5A SIC baseball: Timberline favored over Eagle, Rocky Mountain

Timberline returns the state baseball player of the year fresh off a state title. Eagle features a deep rotation and a sophomore phenom. And Rocky Mountain is still the club that ran off a 27-0 record before state last season. The trio figure to battle atop the 5A Southern Idaho Conference standings all season. But plenty of challengers remain.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Parker Price, sr., SS/P, Timberline

The youngest son of Timberline coach Larry Price does it all for the Wolves.

He hit .427 last season with one home run and 28 RBIs while gobbling up grounders at shortstop, and he went 13-2 with a 2.21 ERA on the mound. Most importantly, the Gonzaga signee came up in the clutch time and time again for Timberline, carrying the club to its second state title in three years.

“The kid is a fierce competitor who is equally as talented,” Capital coach Tony Brulotte said. “He has unbelievable defensive skills, and offensively, he is a threat every time he steps to the plate. Most importantly, he is a winner and a true leader on his team.”

BOISE BRAVES

Coach: Brad Dalton, fifth season

Last year: 11-17, 6-10 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Drake Heubach, sr., P (honorable mention); Evan Escobar, sr., P (honorable mention)

Breakdown: The Braves only lost two seniors to graduation, giving Boise a more experienced roster than in recent years. Dalton said the Braves are still young, a problem compounded when outfielder Cal Gustavson, a second-team all-conference pick, tore his ACL in football. The rotation remains solid with Heubach and Escobar, a top-line varsity starter since his sophomore year.

BORAH LIONS

Coach: Wes McAllaster, ninth season

Last year: 16-9, 8-8 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Dimick Wood, sr., UTIL/P (second team)

Breakdown: The Lions started 15-1 last year before ending the season on a six-game losing streak. With seven returning starters, McAllaster thinks the Lions can avoid another late-season collapse. Wood leads the starting rotation after going 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA last season.

CAPITAL EAGLES

Coach: Tony Brulotte, second season

Last year: 16-13, 8-8 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: None

Breakdown: Graduation robbed the Eagles of two first-team all-conference picks and two second-team members. But while Capital enters the season young, it also enters with plenty of talent with players like pitcher Gavin Zickefoose (committed to Olivet Nazarene), Sam Malinowski and Jordan Godeny-Scott.

CENTENNIAL PATRIOTS

Coach: Brian Champion, fourth season

Last year: 9-16, 4-12 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Sean Coffey, sr., OF (second team)

Breakdown: Shortstop Jace DeGrange returns after a football injury sidelined him last season, and Coffey hit .429 as a junior. Behind them, the Patriots remain young and short on experience. Champion said participation is up in the program, and he likes his team’s athleticism.

COLUMBIA WILDCATS

Coach: Phil Diplock, first season (ninth overall)

Last year: 5-20, 3-13 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: None

Breakdown: Diplock returns to the program after leading the Wildcats from 2006-13. He said Columbia remains young, but he’s noticed improvements on defense and on the mound. “Our guys will have to play solid defense for us to compete, because it is going to be a big adjustment to varsity pitching,” Diplock said.

EAGLE MUSTANGS

Coach: Frank Wright, 20th season

Last year: 16-9, 11-5 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Eli Shubert, sr., P (second team); Kole Lane, sr., SS (second team)

Breakdown: The perennial power returns loaded after going two-and-out at district and missing state for the first time since 2010. Shubert (Lower Columbia CC commit) and junior Reed Harrington (offer from Seattle) lead the rotation. Sophomore catcher Alex Guerrero (Washington commit) hit .423 as a freshman. “Alex hit eight home runs this summer and has a chance to be as good of a hitter as we’ve had at Eagle,” Wright said.

MERIDIAN WARRIORS

Coach: Rod Williams, 14th season

Last year: 18-13, 9-7 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Blake McFadden, sr., P (honorable mention)

Breakdown: Long an offensive juggernaut, the Warriors return plenty of experience from a Legion squad that excelled during the summer, including McFadden (Treasure Valley Community College signee). After McFadden, the rest of the staff is short on experience. “We have some very good arms, but will be relying on youth and inexperience to round out our rotation,” Williams said.

MOUNTAIN VIEW MAVERICKS

Coach: Matt Rasmussen, 13th season

Last year: 13-12, 8-8 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: None

Breakdown: The Mavericks are deep on the mound with right-handed pitcher Boden Mills and lefty Nick Flesher (Spokane Falls CC signee). Rasmussen said depth will allow him to keep arms fresh. But the Mavericks are also relying on two freshmen and a junior to hold down the middle infield.

NAMPA BULLDOGS

Coach: Marcos Sanchez, sixth season

Last year: 3-22, 0-16 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: None

Breakdown: Nampa struggled in its first year in 5A, failing to win a conference game. Sanchez said the Bulldogs enter the season with six to eight sophomores who could start. “We have a steep learning curve to tackle in order to compete in the 5A SIC,” he said.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GRIZZLIES

Coach: Joe Santa Maria, first season

Last year: 27-2, 16-0 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Ryan Hansen, jr., CF (first team); Tyler Hollow, jr., SS (honorable mention)

Breakdown: The Grizzlies turn the page on a team that went 27-0 before going two-and-out at state, losing the conference’s player of the year and four first-team members to graduation. Rocky should remain strong up the middle with Hansen leading a fast outfield and Hollow switching from second base to shortstop.

TIMBERLINE WOLVES

Coach: Larry Price, 17th season

Last year: 26-4, 14-2 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Parker Price, sr., SS/P (first team); Trey Steffler, sr., 3B (first team)

Breakdown: With three of four infielders returning from a state title winning team — including two Division I signees in Parker Price (Gonzaga) and Ryan Kim (Portland) — the Wolves are the favorite in the 5A SIC. Larry Price, who is leaving the program after the season, said one concern is finding enough consistent pitching.

VALLIVUE FALCONS

Coach: Justin Schneidt, ninth season

Last year: 18-11, 9-7 5A SIC

Returning all-conference: Esai Longoria, sr., 1B/DH (first team); Tanner Woolsey, sr., P (honorable mention); Caleb Vernon, sr., P (honorable mention)

Breakdown: The Falcons return six starters from a club that hit .310 last season, including Longoria (.387, four home runs, 26 RBIs in 2015). Vernon (4-0, 1.90 ERA) and Woolsey (4-4, 3.31 ERA) give Vallivue a pair of arms to build around, but it still has to replace three first-team all-conference members lost to graduation.

This story was originally published March 18, 2016 at 11:41 PM with the headline "5A SIC baseball: Timberline favored over Eagle, Rocky Mountain."