Three city teams at Junior Legion state
Eight teams qualified for the Junior American Legion Class “A” state tournament that begins this afternoon in Manhattan.
Three of them are from Lawrence.
The Bandits, Desperadoes and Mavericks each won its respective zone tournament on the road to qualify for the state tourney for youths aged 17 and under.
“You’ve got to like the odds that a Lawrence team is going to be in the final,” Desperadoes (and Lawrence High) coach Brad Stoll said.
Two Lawrence teams potentially could play in the final, with the Mavericks, coached by Lawrence High assistant Adam Green, on one side of the bracket and the Bandits, coached by Free State coach and athletic director Mike Hill, and the Desperadoes on the other.
The first potential all-Lawrence matchup could come Saturday in the semifinals if the Bandits defeat the Blue Valley Huskies Black at 1 p.m. and the Desperadoes get past the Salina Eagles at 3:30. The Mavericks will play the Salina Hawks at 6 p.m.
The Desperadoes and Mavericks are Lawrence High players, and the Bandits roster features Free State players, but the teams’ coaches said they will be pulling for each other this weekend – as long as they’re not playing each other.
“We’re definitely cheering for (the Bandits), and I’m obviously cheering for the Mavericks,” Stoll said.
“In the summertime, we’re all Lawrence people,” he explained. “It’s not a Lawrence High-Free State thing.”
“That’s kind of the way baseball is, at least in this town,” Green said. “We pull for each other over here, and I think it’s improved the quality of baseball in the town.”
Hill said all the players will get a kick out of playing each other, if it works out that way.
“To have your friends there along with you makes it exciting for them. I’m not sure the people that are running the hotel all three of us are staying in will enjoy it,” Hill joked, “but we’ll find out.”
The Bandits’ coach said if those friends end up in opposite dugouts this weekend, the players’ competitive juices will take over.
“I think when kids compete, I don’t care who it’s against – Lawrence or Timbuktu – they want to win,” Hill said.
Green said the tournament should be wide-open.
“I would have to think that any one of our three teams has as good a shot as anybody,” the Mavericks’ coach said.
Hill said he likes the Mavericks’ chances because of their talent and experience.
“If I were pressed to select somebody, I would certainly think they would be the favorite,” Hill said of Green’s squad.
Regardless of the weekend’s outcome, the presence of three teams at the tournament speaks to the quality of baseball in Lawrence, the coaches said.
“I think there’s a lot of excitement about baseball in Lawrence as a whole,” Stoll said. “With the success of KU and the successes that both high school teams have had, I think a lot of people in town are excited about baseball.”
Equally as important, Stoll added, is the success of the American Legion Lawrence Raiders team, the four-time defending state champs.
Hill echoed that sentiment and praised the Lawrence baseball scene in general.
“I just think the health of Lawrence baseball is very good, and it’s because of a lot of people in the youth programs on up that put in a lot of time with our kids and help them reach the level that they have,” Hill said.
Each of the Lawrence coaches named a few of their top performers from the summer season.
“It’s obviously a team endeavor,” the Bandits’ Hill said, “but with that in mind I think we’ve been led on the mound with Cody Lown and Ryan Scott in particular.”
He went on to name leadoff hitter Adam Brock as a “catalyst” and Raff Thompson and Adam Petz – the teams No. 3 and 4 hitters – as good run-producers.
Stoll said his Desperadoes have been led by shortstop Landon Moseley; Jack Bush, a cleanup hitter and “dominant” pitcher; center fielder and pitcher Drew Branstrom; catcher Chase McElhaney; and Taylor Gentry.
“They’ve been very consistent and kind of sparked everything for us,” Stoll said of the Desperadoes’ first five hitters.
Green said the Mavericks have been led by three right-handed pitchers – Mitch Woodson, Andy Urban and Dorian Green. Green, who also plays AAU basketball, has missed games this summer, but is expected to rejoin the team Saturday.
The first three batters in the Mavericks’ lineup – Aaron Ray, Jake Green and Clint Pinnick – have been productive, their coach said.
“Those are guys that we’ll be relying on not only this summer, but as the high school season progresses in the spring,” the Lions’ assistant said.