The time for recollecting or regrets is rapid involving an end for the Fairmont Elder Polar Bears baseball group, to hear them state it.

" Last period is last season, we've got to kind of forget that," head trainer Dave Ricer said.

Coming tantalizingly near a state title in 2014 prior to being up to Logan, the Fairmont Senior Polar Bears enter the new 2023 season coming off a state runner-up coating, and entering a brand-new team setting where they are enthusiastic their lineup questions will be addressed.

" It did give the youngsters a motivation this year, they saw what they can attain if they place the time in, and most of them did work quite hard over the winter months," Ricer said. "Now it's just a matter of determining who's where and that's doing what. We'll see what takes place."

The Polar Bears have a lot of effect gamers coming back, but they also have jobs using graduation and an offseason injury. They intend to have answers for those spots, but they also comprehend the certainty of change. With some ups as well as downs currently in their sights, more than anything, the Polar Bears hope to stay clear of a roller rollercoaster.

Returning for the Polar Bears consists of 2022 first team all-state leadoff guy Gunner Riley, gearing up for his elderly season after authorizing with the Fairmont State Falcons last month.

Riley lowered.459/ 542/.765 last season with 34 RBIs and also 48 runs, all while playing out of placement on protection, the all-natural second baseman patrolling ideal area in 2015.

" We got a child who is starving," Ricer claimed of Riley. "He's already signed with Fairmont State but he wishes to confirm a whole lot."

Perhaps equally as essential as his numbers on the field is the tone he sets for the team-- specifically worrying an early-season competition against the reigning champ Logan Wildcats on March 25.

" He's been speaking for a year now regarding our video game that very first Saturday versus Logan," Ricer said. "He wants a piece of them once more. He's been an excellent leader, the children regard him. He's a youngster that does not just speak the talk, he walks the stroll. The kids regard him and like him, and that makes it less complicated for us."

Outside of Riley, sophomores Trevor Bigelow, Web Cam Peschl and Logan Canfield, and also juniors Hayden Jones as well as Nate Whiteman played roles on in 2015's team, and will certainly need to play bigger roles this year.

This year's team is not as senior-laden as in 2014's team, with players like first team all-state outfielder Evan Dennison, Gavin Blair, Gavin Hissam and Dom Viani departing. But while in 2014's group was greatly comprised of either hardened elders or fresh-eyed underclassmen, this year's Polar Bears group wants to run a lot more in the center.

" We had much more senior citizens, however if you check out last year regarding kids that were in the mix, Canfield was a student, Bigelow was a fresher, Blake Straight was a freshman, Veltri played in a lot of games in 2015, he was a freshman," Ricer said. "We have actually got a great deal of players in roles on this team who were fresher as well as students in 2014 as well as that got that playing experience through the year.

" We had a great deal of seniors in 2014, however the young kids played a huge component in 2015 and this year they're returning still young yet with a year under their belts."

Fairmont Elder will certainly have plenty of new faces in everyday duties in 2023, starting with the pitching staff. Gone are stalwarts like Mayson Jack as well as Dom Viani, while Sam Viani will certainly be not available this year after enduring an injury throughout winter months.

Junior Hayden Jones (3-2, 4.92 AGE) as well as sophomore Blake Straight (2-0, 3.28 PERIOD) each made eight appearances in 2015, and need to require to the mound much more frequently this year. Gamers like Trevor Bigelow, Dom Barone, Matt Howvalt, Nate Whiteman and Tyler Veltri might likewise be in the mix.

" With the loss of a couple pitchers from in 2015's team, we're sort of saying 'Here's the ball, see what you can do with it,'" Ricer claimed.

Barone, a junior, and Howvalt, a senior, both handled injuries last period. Barone missed the whole year as well as Howvalt was not cleared to play until the state competition.

" Those are two kids we're going to want to and also we got two or 3 other children that really did a good task in 2014 as far as throwing, who we're hoping for advantages from," Ricer said.

Both corner outfield areas will certainly require replacing after the separation of Blair at third and also Hissam in the beginning. Manning the hot corner to start the year off will certainly be sophomore Trevor Bigelow, who struck.313 over 103 plate looks in 2015, where he mostly played catcher for Fairmont Elder. Initially base will certainly be jr Hayden Jones, that hit.298 over the course of 56 plate appearances.

The wrinkles can be found in with those two players' other obligations-- both Jones and Bigelow can see plenty of time throwing, leaving games up for grabs at either corner.

" We've obtained a couple various other kids at those areas who have actually shown lots of progress," Ricer said. "We'll overcome it as well as see what takes place."

The Polar Bears are coming into the period taking such matters in stride, recognizing that with a team still turning into itself, adjustment as well as lineup shock are unavoidable.

" It's like we told the youngsters, we can almost bet the ranch that what the beginning of the season schedule resembles, that's not going to resemble what the end of the period schedule appears like," Ricer stated.

With a long season in advance, Ricer is not concerning his group with returning to the state tournament prior to the period's also started. First comes the group's opening game against South Harrison on March 20, and daily brings a brand-new obstacle afterwards.

" For beginners, we're looking to succeed in the meeting," Ricer stated. "We're looking for the meeting to be strong top-to-bottom, even stronger than it was in 2014. I assume whoever comes out of our meeting right into states, they'll be a significant group."

The one-game-at-a-time mindset could can be found in useful when it comes to the ebbs and flows of the period. Fairmont Senior citizen ended up 22-10 last period, but endured a six-game losing touch that had them at 5-6 11 video games into the year. This go-round, Ricer is expecting a much more regular approach.

" I believe last year they saw the great and also the bad," Ricer claimed. "I assume they saw what was essential when we made our perform at the end of the year. It was remaining on an even-keel and it was uniformity. These children are still hungry and they have actually obtained something to show."