CORBIN —
By Chris Parsons
Staff Writer
Last season, the Whitley County Colonels turned in a 14-17 season under first-year head coach Kyle Adams after losing in the first round of the district tournament.
The good news for Adams is that after last season, he didn’t lose any players to graduation and has a full squad coming back this season.
The bad news for the Colonels is that most of the talent Adams returns is in the form of a large group of underclassmen.
With the start of the regular season just around the corner, Adams said the biggest obstacle for his team so far has been the lack of time they’ve been on the field thanks to Mother Nature.
“I think we may have been on the field three times so far in the preseason,” Adams said. “It seems like every time we get a chance to get some practice time in, the weather does its thing and keeps us indoors.”
As for the team itself, Adams said the lack of experience
“We’ve got two seniors, three juniors and the rest are sophomore and freshmen,” Adams said. “That pretty well tells you that we are extremely young and we were young last year.
“We really don’t know what to expect because of the lack of time on the field,” he added. “We’re just like any other team right now that is young in the fact that you just hope for the best and try to stay away from a bunch of injuries as you go along.”
While the fact that the Colonels are young, Adams said there are some benefits to that youth. Those young players that haven’t solidified any playing time can sometimes push other players to do well, which can lead to competitiveness when it comes to playing time.
“Some teams you have kids that just come in and expect playing time to be given to them, and every team has some of those kids,” Adams said. “I let those kids know that nothing is going to be given to them and they will earn the chance to play.
“We have some kids that go out and just go through the motions and until we have everyone working as hard as the next one, we’ll struggle a little bit,” he added. “But I think we’ll get there eventually.”
As for experience and leadership, Adams will look to his two seniors, Tilmon Jackson and Alex Rose. While he’s not pitching, Jackson holds down the fort at second base, while Rose will be the regular third baseman if he isn’t manning the pitcher’s mound as well.
Junior returnees Corey Crisologo, Jordan Crusenberry and Cody Lewis will be in the mix when it comes to leadership as well. Crisologo will play some second base and shortstop, while Lewis will catch and play outfield and Crusenberry will man first base and play catcher as needed.
With that said. Adams said he likes his core when it comes the defensive side of things, but admitted the play of his infield may have some new faces.
“Our cornerstone as far as the infield will be Tilmon (Jackson), but everything else is pretty wide open on a regular basis,” Adams said. “Our defensive alignment is going to depend on who is hitting better at that point in time.
“With our youth, we’re going to be the kind of team that goes with who is playing best from day-to-day,” he added.
As a whole, Adams said this season is one that could go either way, hinging on the play of the younger guys. If they step up and decide to compete, the Colonels will have a chance to contend. If not, Adams said things could be tough.
“I think Williamsburg, Corbin and us are pretty young as a whole,” Adams said. “It could come down to who is playing better by the time we face each other and in the postseason.
“South is at the top, but it's not like they can’t be beaten, so we just have to come out and play the games,” he added.
Whitley County is scheduled to open the season March 12 as it travels to Jackson County.
Local Sports
Young Guns
Adams says youth could hinder team this season
- Local Sports
-
-
A No-Brainer
For the third straight year, the Times-Tribune Tri-County Baseball Player of the Year hails from North Laurel High School.
-
Back to Work
As of Monday, Brian Evans is now the new, and old, coach of the Knox Central Panthers basketball team.
-
It was good to watch some Little League games again
With so much going on the past few weeks I’ve been a little bit busy, which means there’s plenty rattling around in my head to ramble on about, but the first thing that comes to mind is Little League baseball.
-
Canady to lead KC athletics
The Knox Central High School athletics department is under new leadership as Jeff Canady was named Athletic Director on Monday.
-
Local Little League All-Star rosters released
With the Little League regular season out of the way, it will soon be time for All-Star Tournaments across the area. Local leagues have released their rosters as they start to get ready for action in the coming weeks.
-
Good Times
The Corbin Little League baseball tournaments came to an end this weekend with a trio of championship games on the menu.
-
Along Came Jones
The Whitley County Lady Colonels underwent a coaching change at the end of the 2012-13 season, but it wasn't a complete overhaul of the system which has been in place for years.
-
Boys’ and girls’ All-Star tourney bracket schedule
Little League All-Star action begins next weekend with the girls starting with the 9-10 year-old and 11-12 year-old divisions while boys action will begin a couple of days later.
-
The Search is On
Former Lynn Camp Wildcat basketball coach and current Lynn Camp assistant principal, Anthony Pennington, has taken the bull by the horns, so to speak, and is ready to find a new replacement for former coach Clyde Dixon, who retired a couple of weeks ago.
-
The Final Four
The stage is set for today’s championship double-header as the Corbin Little League will decide its Little League and Minor League Tournament champions.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Raw: Car Jumps Curb in NYC, Injures 8
Obama: 'Lives Have Been Saved' by NSA Programs
Obama: Friction in Afghan Talks No Surprise
Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska
Raw: Massive Protests Fill Brazilian Streets
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
