Thought I would post some thoughts, scores and known highlights of Colonial Heights (Central District) games.
But first.....The past 3 years the Colonials have busted into the Final top 10 coaches poll, but routinely they are left out on pre-season discussions and in fact are written in as only a possible District Championship qualifier. Not discounting the contribution of senior players that have come and gone in those 3 years, but there have been a core group of young guns (now seniors) that have really kept coach Goulder above a .750 winning percentage these past 3 years. I'm talking about Stoneback, McCarty, Draper, and Neddo. When they leave, Goulder will more than likely follow them out the gates of Shepherd Stadium for the last time in his illustrious career...Next year, you can go ahead and leave them off.
They may not have the arms or bats of the Dominion District, but their defense this year is amoung the best in the region. If Stoneback and McCarty can stay hot on the bat in the 3 and 4 spot, they'll score some runs at any time in the game. Could be early...could be late, but this team showed while playing Manchester, they won't give-up.
Other than Phil Griffith (Jr), the pitching rotation for the Colonials is still anyone's guess. Brett Draper (Sr. LHP) has been exercising his arm during the off-season after TJ surgery sidelined him last summer. He says it feels stronger than it ever has and he is expected to get the green light from his doctors to enter games in the later half of this season. Currently he's pulling duty at 1st base and is doing well hitting from the left side of the plate. The Colonials have other pitchers (Lee, Kidd, and Steele). Although they cannot humm-it by batters at 90+ they can keep good hitting teams off balance long enough to hold a lead (assuming run support is there), and then there's McCarty who can come from behind the plate to close out games if need be.
Defensively the Colonials were worried about the outfield, but with the addition of some speedy young talent I believe they have that covered. Some of them are smaller bodied types and are having some difficulty adjusting to Varsity pitching, but as the season grows, I'm sure they will too.
First, is Brett Draper going to be able to pitch this season?
Also, don't denigrate the Central vis a vis the Dominion quite so quickly. From what I've seen, the Dominion is a two-horse race this year, and outside of those two, talent is markedly thinner than in recent years. I especially have not seen any really dominant pitching outside the top 2 -- not like last year when you had Wilson at Midlothian, Tierney at Clover Hill, and Laney at Bird.
Bird in particular seems headed for a tough season. So far they've given up 9 and 12 runs in their first two games, and the second game might've been more had it not been stopped after 5. What's more, they used the same guy in long relief on back-to-back days, and he was ineffective both days but no one came in after him. Meaning, it's not clear they have anyone who can get anybody out consistently, and after their third arm they don't even have confidence to go deeper into the bullpen.
I hear tell that Manchester has a strong 2009 crop, but I haven't seen it on the field yet. And Col. Heights has already beaten them, as you noted.
As of right now, it looks like there's less top-to-bottom strength this year than in 2006 or 2007, and that situation may get worse in 2009.
But, these things do tend to ebb and flow over the years, so I suppose that's no great surprise.
Posts: 2425 | Location: Virginia | Registered: February 01, 2006
One thing I wonder is: Will the Dominion teams be as tested and ready come playoff time as they have been in recent years?
I think Midlothian surprised the north siders back in 2006. Monacan took the region in 2007. In 2008, not only did James River win, but Cosby made a strong showing even without any seniors in their first year. But those were years when the intra-district play was at a much higher level than it looks like it will be this year.
Come the end of May, I wonder if the Dominion teams will be as ready to man up in playoff games as they have been the past few years. Seems to me a team with a guy like Cutler-Voltz or Mayers or Galbraith or Hudgins on the mound might very well be capable of stopping a team on any one day.
Posts: 2425 | Location: Virginia | Registered: February 01, 2006
Brett has been progressing very well. He did well during rehab. He was doing some throwing at the RBA during the winter and the Dr. (I believe it is Cutter) appointment is on the 30th of this Month. His mother told me that appointment is for clearance to begin pitching no more than a certain amount of pitches. I'm guessing that if he does return to the mound this year it will still be late in the season or (if the Colonials make it) in the post season. Brett plans on playing Legion ball where he hopes to pitch during the summer. He is a good lefty with a 3+ GPA that hopefully could get some interest from a D2 or D3 late in the summer. I wish him the best.
Kenny Stoneback 1 for 2, 1 BB, 1 run Brett Draper 1 for 3, 1 rbi JD McCarty 2 for 2, 1 BB
Will Roberts (Dominated on the mound with 12K's), Hit the ball (I told them not to pitch to him!)
Most of the Colonials batters were overmatched with only the veterans getting anywhere near Robert's pitches. Roberts mixes his speeds up very well, but mainly stuck to his fastball when dealing with the younger batters. I was behind a scout who was gunning Roberts and was seeing mostly uppers 80's with an occasional lower 90's fast ball. The Colonials Pitchers didn't do a bad job, but MWGS got the hits when they needed them and most of the damage came at the hands of Will Roberts.
The Colonials will have time to lick there wounds and try to right the boat when the play in the LC Bird tourney next week. I've heard that the tournanment is not so much a tournament as it will be a round robbin type of event this year with only 4 teams participating. Also, our games will be played in the early afternoon's thus allowing for maximum patronage from family and friends....I know one player who is sick of the LC Bird Tourney!
Army Out!
Posts: 100 | Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia | Registered: September 07, 2006
(Jr. RHP) Phil Griffith pitched 5 innings. He left the game with the Colonials trailing 4 to 0 (all earned) and was relieved by (Jr. LHP) Jeffery Kidd who was outstanding giving up no hits with 4 K's in 2 innings of work. The Monacan skipper chose to replace their starting pitcher in the top of the 6th and the Colonials led by pinch hitter (Sr. RHP/3B) Kaleb Lee began a 6th inning tear. The Monocan relief pitcher loaded the bases and allowed a run to score by a hit batter. With bases loaded and Kenny Stoneback on first, (Sr. C/RHP) JD McCarty hit a zinger to the right center wall scoring Stoneback and tying up the game at 4 a piece. Monocan replaced their RHP reliever with a LHP and the Colonials would need extra innings to go ahead in the 9th when (Sr. SS/OF) Kenny Stoneback hit a rope to left center scoring two and taking a 6 to 4 lead into the bottom of the 9th. JD McCarty came from behind the plate to close things out.
Colonial Heights (3 wins and 1 loss)
Box score tomorrow.
Posts: 100 | Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia | Registered: September 07, 2006
All I can report is Josh Karr was on...our pitchers Solomon and Lee were not. Bird batters hit, hit, and hit somemore I can't remember how many homers there were. Hopefully it was a good time for the Colonials to have a bad game before they go into District play next week.
Posts: 100 | Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia | Registered: September 07, 2006
Hot hitter Brett Draper 4 for 4 with a homerun Phil Griffith on the mound for the Colonials pitched a complete game Solomon hit his first HR of the season
Center Fielder Jackie Bradley of Prince George made a catch at the fence (in Left Field) robbing Stoneback of his second homerun.
Defensively the Colonials looked solid committing only one error in the contest.
Colonials are 5-2 overall 1-0 District
Posts: 100 | Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia | Registered: September 07, 2006
The Colonials finally found their range in the late innings with J.D. McCarty and Brett Draper hitting homers. Phil Griffith gets the complete game win giving up only 3 hits and no earned runs and striking out about 10. The story on defense was Kenny Stoneback's omnipresence having no less than 10 assists from the ss position. Hopewell made a run by tying up the game in the bottom of the 7th. The Colonials came right back when Brett Draper hit his 3rd hit of the game and second HR of the season to put the Colonials ahead for good. Griffith remained on the mound in the 8th and struck out the side to win the game.
Colonials 2 - 0 District 6 - 2 Overall
Posts: 100 | Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia | Registered: September 07, 2006
