before beating host Magazine in the championship game, 3-1.
But the Eagles lost a heartbreaker to Dierks in the opening round of the Class 2A State Tournament, 9-8.
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CONWAY WAMPUS CATS
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for its fourth state championship since 2010. Cabot, Central and North Little Rock reached the quarterfinals last year.
“Really, we’re getting back to the conference I liked a few years ago before we played the old 7A/6A combined league,” Boucher said. “This is where it’s pretty good, and now we’ve got the two Fort Smith schools. They all take it seriously and all know what they’re doing, so it’s going to come down to the kids — whose kids are playing good that day.”
So obviously, every 7A Central game will be one to watch. Six of the eight teams will qualify for the Class 7A State Tournament.
The new 7A West this spring includes Bentonville, the 2015 state champion; the new Bentonville West; Fayetteville, which has won six state titles since 2003; Springdale Har-Ber; Rogers Heritage; Rogers; Springdale; and Van Buren. Six of those will move on to the state tournament.
“I don’t know how Bentonville will do after they split their school, but I think both will probably be pretty good,” Boucher said. “But for us, we don’t even worry about the West — we’ve just got to survive the Central.
“That’s the part I really like. We played some conference games last year [in the old 7A/6A Central] that didn’t count for our state-tourna- ment seed, and this year, every time you play, you’d better be ready, because it counts.
“It’s going to be fun. I like that level of competition where it means something every night.”
Boucher said the Wampus Cats scored more runs than their opponent in a benefit game with Rogers. Early in the season, they faced road trips to El Dorado, Russellville, Bentonville West and Rogers.
“We’re going to get on the bus and just see if we can toughen up a little bit and play on the road,” he said. “The state tournament is in Bentonville this year, so we have to get used to riding on the bus a lot.”
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