Medomak Valley returns a strong nucleus of seniors (eight) and juniors (four) from a team that went 9-7 in the KVAC last year and were seeded 11th in East Class B.
First year varsity coach Richie Oliver hopes his team members stay healthy. Although he has seven athletes who are listed as pitchers, two of his top prospects are nursing injured elbows, including Taylor Williamson who sat out part of last season with a shoulder injury, and Chris Benedict.
“It’s going to come down to pitching – it always does. We have lost two good pitchers [graduated] from last year, Dale Winchenbach and Alex Greenrose. Chris Benedict has an elbow injury. We don’t know what his status will be. Taylor Williamson popped his elbow and is having an MRI. They will be a big key. If not, some of the younger guys will have to step up. Defensively we will be fine and hitting we should be fine. We need to develop a few solid guys,” Oliver said.
Seniors on the team include Trever Neilson, Taylor Williamson, Stephen Genthner, Dustin Blackington, Dustin Osier, Dillon Reed, John Bartlett and Sam Spahr; juniors Isaac Durkee, Kyle Durkee, Chris Benedict and Buddy Simmons; sophomores Shane Osier, Isaac Greenrose and Alex Greenrose; and freshman John Murray. There are three sets of brothers on the teams, including the Durkee and Greenrose twins.
Seeing time on the mound this season will be Williamson, D. Osier, I. Durkee, Benedict, Simmons, S. Osier and I. Greenrose. Genthner will catch and D. Osier will play center field. “The rest of the positions are up in the air. A lot of kids are fighting for position. Pre-season play will determine” who starts at a position. “It’s starting to shake out a little bit. I’ve told them it’s all open,” Oliver said.
Medomak opens at Lincoln Academy on April 23 at 1 p.m.