ROCKTON—Two IHSA 4A Super Sectional appearances in three seasons can create quite a high precedent.
But this season’s edition of the Hononegah baseball team certainly isn’t shying away from the lofty expectations. Instead, the Indians are embracing it.
“Coach (Matt) Simpson really engraves into us that we have a standard here,” senior Drake Broege said. “We try our best to meet that standard.”
“Our 2021 team that got fourth at state, I think they actually raised the stakes,” said Simpson, who is entering his 20th season as Hononegah’s head coach. “As a coaching staff, we always believed that it could happen, but I don't know as players that they always did until it actually happened.
“This is the standard. We don't have to take a back seat to the teams in the Fox Valley anymore. We can be the team that people in the sectional are looking at that says, 'Hey, we have to play through Hononegah.' And that's what we want.”
The Indians highlighted a 29-7 2023 season by finishing 16-2 in the NIC-10, where it finished with Freeport in a tie for first, winning both 4A regional and sectional titles before falling 5-0 to York in a Super Sectional.
“It's an exciting thing to be thought of as one of the top programs in the area and to know that every year we expect to compete for regional and sectional titles, and, ultimately, to get down to state and improve on that fourth place finish,” Simpson said.
Hononegah only lost three senior starters but they were big ones in conference MVP Maddux Hibbard, who locked down first base and was stellar from the mound, NIC-10 First Teamer Ryan Hamilton, an outstanding hitter and catcher, and NIC-10 Special Mention Jeremiah Olson, a stalwart on the corner infield spots.
“We lost Ryan, Maddux and Jerry which really stinks,” Broege said. “But we got a lot of young kids that are coming who can stick the ball. First baseman Nick Santis, left fielder Cameron Nelson — they’re all dawgs and all good.”
While sophomore Santis will be one of the younger faces in the infield, Simpson has been impressed with his early resume.
“He comes up after playing freshman only last year, and he looked spectacular both at the plate and defensively,” the head coach said. “In the three weeks that we've had practice, he has taken that leadership role at first base and moved ahead of some guys.”
Senior Austin Dresser, a NIC-10 First Team selection last season, will make the majority of starts at third base, as he has done the past two seasons, and junior Jakob DeLeo will return as the starting shortstop. Senior Xavier Huber will be seen in the two middle infield spots after playing a bunch of innings there last season.
As for replacing Hamilton’s glove behind the plate? Simpson said there are two players vying for the role early on.
“Bryce Ewing, who started (the season opener against North Boone) and Logan Risch have both looked good in the bullpens,” Simpson said. “Bryce has looked a little bit better to us defensively, which is why he's getting the looks here early.”
Hononegah has one of the best outfields in the area with NIC-10 First Teamer Landen Seymour, who recently committed to play at UW-Whitewater, roaming center field and NIC-10 First Teamer Logan Edward playing in right.
“Landen in center is obviously the catalyst,” Simpson said. “His reads on balls are spectacular and he's got speed. Balls hit up the middle or to the right side in the air, we anticipate being out.”
While Nelson got the opening-day start in left field, Simpson said several young players will compete for playing time there.
“It's a battle every day in practice,” Simpson said. “It's a healthy thing to battle for positions and we'll get it figured out. It's just a matter of who's going to seize the opportunity.”
The rotation will have some holes to plug with Hibbard gone and stellar frosh Jackson Stahl, who earned a spot on the All-NIC 10 First Team as a freshman, missing the start of the season due to injury.
“Jackson was probably our number one last year,” Simpson said. “So, we're hoping that he can anchor our staff again. But if he can't, we feel that we can still compete with some other guys that we have.”
While Simpson emphasized that Hononegah had up to 15 players capable of taking innings from the mound, he did point to a few players he is sure will lock it down with their arms.
Nolan Mabie made the opening day start and allowed just one earned run and one hit with 12 strikeouts in six innings. He also made the start in the Indians’ Super Sectional as just a freshman.
“Easton Stewart is a kid that was on JV most of the year last year, was up and down a little bit at the beginning of the year, but his bullpens have looked really good,” Simpson said. “Jakob DeLeo out of the bullpen is a weapon. It remains to be seen whether he may end up being a starter for us this year.”
The lineup will be dangerous with Seymour, Dresser and Broege, a powerful designated hitter who blasted several homers last season, highlighting the top of the order.
“You wouldn't think with a kid of his size and his strength, but Drake’s really a complete hitter,” Simpson said.
Contending for the crown in the NIC-10 will be Rockford Boylan, who Simpson said is always well-coached and plays the game the right way even when their talent level isn’t at its highest. Harlem will be a tough competitor with stellar pitching and Belvidere North and Freeport both tout hot-hitting offenses.
Hononegah, who opened the season with wins over North Boone and East Dubuque, begins NIC-10 play when it visits Belvidere on April 8.
Most Popular
Comments / 0