Pre-Season 2004 Top-10

High School Baseball Teams in

Northwest Indiana: 4-1-2004

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

Last year was a very strong season with ten 20-win teams and two state finalists. The drop of Noll to 2A creates a scenario where there could be three state finalists. Valparaiso, Clark, Lake Central, Lowell, Munster and Crown Point suffered heavy graduation losses. Andrean and LC could return to the state finals but LaPorte will make things very hard for anyone from Lake and Porter County. The new mid-week regional will put a premium on pitching. The plush offensive squads could have a big advantage if teams are forced to win 5 playoff games (sectional, regional and semistate) in eight days.

1. LaPORTE (22-10-1)

A touch ahead of Andrean as the top team because they have do not have any questions. LaPorte returned all 21 players who were on the roster when the Slicers won the sectional title last year. Bigger and stronger, they will not bat .265 as a team again. Andy Weeks (9-2, 1.50 ERA) is the top left-handed pitcher in this area and his curveball slows most teams. Weeks ended his season with 16 consecutive scoreless innings in the state tournament. Second baseman Nick Overmeyer (.387), Joel Matheney (.390) and Jared Mrozinske (.370, 19 steals) and offensive producers but this team just won't need a lot of runs. The eight-time state champions expect to win and are expected to win. no team has more reason to win than this one.

2. Andrean (27-7)

Very strong. The sad part of this season is that there is no way (barring multiple rainouts and somebody putting together a late season blockbuster) that Andrean and LaPorte can meet. The 59ers should have right-hander Mike Ryan (12-1, 1.75 ERA) who struck out 108 and walked 36 in 80 innings. Catcher Mike Staehle (.411, 28 RBIs) is also back. Ryan Pishkur (.338) and Louie Grugel (.449) add punch at the plate. Nick Stockwell (.354) and Tommy Finn (.296), if he's recovered from basketball injuries, should be fine in the field. Coach Dave Pishkur still plays Providence, Mt. Carmel, Harrison and Penn, a lot of the old independent schedule. The sectional is soft (other than Kankakee Valley) and Plymouth is a little down. Andrean always has high goals but they were in the state finals last year.The goal of this team is a return to the finals.

3. Lake Central (23-6-1)

LC graduated 14 seniors after reaching the state finals in 2003 but this is a very big school with a lot of players. 6-6 junior Brett Summers (7-2, 2.34, 70 strikeouts, 21 walks in 69 innings) is the top pitching prospect in northwest Indiana and LC also returns catcher Ryan Goodman. first baseman Mike Couwenhoven (.404, 24 RBIs, .985 fielding %) and third baseman Brent Gerlach (.385, 22 RBIs). LC and Andrean are fueled by top-caliber Little League teams out of Dyer and, other than the 1997 Dyer World Series team, which came through LC last year, the best teams have not reached the 16, 17 and 18 year old level.

4. Bishop Noll (16-10)

Noll should make a dramatic rise this year behind pitchers Ryan Bobos (6-5, 1.67 ERA) and Andy Loomis (7-2). Both Bobos (.444) and Loomis (4-for-4 against Hobart, 3-for-4 against North Newton in the final week of the year) are are solid hitters. First baseman Brian Clark (.419, 3 HRs, 20 RBIs) also throws his bat on the fire. Mike Kirgis also has offensive potential. And remember, even if they don't rise DURING the year, they will soar in the post-season. Noll's sectional competition is Hanover, Boone, Wheeler and Lake Station. 'This is a Class 2A superpower in the making.

5. Crown Point (22-10-1)

CP graduated 10 seniors but not everybody knows what's left. Right-hander Mike Schultz leads a big, physically imposing pitching staff that should be strong with 6-4 Jim Wilson, 6-3 left-hander Matt Jansen, 6-8 right-hander Adam Quinn and sophomore Tommy Wise. The Bulldogs may not hit much but, frankly, they didn't hit much last year. This will be a very fast team. Jake Pierce (.296) is a base-stealer, leadoff man and center fielder who doubled and scored the winning run in the 1-0 12-inning win over LaPorte last year at the South Bend Regional. Senior Matt Cowan is a fine left-fielder and another speed threat. Doug Ricard may develop into a RBI man at third base while Matt Long and Dave Dickerson add speed and should eventually hit. Coach Steve Strayer won 20 games with a lot less when he was at Boone.

6. Merrillville (7-20)

Here's another major mover and shaker behind right-hander Jason Plys (5-5. 2.08, 63 strikeouts, 24 walks). The Pirates had a very good youth team that should now be at the 16-year-old level. Bo McLendon has a lot of speed. Jose Ponce has power potential. Middle infield twins Steve and Scott Saberniak have skills. Jimmy Reitz could hit with power. This team paid heavy dues last year in the DAC but they were improving when the season ended. Plys could win 10 and he also batted .341 with 20 RBIs last year.

7. Highland (24-7)

They won't go 24-7 again but Kris Boyd (.398) and Bill Metzen (.424, 21 RBIs) should lead a solid attack. Metzen was 5-3 as a pitcher. Kevin Thomas is a power hitter and Brett back will add offense. The Trojans may not be deep in pitching but no one in their league is. Highland could hit their way to the LAC title.

8. Valparaiso (27-5)

The region's best team last year lost some fine athletes. Brian McMillan, the basketball center, should pitch and freshman Clint Krysa, who beat Munster last year, also can throw. Ryan Nuppnau can add offense and a couple of boys have waited a long time for a chance. The Vikings will start slow but they will rally. This team is 80-13 over the last 3 years and they have some dominant Little League teams coming.

9. Lowell (25-7)

The Red Devils lose .500 hitter Ryan Basham and solid players like Matt Roberts and Justin Bales. But Lowell returns Ed Overdorf (3-1), Jason Corns (1-0) and Nat Oaf, all of whom can pitch, hit and play the field. Mike Stoner and Greg Johnson are both experienced players and younger players like Clayton Miller will contribute in the field. The 25-win total may be out of the question but in a 6-team sectional with East Chicago and West Side, you're always a draw and a bye away from the sectional title game.

10. Munster (20-10)

Munster's junior varsity was very strong last year and they'll return left-handed pitchers Brian Penman (4-1) and Brian Bokowy (2-2) plus righty Brian Hayes (5-0). The Mustangs will need to find some new offense because they graduated a half dozen good hitters. But that JV won the Munster Invitational all by themselves. The Mustangs may lose some low scoring games but they'll rally by the end of the year.

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