Defending 5A Division II high school baseball state champion will battle Division I runner-up for Arizona supremacy.
The biggest change in Arizona this year is the move of 5A Conference Division II champion Desert Ridge (Mesa) moving up to the Division I level to challenge Hamilton for the state crown.
Desert Ridge rode the arm and bat of Jake Barrett last season and the result was a 29-5 record and a state championship. Hamilton (Chandler), meanwhile, came up just short in the state finals against Corona del Sol (Tempe), but enters the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls by the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association.
Here’s a closer look at the favorites in each of the seven divisions.
5A Conference, Division I
One year after falling to Corona del Sol in the finals of the 5A Division I championship game, Hamilton (23-12) begins the season as the No. 1 team in the conference according to the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association preseason rankings.
The Huskies return three all-region players, including first-team pick Ryan Casillas at first base, Zak Johnson, a junior, in the outfield and Jorge Flores at shortstop. Casillas was Hamilton’s top hitter with a .500 average and 11 home runs while Flores batted .415 and Johnson was 3-2 on the mound.
Desert Ridge (29-5) moves up to Division I after winning the Division II championship last year with a 9-8 win over Horizon. State MVP Jake Barrett is gone, but Travis Flores (.436), Russell Vaughan (.311), Taylor Kaczmarek (.391) and Kyle Raidy (.352) all return.
Gilbert is the No. 3 pick by the coaches and it returns all-state third baseman D.J. Peterson, who batted .408 with 16 home runs last year.
5A Conference, Division II
With defending champion Desert Ridge at the Division I level, Pinnacle (Phoenix) gets the nod for the No. 1 spot in the preseason rankings. The Pioneers went 25-8 last year before losing to Horizon in the playoffs.
The Pioneers fielded a young team last year with three sophomores, Steve Casey (.385), Jake Peevyhouse (.418), and Alex Real (.455), earning all-region honors along with junior Taylor Mark (.455).
Desert Mountain (Scottsdale) returns perhaps the top player in the state in all-state shortstop Taylor Lindsey. As a junior, Lindsey batted .573 with 18 home runs and 73 RBI. All-region picks Adam Sonabend (.417), Michael Janikis (.375), Cam Teich (.348) and Hunter Thompson (.386) also return.
Horizon (Scottsdale), which finished second to Desert Ridge last year, is also in the mix thanks to the return of Dillon Everett (.333), Joey Danner (6-2, 1.72 ERA), and John Rubino (.353).
4A Conference, Division I
Defending champon Canyon del Oro (Tucson) has a strong core of returning all-region players, led by all-state pick Hayden Cota-Robles at first base. Cota-Robles batted .384 last season with 31 RBI. Also back are infielder Ryan Retz (.379), outfielder Griffin Ronstadt (.375) and designated hitter Eric Gutierrez (Jr., .311).
Sahuaro (Tucson) will provide plenty of competition for the champs as the Cougars return seven players who earned all-region honors last year, including all-state outfielder and region MVP C.J. Rodriguez (.538).
Also back are Matt Hamm (OF, .372), Jake Cole (Ut, .467), Josh Weyker (3B, .361), Adam Borboa (OF, Soph., .362), Drew McKeever (.293) and Mike Rodriguez (.268).
4A Conference, Division II
Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale) was one of the top-ranked teams in the nation all season long, but slipped up in the finals with a 7-4 loss to Cottonwood Mingus.
The Saints begin the season ranked No. 1, but they are off to a bit of a rough start this season with a 1-2 record. The loss total equals all of Notre Dame Prep’s losses for the 2009 season when it went 30-2. The Saints had a mostly senior crew last year, but all-region pick Taylor Scott (OF, Jr.) returns.
Greenway (Phoenix) could provide the biggest challenge to the Saints with all-state utility standout Zach Williams leading the way. Williams batted .414 for the Demons last year.
3A Conference
Fountain Hills was the easy choice as the preseason No. 1 team in the 3A conference as the Falcons return all-state pitcher Jake Tant (9-2) and all-state first baseman Michael DeGroote (.470). All-region picks Nathan Shooks (.372), Bryce Greager (.320), and Bradley Van Deinse (.381) are also back for the Falcons, who went 21-8 last year.
Wickenburg, the state runner-up last year, is the No. 2 pick in the conference.
2A Conference
Bourgade Catholic (Phoenix) starts the season at No. 1 in 2A despite losing a number of all-region seniors from last year’s squad. The Golden Eagles do return region MVP Eric Martinez (.529) as well as honorable mention pick Dan Hass (.398).
Pusch Ridge Christian Academy (Tucson) is the No. 2 pick with all-state pitcher Aaron Vaughn leading the way.
1A Conference
The return of all-state catcher George Young (.523) and all-state first baseman Felix Pedroza (.440) makes Gila Bend the favorite in the 1A conference.
Valley Union (Elfrida) returns all-state outfielder Jose Gamez and is ranked No. 2 in the preseason polls.
