Bengals trim rosters, make final cuts after weekend tryout
(Feb 25, 2008)
– Months of intramurals, conditioning and drills came to an end this past weekend when Bonanza's baseball team made its final cuts Saturday afternoon.
The varsity roster consists of 16 players while the JV roster will hold 14, as both teams begin preparing for the season opener, March 6, against Henderson-based Basic High School. The varsity roster adds nine new faces, while it returns seven varsity letterman. The varsity roster consists of six seniors, six juniors and four sophomores.
"It's finally time to get down to the business of baseball," head coach Derek Stafford said. "We have two weeks to prepare for Opening Night at Basic so these next few weeks are vital in the progress we began back in the fall, from weight room to intramurals to final cuts.
"The season is upon us so all the hard work, all the effort and all the commitment is about to collect on its rewards. It's always a tough afternoon for the coaches, when we have to make cuts and place players on their respective squads. That part is over and the season is upon us. It's very exciting."
The fairly balanced set of newcomers and veterans is proof that Bonanza will deal with youth and inexperience, at times, but also will be able to rely on the leadership of the seniors and returning letterman.
"Whether they're a returning senior or a sophomore, we're looking for our leaders to help the newbies grow accustomed to the speed of the game at this level," Stafford said. "We play in the state's toughest division, hands down, so every opportunity for growth, will pay dividends come league play. These are the young men we have decided to go to battle with this season and we're confident they are the ones to take us towards our team and individual goals as a program."
The JV team, coached by Joe Nichols, also features a solid corps of athletes and newcomers. With just 14 players, Nichols will be able to work extensively with the young talent in the program, which will help in their progression from JV players to varsity contributors.
"We saw a lot of good things from some of our younger guys," assistant coach Kevin Fiddler said. "Joe is going to be able to grow as a team and we see them winning their share of games. But what is most important is the development of each individual that we completely trust leaving in Coach Nichols' hands. He does a heck of a job, and our varsity squad is littered with his former players, so we are already seeing the fruits of his hard work and coaching."
Rosters have been posted on the Web site and short profiles and pictures are expected to follow. Click here for the varsity roster or here for the JV. The 2008 Bonanza Baseball Season Preview will be posted March 5 here at BonanzaBaseball.net.
