Thursday, March 12, 1998 | 12:02 p.m.
The following is a team-by-team look at the 16 4A prep baseball teams in the Las Vegas area.
SUNRISE DIVISION
* BASIC
Coach: Anson Jones (fifth year)
1997 Record: 10-13, 5-7 Sunrise
Top Players: Pete Alder, LHP, Sr.; Jason Bitsko, RHP, Sr.; Eric Wise, RHP, Sr
Outlook: The Wolves, who just missed out on the postseason last year, look tough on the mound, with six experienced pitchers on the club. Defense, the team's Achilles' heal in 1997, should be improved, but offense is a major question mark.
* CHAPARRAL
Coach: Richard Ebard (second year)
1997 Record: 17-14, 6-6 Sunrise
Top Players: Brett Bollman, RHP, Sr.; Shane Clatterbuck, RHP, Jr.; Russell Cleveland, C, Sr.; Jason Habel, LF, Sr.; Nick Hobbs, RF, Sr.; Dusty Owens, CF, Jr.; Todd Wadding, LHP/DH, Sr.
Outlook: After stunning Durango in last year's zone playoffs, the Cowboys look like a shoe-in to return to the postseason. Ebard's club features a strong batting order, a solid pitching rotation and one of the area's top players in Cleveland.
* ELDORADO
Coach: Jesse Medellin (first year)
1997 Record: 12-12, 5-7 Sunrise
Top Players: Arlie Daniel, CF, So.; Jason Gallegos, SS, So.; Jarod Hamilton, RHP, So.; Chris Hanson, 2B, So.; Gary Hee, LHP/LF, Jr.; Brent Tarbett, 3B, Sr.; Keith Young, C, Sr.
Outlook: Medellin, a former Las Vegas High assistant, inherits a squad that fell one game short of the playoffs last year. The Sundevils have dedicated the season to the memory of former Eldorado students Olga Lopez and Kena Corbett, who died in a recent auto accident. They will rely heavily on a strong sophomore class, along with Tarbett, one of the zone's purest hitters.
* GREEN VALLEY
Coach: Roger Fairless (seventh year)
1997 Record: 30-3, 11-1 Sunrise
Top Players: Dave Jensen, 1B, Sr.; Matt Merrifield, 2B, Sr.; Mike Nannini, RHP, Sr.; Joe Orloski, 3B/RHP, Sr.
Outlook: Ranked among the country's top 50 by several national publications, the five-time defending champs are the early favorite to take the title again in 1998. Everything starts with Nannini and Orloski, a pair of Arizona State signees and two of the state's top pitchers, but the Gators' batting order won't be too shabby, either.
* LAS VEGAS
Coach: Steve Gahn (sixth year)
1997 Record: 15-11, 7-5 Sunrise
Top Players: Jason Chatham, RHP/3B, Jr.; Andy D'Angelo, SS, So.; Brad Leavitt, RHP/1B, Jr.; Joe Passantino, 2B, Jr.
Outlook: After three consecutive appearances in the zone tournament, the Wildcats will feature lots of new faces this season. Passantino and D'Angelo anchor a strong infield, and pitching appears solid, but runs may be few and far between.
* RANCHO
Coach: Tom Coleman (first year)
1997 Record: 17-13, 7-5 Sunrise
Top Players: James Hoodiman, RHP, Sr.; Lance Johnson, 1B, Sr.; Larry Pittman, LHP, Sr.; Chris Olson, 2B, Sr.; Pedro Robles, 3B, Sr.
Outlook: Following a five-year hiatus, Coleman, the Rams' coach throughout the '80s and early '90s, returns to the fold. After a strong showing last year, the squad will count on Hoodiman and Pittman to pitch them back into the postseason in 1998.
* SILVERADO
Coach: Brian Whitaker (fourth year)
1997 Record: 21-13, 8-6 Sunset
Top Players: Brandon Perry, 2B, So.; Ryan Ruiz SS, So.; Robbie Van, LHP, So.; James Wickman, OF/RHP, So.; Joe Wickman, 3B, So.
Outlook: The surprise team of last year's playoffs, the state runner-ups move from the Sunset into the Sunrise, where they'll have to contend with Green Valley. With a young but talented stable of arms, a stellar defense and a much-improved offense, the Skyhawks should make some noise again this season.
* VALLEY
Coach: Jay Guest (first year)
1997 Record: 8-17, 2-10 Sunrise
Top Players: Derrick Cotton, RHP/1B, Sr.; Mike Rodriguez, RHP/2B, So.; Jason Thayer, SS, Sr.; Jeremy Thompson, C, Sr.
Outlook: Guest, a former Valley assistant, takes over a club that can only improve on last year's performance. The Vikings are extremely thin, but do have some talented players, most of whom will be counted on to play multiple positions.
SUNSET DIVISION
* BISHOP GORMAN
Coach: Tim Chambers (seventh year)
1997 Record: 26-5, 12-2 Sunset
Top Players: Nick Didier, OF, Jr.; Cooper Fouts, C, Fr.; Ryan Lee, 1B, Sr.; Nino Mantico, 3B, Sr.; Steve Noahr, DH, Sr.; Dallas Pollaro, 2B, Sr.; Jason Van Meetren, RHP/CF, Sr; Paul Wurts, RHP, Sr.
Outlook: With seven starters back from last year's playoff squad, the Gaels appear to have the best shot to challenge Green Valley for the state title in 1998. Van Meetren and Wurts give Chambers' club two legitimate aces, and Gorman has a deep roster filled with experienced, capable players.
* BONANZA
Coach: Kort Miner (second year)
1997 Record: 16-14, 7-7 Sunset
Top Players: Greg Bell, LHP, Jr.; Jeff Perrone, RHP/Inf., Jr.; Lance Quaney, Inf., Sr.; John Teepe, LHP, Jr.; Stacey Wagner, C, Jr.; Jeremy West, OF, So.
Outlook: After missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker last season, the scrappy Bengals look ready to make a serious run this year. The team features a strong junior class, led by Wagner, an all-conference DH in 1997. The return of Quaney after a year off should also give Bonanza a lift.
* CHEYENNE
Coach: Dave Snyder (first year)
1997 Record: 12-10, 6-8 Sunset
Top Players: Allen Camacho, C, Jr.; Tommy Krier, 1B, Sr.; Jake Laidlaw, SS, Jr.; Cliff McMachen, LHP, Jr.; Steve Messer, CF, Sr.
Outlook: The Desert Shields finished a game out of the playoffs last year and will need an inexperienced pitching staff to step up to make it to the postseason this season. Still, with power hitters like Laidlaw and Camacho in the lineup, former Cheyenne assistant Snyder might be able to out-slug the opposition.
* CIMARRON-MEMORIAL
Coach: Calvin Volvo (seventh year)
1997 Record: 20-9, 10-4 Sunset
Top Players: Mike Esposito, RHP/OF/3B, Jr.; Colby Hyt, 1B/LHP, Jr.; Mike Lucyznski, RHP/OF, Jr.; James Nepa, C, Jr.
Outlook: The Spartans lost three-quarters of their infield off last year's playoff squad, and that could make defense an interesting proposition. But with a batting order that's second to none and a couple of veteran pitchers in Esposito and Lucyznski, Volvo's club should be tough again in 1998.
* CLARK
Coach: Robert Lucero (first year)
1997 Record: 1-18, 1-13 Sunset
Top Players: Jamaal Cherry, LF, Sr.; Sean Conrad, RHP/OF, Sr.; Chris Grady, RHP/C/SS, Jr.; Keith Howard, CF, Sr.; Chris Mysz, RHP/C/3B, Sr.; Brett Romney, RHP/Ut., Jr.
Outlook: With their only win coming by forfeit last season and only 12 players on the varsity roster, the Chargers present a major challenge for former Clark assistant Lucero. Cherry, one of the area's top football players, will test his skills on the diamond for the first time and could provide much-needed power.
* DURANGO
Coach: Mike Gomez (fifth year)
1997 Record: 11-24, 10-4 Sunset
Top Players: Chris Bannister, RHP, Sr.; James Burgess, OF/RHP, Jr.; Harley Hadley, 1B, Sr.; Matt McCurdy, C / 3B, Sr.; James Teligades, RHP, Sr.; Scott Yahraus, RHP, Sr.
Outlook: The Trailblazers will try to forget the sting of last season, when they were forced to forfeit 22 games for using an ineligible player and then lost back-to-back contests to get knocked out of the playoffs. Gomez lost nearly all of last year's innings, but still has a solid core, led by early college signee Yahraus and the sweet-hitting McCurdy.
* WESTERN
Coach: Earl McFarland (second year)
1997 Record: 3-21, 2-12 Sunset
Top Players: A.J. Ghadrey, C, Jr.; Tommy LaFronz, LHP, Fr.; Jeremy Lucero, RHP, Jr.; Phil Reardon, CF, Sr.; Ryan Reeves, SS, So.
Outlook: The once-mighty Warriors suffered through a tough year after back-to-back trips to the state playoffs. McFarland started three freshmen and three sophomores in 1997 and hopes to reap the rewards of that experiment this season. Lucero and LaFronz -- a promising rookie -- will head up a young but talanted pitching staff.
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