Deep Alaska Road Warriors team faces tough schedule

WASILLA — There wasn’t much of a preseason, but when the Alaska Road Warriors take the diamond tonight, skipper Myrl Thompson is hoping his Wasilla-based American Legion squad is ready to hit the field running.

“We’re pretty strong. We’ve got a lot of kids back,” Thompson said of his team, which opens the season tonight at 6:30 p.m. against Chugiak at Oberg Field.

The 2013 edition of the Road Warriors — a team made up of players from Colony, Wasilla, Houston and Palmer — had its only official practice of the season Monday. But his players are also fresh off their high school seasons.

“Saving grace may be a lot of our kids are Colony kids. They were playing up until Saturday. That’s almost two-thirds of our starting lineup,” Thompson said.

Colony finished the regular season undefeated and won the Southcentral Conference title before finishing 1-2 and placing sixth in the state tournament last weekend at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage. Jacob Butcher, Shane Andrews, Ben Ross, Morgan McJimsey, Matt Palmer and Logan Sanders are among the Colony players on the Road Warriors varsity roster. The Warriors will also feature another Colony product, Jonathon Boyer, who missed the Alaska American Legion last year to pursue a chance to play summer baseball Outside. Boyer recently was named the Southcentral Conference Player of the Year, and earned all-tournament honors at the state tournament.

“He’s pretty smooth. He has good hands. He has a lot more power than the last time he played for me,” Thompson said of Boyer, a shortstop and pitcher. “He’s obviously our ace on the mound too.”

Boyer and Butcher will be near the front of the pitching rotation for the Road Warriors. Butcher will play right field and centerfield, Thompson said. Boyer could also see time at first base.

Thompson said the Warriors should have good depth in the middle infield. That group, led by Boyer, also includes Wasilla High’s Mitchell Chauvin, Palmer’s Kevin Christopher and former Houston standout Russ Ruta.

Ruta, 19, recently completed his freshman season at Simpson College in California.

Ross (third base) and McJimsey (catcher) are among the starting infielders returning for the Road Warriors. Andrews will see time at first, and Wasilla High’s Jake Grissom is expected to be the backup catcher, Thompson said.

Veteran outfielder Tyler Hansen is back. Houston’s Jaden Sears is also on the squad.

The Road Warriors entered the state tourney as the No. 3 seed last year after finishing 16-10 during the regular season. Thompson expects his team to be among the top teams in the state again this season.

Thompson said his team does have a tough schedule. The Warriors open with three straight road games and only have three home dates in June. The squad also has a three-game road trip to Juneau in July.

Contact Jeremiah Bartz at 352-2273 or

sports@frontiersman.com.