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Show ; ' - x - - 'i I 4 V - "W - - 6 6 This league is tough from top to bottom. Remember, we didn't win the league last year, so the guys want it this season. 9 9 -Phil Olsen Senior Dave Wilson is slated as the designated hitter but is also available to step in just about anywhere on the field and contribute. PITCHING WISE the Braves have some horses in their stable. Senior Phillip Schmutz is back for his final year after a great junior campaign. Junior Steve Luddington has turned into a great lefth-anded lefth-anded pitcher but the Braves don't stop there. "1 think we have seven guys who can throw, noted Olsen "besides those two we have Graham Gallagher. Gal-lagher. Scott Ongley. Steve Jacobsen. and Packer along with Eric Johnson who can pitch Helping with baseball this season will be Stan Buccanon. who helped last year and Jim Dredge who played for the Braves last season. COACH OLSEN isn't accepting the region trophy tro-phy yet, "this league is tough from top to bottom. Remember we didn't win the league last year so the guys want to this season." he said. Bountiful is the team to beat, according to all their opposing coaches, and everyone realizes they have some talent. Thus far this season the Braves are 4-0 with six guys hitting over .400 led by Minhondo at .600 and Eric Johnson at .538. THE BOTTOM line is that Bountiful has a solid ball team and it's going to take some great efforts to knock them off. But they realize there are teams in their own region that can beat them. King of the Baseball Battles Dave Wigham Clipper Sports BOUNTIFUL In all his years of coaching baseball at Bountiful Phil Olsen has never had to face the problem staring him straight in the eye before. PHIL IS in the position of being a wanted man. That is to say, his club is on the wanted list of most other high school clubs. Bountiful was the state champions a year ago and, much like the old West, all the other schools are out to knock of the big guns. Phil really doesn't mind though, because, the players under his guidance gui-dance can handle the pressure. "SL'RE WE know everyone is pointing to us as the team to beat, and they should," he said with pride rather than conceit. "We're a good team, and if the weather stays decent and we continue to improve like we have, we could very well become a great team." Remember folks it's not bragging if you can back it up and the Braves certainly have the people to do just that. IT'S NO wonder the coach and fans of the Braves are optimistic this season, especially when you consider the Braves have just about everyone back from their championship team. Usually, when a Bountiful has the luxury of being able to come at you from both sides of the mound. Senior Phillip Schmutz is a right hander who the colleges are drolling over while junior Steve Luddington throws with the left hand. These are the two standouts of the pitching staff that features seven arms. club takes the state crown, the coach is left with a new crew the following year to defend that title, but that just isn't the case with the Bountiful club. Truth is the Braves have everyone back with the exception of their catcher and a top pitcher. Rob Allred and Kevin Beyer both graduated but they were the only seniors that saw much action, the rest were juniors and sophomores. WITH ALLRED gone the catching duties fall on the shoulders of Rob Minhondo, ajunior, who stepped step-ped in for Allred in the state tournament last year when he injured his finger. Known as a good defensive defen-sive receiver, Rob has surprised Coach Olsen with a .600 batting average for pre-season. The entire infield for the championship Braves is returning with Jeff Pitcher at first, Mike Stevens at second, Todd Beck at shortstop and Steven Beyer at third. These four players form a great defensive unit who have played together for years. Stevens has really been hitting the ball well in pre-season; Beyer has vastly improved his hitting and Beck is a major college prospect at shortstop; Pitcher has played solid also. THE OUTFIELD also returns in tact with junior Eric Johnson roaming left, senior Todd Smith in center and senior Lex Brown in right. These three have excellent range and speed and will catch just about anything hit in the air. |