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Golden Bears Want To
Regain Their Bite
By ROBERT LADNIER -
Mobile Press-Register Sports Reporter
Robertsdale,
AL (February 14, 2010) -- Missing the playoffs is just
something the Robertsdale High baseball team can't handle.
"This group of kids -- seniors,
juniors and sophomores -- wants to turn it around and get us
back to where we are used to being," Robertsdale coach Kevin
Raley said. "Last year we started out playing really well
but for some reason as the season went on we lost our focus.
Talent-wise I thought we had a pretty good ball club but we
ended up 12-22, which by our standards isn't very good."
The Golden Bears open the season against Daphne in the Hank
Aaron Classic in Foley at 4 p.m. Monday.
Robertsdale has four seniors on
the squad in Josh Baxter, Zach Feller, Blake Leonard and
Fred Avera.
The Bears return five starting
position players, including four infielders with Chris Wilks,
Adam Childress, Flynn Woods and Baxter along with outfielder
Adam Kucera.
"Hopefully we have a lot of
experience coming back from last year," Raley said. "We were
in a situation last year where we had to play an awful lot
of young kids. We played a lot this summer, so hopefully
that game experience will help us out."
The pitching mound should be
solid for Robertsdale with Baxter, Avera, Feller, Childress,
Isaac Bradford, Todd Wilcox, Jarrod Mack and Chason Smith
all available for action.
"So far, from the summer until
now, they are doing a really good job of competing, throwing
for strikes and pitching for contact," Raley said.
"Hopefully we will do a good job playing defense because I
don't think we have a pitcher who can go out and strike out
14 or 15 and shut people out. I do think those guys can
compete and win for us and that is what we are counting on."
According the Raley, the Bears
are ready put some bite back into baseball.
"This group here is looking to
turn it around," Raley said. "The off-season and weight room
work has been outstanding and the conditioning good during
the first two weeks.
"Everyone has to deal with the
weather, wet and cold, and we've practiced and are not going
to let the weather stop us. The field has taken a beating
but it will grow back."
Raley is counting on the Bears
coming back, too. |
