The 2016 Owls start off with the same goal as many other teams in the state do come first practice in February, ending in Murfreesboro. But first, they will have to get through a tough District in 8AA. After graduating five starters, many new faces will be on the field for the Owls in 2016. Many of these new faces will get the chance to prove they have what it takes to get us to the next level.
The Owls will look to build off a strong 2015 campaign in which they finished 19-12, as well as 3rd in District 8-AA. District 8-AA will once again be tough as DeKalb County and Upperman both appear to be strong contenders for the District crown behind two of the top arms in the mid-state. Playing in a district with the likes of DeKalb County’s Stephen Jennings, an Ole Miss Commit, and Upperman’s Winston Cannon, a UT-Martin commit, will prove to be a huge test for the Owls. However, they have proven year in and year out, that they will compete for a top spot during the regular season and in the district tournament.
The Owls Coaching staff consists of Scott Pope, Steve Bray, Randy Wakefield, Jim Hesson, and Jim Porter. Head Coach Scott Pope begins his 10th season at Smith County with two trips in the last six years to the state tournament in Murfreesboro. Coach Steve Bray and Coach Randy Wakefield both return as key assistants. Newcomers Jim Hesson and Jim Porter will also look to aid in getting the Owls back to state during the 2016 campaign.
The Owls will be driven by a group of six seniors that each will be depended on daily as leaders for the 2016 season. Along with the seniors, two juniors, 12 sophomores, and six freshmen will each look to play a part in getting the Owls back to the promised land. Below are Coach Pope’s comments on each of the young men that make up the 2016 Smith County Owls Baseball Team.
Seniors
Jon Neal Vance – “Jon Neal will see time in one of the outfield positions. He has good speed and he has a good bat and will be counted on to provide some offense this season.”
John Ellis Maynard – “John Ellis is a very strong young man and will see time at one of the corner positions. We also need him to provide some consistency in the middle of our offensive lineup.”
Noah McClanahan – “Noah has gained a lot of strength over the past year and has a nice swing. We want Noah to hold down the 3rd base position and give us quality at bats.”
Bailey Dick – “Bailey saw time last year on the mound and will be looked to for quality innings this year as well. He will also see time in the outfield and 1st Base.”
Logan Fields – “A 2015 All District 1st teamer, Logan Fields will anchor our pitching rotation this year. He has seen significant mound time since he was a freshman. He was very consistent last year and was 2nd in the rotation in strikeouts and ERA. We look to him to be the leader of the rotation along with multiple other positions including 3rd base, shortstop, and 1st base.”
Max Massey – “Max hustles, is very quick, and will play outfield and pitch for us this year. We look for him to be at the top of our lineup. He gives us a lot of speed and good base-running ability. He has seen significant amount of mound time over the past two years.”
Juniors
Ethan Hackett – “Ethan is another quick young man and will return to the shortstop position this year. He has good range and a very quick release. We need more consistent throws from him this year. He is a very good bunter and is another young man who could see time at the top of our lineup.”
Luke Williams – “We will continue to lean on Luke in our pitching rotation. Currently, he is our other district starter. After having some arm trouble in 2015, he has come back stronger and has gained velocity over the past year along with improved mechanics. We will also count on Luke to play some outfield along with some 1st base.”
Sophomores
Jase Holder – “Jase will see time at 2nd base. He is quick and can provide more speed at the top of the lineup or someone that can flip the lineup over for us.”
Shermar King – “Shermar is a very athletic young man with a lot of speed. He can give us time in the outfield or a variety of other positions. We’re excited to see what he can bring to the table this season.”
Jay Franklin – “Jay will see time on the mound for us this season. He needs to work on improving his velocity, but he is very accurate and has a variety of pitches that he can throw for a strike. He will see time in the bullpen for the varsity squad and will start in some junior varsity games.”
Cody Bryant – “Cody brings a unique style to pitching. He doesn’t have the most fundamental delivery but he throws strike consistently. We need him to be a big part of our bullpen this year.”
Bryant Goolsby – “Bryant will be a mainstay behind the plate for us this year. He was the Freshman of the Year in District 8AA and led our team in multiple statistical categories. He played as well across the board as anyone we had last year and he was just a freshman. We’re excited to see him follow it up with another great season. He’s very instinctive, makes great decisions at the plate and is also a very good baserunner.”
Nathan Huff – “Nathan is going to have to sit most of this season out because of a health issue, but he is going to be working with us. We are excited to see what he can bring to our team in the future.”
Zeke Gibbs – “Zeke is new to the team this year. He is very quick, and we will look at him in a variety of positions.”
Nathan Johnson – “Nate is really quick. He will compete for time in the outfield, but will definitely spend time with the varsity as a courtesy and pinch runner.”
Grant Winfree – “Grant is another very quick player. He will compete for time at a variety of positions and will definitely get to see time as a courtesy and pinch runner.”
Campbell Gregory – “Campbell has a strong arm and will compete for time in the outfield. He also has some catching experience if he’s needed there.”
Dustin Mimms – “Dustin will compete for time in the infield and on the mound. He is fundamentally sound and can be a really good player for us for several years.”
Brannan Hackett – “Brannan will see time on the mound and in the infield. He has gained a lot of velocity over the past year and continues to fine tune his delivery. He can also be a very good player for us.”
Freshmen
Charlie Hopper – “Charlie is small, but he has great instincts, athleticism, and tracks the ball very well in the outfield. As he grows, he’ll be a great player for this team. “
Noah Murray – “Noah will compete and see time at any of the outfield positions and some infield as well. He has the potential to be a very good player for us as well.”
Matthew Enoch – “Matthew has a big arm and, if he can stay healthy, can be a great asset to the team in the future.”
Bryson Neal – “Bryson is very athletic and quick. He tracks the ball very well and could compete for varsity time this year.”
Isaac Dick – “Isaac is tall and strong. he will be looked at in a variety of positions.”
Dylan Hackett – “Dylan will compete for time in the infield and will also see time behind the plate. He is instinctive and athletic.”
