Valley baseball squads foster youth for victory

MAT-SU — May is the month for high school baseball, and teams from the Valley have been making noise. Two local teams defeated their Cook Inlet Conference opponents in non-conference matchups last week, showing that the Valley brand of baseball will travel well.

Wasilla Warriors

The Wasilla Warriors look to defend their region championship with a disciplined approach to baseball. Head coach Jason Terryberry has talent he hopes to work hard enough to be region champions again at the end of the season. But he knows his squad will have to beat the Colony Knights to do that.

“With such a short season, every game matters,” Terryberry said.

The Warriors lost to Colony 5-3 Tuesday night, but they don’t plan to duplicate that loss.

“We pride ourselves on error-free baseball, playing as a group (with) each individual filling their role,” Terryberry said. “(The players have) set their goals high, and we are trying to set a new standard to match what we did last year and win regions.”

The Warriors “error-free” play helped them score a huge non-conference win over the Chugiak Mustangs in eight innings Thursday night. Junior Nolan Monaghan provided the offensive spark, scoring senior three-sport standout Zack Garnett.

Garnett was the right man in the right position to score the win for the Warriors.

“I’m pretty quick. I like to steal bases,” Garnett said.

Garnett’s speed in the outfield and on the bases is well placed in front of Monaghan’s timely hitting. Monaghan is the ace of a young but talented pitching staff, with three years of experience and one of the sharpest breaking balls in the conference, his coach said.

Monaghan sees promise in the youth of their team, especially Hank Boyer.

“He can be there for us in big games. When he’s on offensively, I wouldn’t want to pitch to him,” Monaghan said.

Senior Blake Marks also has been hitting the ball very well and pushing Wasilla’s error-free ideal from the shortstop position.

“This team has the potential to be something special,” Monaghan said.

Colony Knights

Colony has nine seniors on the roster to help the youth on the team prepare for varsity action. Shortstop Matt Palmer, pitcher Dalton McHugill and Logan Sanders, for example, have all been good mentors to the younger players, fourth-year head coach Jordan Chadwell said.

“They’re talking to players on bus rides and showing them how they should mentally approach the game. They take their leadership seriously,” Chadwell said.

Palmer is one of a smaller group of seniors with experience in the state tournament their freshman year. Palmer excels on both ends of the field, with a strong arm anchoring the Knight defense and a batting arm that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. When he gets on base, it is likely not long before he will be making his way around them.

McHugill is another senior powerhouse, using his lanky frame to deliver strikeout after strikeout, including 10 against Wasilla.

“He has always been calm and collected,” said Chadwell, of McHugill. “He is a competitor and he is not going to let anything faze him.”

In the game against Wasilla, Sanders made a run-saving, diving catch in left field. Palmer’s speed was the difference in each of his two runs scored, with each play coming down to inches. McHugill not only possesses the physical tools to dominate, but mentally maintains toughness. Although he may have allowed Wasilla to threaten the lead late in the game, McHugill delivered strikes and had faith in his teammates on defense, who came through behind the senior.

Chadwell said when this senior class graduates, the youth will be ready to take up the reins.

“We have a really talented freshmen group,” he said. “They put the bat on the ball, and anything can happen at that point.”

Houston Hawks

The Hawks are primarily looking to up their experience this year. Led by sophomore captain Kendell Ruta, the group has little varsity experience, but does have size, speed and an eager attitude for the game of baseball.

Head coach Scott Ruta said the team just took the field for the first time one week ago — some players for the first time in their lives — and have done nothing but improve.

“From day one to now it’s been 150 percent improvement,” Ruta said. “We’ve spent every Friday just doing baseball education. Win or lose, we’re probably going to turn some heads.”

Ruta also praised his coaching staff and volunteer parents — especially his wife, Stacey Ruta — in bringing the team together. Assistant coaches Travis Buntin and Kelly Lyle — the pitching guru — have brought in significant expertise.

“He has so much knowledge, sometimes you just sit back and watch the guy work,” Ruta said, of Lyle. “I’m learning as much from him as these kids are.”

Kendell Ruta will lead the Hawks on the mound, but the Hawks will pitch a variety of freshmen this year, — including a 6-foot-5 left-hander. Coach Ruta does not expect velocity to be the cornerstone of the Houston attack, but expects his son to attack the strike zone.

Ruta’s goal for the team is to win at least as many games as they lose this year. But whatever the outcome of games, his players will have fun and not give up.

“I have a kid who played in Indiana. I asked him to bunt in practice and he said, ‘coach I can’t do it.’ Well he gave it a shot, and he laid the perfect bunt down, scored the guy, and to see the smile on his face and the joy to realize that he could do that was amazing,” Ruta said.

Palmer Moose

Palmer’s starting nine has more varsity experience than any other Valley squad.

Defensively, head coach Dave Combs cannot find a reason to be unhappy, with senior Elias Stratton leading standouts up the middle of the field. Jared Yanez will anchor the infield at short, and has the potential to be the best player in the conference, Combs said. Wyatt McKechnie patrols centerfield.

The Moose have strong arms and quick feet in the outfield, to form the school’s most impressive team in years, Combs said.

Late in a recent game against West Anchorage, Combs boldly took the bat out of Stratton’s hands, asking him to bunt a runner over. Stratton laid down a picture-perfect bunt down the line and gave Palmer the lead for good.

Cameron Jenson, working hard on the mound to keep the Eagles at bay, ripped a shot up the middle to score Stratton, increasing Palmer’s lead even more. Stratton had been struggling at the plate, but finished the hero when he came in to earn the save on the mound and drive in the winning runs.

Palmer had suffered a 17-0 loss to Chugiak the night before, adding extra incentive to come back and win against West.

“I think this team has the potential to put a banner up in the school, which is a conference championship,” Combs said.

Even with three-sport standout Adam Christiansen injured, the Moose are not lacking in quality pitching arms. Jenson kept a quick pace through four innings against West, giving up only three hits. Stratton fanned five Eagles through only three innings of work.

On paper, the Moose have the potential to compete with any team they face. But playing a whole seven innings of quality baseball is not done on paper. The Moose surrendered 13 runs in the third inning against Chugiak last week, a scar Combs hopes will be healed by the timely performance versus West.

The Moose beat the Kodiak Bears on their island Saturday 5-3.