Evanston
Coach: Frank Consiglio
2016 record: 22-11 (10-6 Central Suburban South); lost to Notre Dame in Class 4A regional final
Key returners: Sr. SS Jesse Heuer, Sr. DH/P Chris Brown, Sr. P Matt Anderson, Sr. P/OF Joe Snapp
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At the plate: Heuer and Brown, a pair of returning seniors, headline the Evanston lineup. Consiglio said Heuer is a dynamic offensive player who see lots of pitches, gets on base frequently and is a quality base runner. Brown is the team’s power bat and sees lots of pitches as well. Junior third baseman Fletcher Brown and junior first baseman Joseph Epler are a pair of newcomers who are expected to contribute at the plate.
On the mound: Anderson and Snapp are penciled in as the top two starters for Evanston, but there are some question marks behind the duo. Anderson, a righty, is a control guy who only throws two pitches, but locates really well, Consiglio said. Snapp is a right-hander who relies on velocity. He is really good when he is able to consistently throw strikes, Consiglio said. Junior Will Lucas, junior Will Peterson, senior Charlie Kihm, and Epler are all guys Consiglio said are in the mix to round out the rotation.
Big question: Evanston is a relatively young team, so the Wildkits will have to overcome a lack of experience. Consiglio said he’s confident, however, that he has a talented team.
Glenbrook South
Coach: Steve Stanicek
2016 record: 12-17; lost to Stevenson in Class 4A regional semifinal
Key returners: Sr. P Brett Borre, Sr. P/IF Cam Pauly, Jr. OF Jack Anderson
At the plate: Anderson and junior Jacob Newman highlight the center of the lineup. Stanicek didn’t know where they would bat just yet, but said they had the flexibility to bat anywhere between Nos. 2-6. “They’re just real good hitters,” Stanicek said. “They can put the ball in play and have a little bit of power. But they’ll be in the middle of our lineup because they can put the ball in play.”
On the mound: Borre is the Titans’ most experienced returning pitcher after finishing third on the team last year in innings pitched. Stanicek said that Borre is a strike thrower. “He’s not a 90-mile-per-hour fastball guy, but he can throw two pitches, sometimes three pitches, for strikes,” Stanicek said. “If we can play good defense behind him, we’ll be very effective.” Also featured in the rotation are Newman, Pauly, junior Ryan Morrison and junior John Miskella.
Big question: Stanicek wondered how well his team will compete given its youth. Glenbrook South has 13 new players on varsity and 12 returning, 10 of whom are juniors. Only two of the position players projected to start are seniors.
Maine South
Coach: Bill Milano
2016 record: 9-21 (5-11 Central Suburban South); lost to Evanston in Class 4A regional semifinal
Key returners: Sr. IF/OF/P Danny Cerniglia, Sr. P/OF Danny Touhy, Sr. 3B/DH Jackson Theil, Sr. IF/OF Jaiden Ortiz, Sr. C Ryan Walsh
At the plate: The versatile Cerniglia (.294 BA in 2016) will lead a Hawks team that only hit one home run last year. Cerniglia is an Illinois Wesleyan recruit. Maine South will again rely on reaching base and moving runners around. “We haven’t had a kid hit more than five or six homers since 2013,” Milano said. “We preach making good contact and we’ll play small-ball — bunt, take walks, slash. We’ll do anything we can to get runners on base.”
On the mound: The Hawks won’t send a true ace to the mound, relying instead on Touhy, senior Marty McNulty, junior Joe Gabel, junior Justin Grigus and senior Luke Hinkamp. “Those guys will primarily be starters and they all may be used in relief, too,” Milano said. “Touhy is aggressive, Gabel’s a lefty with three pitches, Hinkamp is a big kid, and they all come from different arm angles.”
Big question: How much of a difference will team speed make? Milano’s offense will showcase something that players like junior outfielders John Machonga and Spyros Vaselopulos possess — speed. “We’ll have to utilize that speed on the bases,” Milano said. “And both of those guys are pretty athletic to go with the defensive speed they bring to the outfield.”
New Trier
Coach: Mike Napoleon
2016 record: 27-10 (13-3 Central Suburban South); lost to St. Charles North in Class 4A supersectional
Key returners: Sr. SS Kevin Donahue, Sr. 2B Will McNulty, Sr. C Dylan Horvitz, Sr. OF Matt Kann, Sr. OF Eric Nicholas, Sr. P/OF Sean Douaire, Sr. P Jack Falk, Sr. P Jack French, Sr. P Peter Schuldt
At the plate: New Trier returns several significant pieces from last year’s lineup, including Kann, who had a .352 average to go along with 32 RBIs. Horvitz led the team in homers last year with six and also drove in 32 runs. Nicholas hit .325 last season and will be the top threat on the basepaths after stealing 21 bases a year ago. McNulty returns for his third season as the starting second baseman. Varsity newcomer Anthony Calarco, a 6-4, 220-pound junior first baseman, is a bat to watch for the Trevians.
On the mound: Falk returns as the Trevians’ closer. Last season he went 8-for-8 in save opportunities and posted a 0.68 ERA. Schuldt went 2-0 last year and will throw a significant amount of innings this year, Napoleon said. French went 3-1 last season and earned a start in the regional tournament. Seniors Thomas Nugent and Douaire will round out the New Trier rotation.
Big question: Starting pitching is a definite question mark for New Trier. The Trevians no longer have the services of left-hander Ben Brecht, who is a freshman at UC Santa Barbara. Napoleon, who said he feels confident in the team’s ability to hit and play defense, noted that the Trevians lack a go-to starter like it had in Brecht.
Niles West
Coach: Garry Gustafson
2016 record: 17-13 (8-8 Central Suburban South); lost to Niles North in Class 4A regional semifinal
Key returners: Sr. SS Bryan Maldonado, Sr. OF Michael Gunartt, Sr. OF Greg Leftakes, Jr. SP/1B Sam Butera, Jr. SP Brandon Kaihara, Sr. 3B Johnny Pabst, Jr. C Diego Acosta
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At the plate: The right-handed hitting Gunartt is the team’s top batter and Gustafson called him “one of the top outfielders in the area, if not the state.” Gunartt has committed to Triton College. Acosta was an all-conference selection a year ago and a dangerous hitter from the right side. Maldonado is poised for a good year at the plate, Gustafson said, and he will switch over from second base to shortstop this season. Pabst is a three-year starter for the Wolves and a middle-of-the-order bat.
On the mound: Butera will be Niles West’s No. 1 starter following a successful sophomore campaign. Kaihara is the team’s No. 2 starter and Gunartt will be a weapon out of the bullpen for the Wolves, Gustafson said. Gunartt’s fastball can reach the upper 80s.
Big question: While the Wolves’ one-two punch of Butera and Kaihara is set, questions remain behind the duo. Gustafson said they are the only two pitchers on the staff with significant varsity experience as starters.
Niles North
Coach: Ed Toledo
2016 record: 23-13; lost to New Trier in Class 4A regional final
Key returners: Sr. SP George Sherman, Sr. SS/SP Gio Sanchez, Sr. OF/SP Cameron Benesch
At the plate: Niles North has a trio of hitters who are expected to fuel its offense this season. Sanchez returns for his fourth varsity season and is a power bat for the Vikings, who are in their first season in the Central Suburban South after previously playing in the North division. Senior Josh Schoenberg returns as the team’s starting catcher and will be relied upon to get on base, Toledo said. Junior second baseman Don Martin also is expected to have a big season.
On the mound: The starting rotation will be the Vikings’ strength, Toledo said. Sherman, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound left-hander, returns as a power arm and the ace of Niles North’s staff. Sanchez, a 5-10, 196-pound right-hander, is the club’s No. 2 option and Benesch, a 5-10, 180-pound right-hander, rounds out a formidable staff.
Big question: The club’s biggest question mark is its outfield. Toledo said Niles North will have a brand new outfield this season and the inexperience there is a concern heading into the season. If the Vikings receive quality production in the field and at the plate from those newcomers, it should be able to replicate last season’s success. Senior Dillon Leopoldo, junior Mike Egan, Benesch and junior E.T. Steiner are expected to play in the outfield this season.
Brett Christie, Gary Larsen and Matthew Paras are freelance reporters for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press