The Jaguar Varsity baseball team looks to start the season fresh with some new blood in the locker room.  The Jags have a new pitching coach, Mr.Justin Puentes. Coach Puentes went to Paul VI High School and played college baseball at Lynchburg college and Ferrum college.  Returning coaches Mr. Frank Werman, Mr. Paul Johnson, and Mr. Jason Doherty have introduced a new motto “Do Simple Better” in which the team looks to practice simple fundamentals rather than trying to do too much.

Jaguar baseball had six seniors on the team last year and this year the team has only four: Sean Clary (12), Andrew James (12), Nicco German (12), and Dimitri Rike (12).  German is new to the team after transferring from Robinson Secondary School after playing three seasons with their baseball team.  German wants to bring a new attitude to the team, “There is no trying, just doing”.

This year’s freshman class shows some good young talent with Ryan Bailey (9), Cameron Karicher (9), and Tyler James (9).  Bailey was excited to make the varsity team, saying, “It felt great and I was ready to work from day one.”  All three freshmen are excited to meet their new teammates and get their young Jaguar careers rolling.  The returning sophomores include Alex Bruning (10), Luke Strother (10), Ryan Clary (10), Matt Gutermuth (10), Caleb Sedmak (10), Noah Sedmak (10), Paul Huddleston (10), Wyatt Mayfield (10), and  Jacob Brottman-Krass (10).  The team has three returning juniors, Ryan Haynes (11), Max Miller (11), and Steven Huddleston (11).

The pitching staff looks to be stronger than ever for the Jags with Haynes, S.Clary, and German leading the way.  Coach Puentes is looking to establish sound fundamentals that will hopefully lead to success on the field.  Haynes is looking forward to working with the new pitching coach, saying, “He is going to help us out a lot and I can’t wait to get on the mound.”  

The squad is looking to improve after finishing with a 7.15 team earned run average in 2015.  The Jags finished with a 4-17 record, but this year the team is expecting much better results.  Varsity baseball had a great offseason and the guys are growing stronger as a team.