High school baseball preview: Three new coaches in county

A look into baseball dugouts in Medina County this season will result in seeing a few new faces, as three teams welcome coaches in Aaron Dolata (Buckeye), Aaron DeBord (Cloverleaf) and Jason Longsdorf (Medina Christian).Dolata and Longsdorf stay at their schools and take over after being assistants, while DeBord comes from Stow, where he led the Bulldogs to a district title last season, the regional finals in 2016 and the Suburban League National Conference title in 2018.Here's a closer look at the county teams: Black RiverCoach: Jake O'Connor (7th season, 82-64 record).Last season: 9-12, 8-6 (T-3rd, Lorain County League).Key letterwinner lost: Travis Dean (HM All-Gazette).Returning Letterwinners: Dozier Hendershot (OF/P, sr.), Jayce Hopek (C, sr.), Trent Boggs (P/OF, sr.), Hunter Mate (Util, sr.), Zane Kristophel (OF/P, jr.), Landyn Herrick (2B/SS/P, jr.), Josh Stuart (2B/SS/P, so.) Carson Steidl (OF/P, so.), Wade Mangan (2B/SS, so.)Newcomers: Dom Bell (SS & /P, fr.), Owen Shlapack (OF/P, jr.), Bryce Murray (OF, sr.), Jamison Triplett (1B, sr.)Noteworthy: The key for the Pirates will be the ability for guys to step up into new key roles and hitting 1-9, along twit the ability to find ways to put up runs and put pressure on the defense.BrunswickCoach: Grant Relic (9th season, 130-93 record).Last season: 18-9, 9-3 (3rd, Greater Cleveland Conference), Division I, Northeast 1 District runner-up.Key letterwinners lost: Connor Adams (All-Gazette), Nick Wojtala (HM All-Gazette).Returning letterwinners: Kayden Draiss (HM All-Gazette, P, sr.), Elijah Poindexter (All-Gazette, 3B, sr.), Gavin Moore (OF, sr.), Jackson Briggs (P/SS, jr.), Brandt Almady (OF, sr.), Nolan Burke (P, sr.), Jake Tamosiunas (P/OF, jr.), Joey Sheely (P, sr.), Kyle Smigla (OF, sr.), Jakob Miller (SS, sr.), Zach Callahan (1B/P, sr.), Ian Kuhn (C, jr.), Zak Turk (IF, sr.).Newcomers: Travis Corniello (C, sr.), Joey Crawford (P, so.), Logan Nettles (2B, jr.), Colton Sulima (1B, jr.), Landon Jack (OF, jr.), Josiah Martinez (P/OF, jr.).Noteworthy: The Blue Devils will have a lot of new faces in the field and at the plate, but they return nearly 80% of their innings pitched from last season.BuckeyeCoach: Aaron Dolata (1st season).Last season: 18-7, 12-2 (1st, Cleveland West Conference), Division III, Northeast 2 District runner-up.Key letterwinners lost: Scott DiMarco (All-Gazette), Nolan Klingbeil (All-Gazette), Andy Schneider (HM All-Gazette), Nathan Sadlis (HM All-Gazette).Returning letterwinners: Logan Brown (OF, sr.), Zach Seeley (C, sr.), Shane Metter (UTIL, jr.), Jeff Costigan (CF/P, sr.), Tyler Heers (P/INF, sr.), Cole Burtzlaff (OF, jr.), Zachary Stough (SS/P, jr.).Newcomers: Aaron Hamman (2B, jr.), Rees Perkins (3B, jr.), Devin Shrader (OF, so.), Avery Conde (OF/P, so.), Colton Price (INF, so.), Ethan Kaetzel (OF, so.).Noteworthy: The Bucks will have a lot of new players to implement into the lineup, including all of the infield except catcher, but are hoping to rely on their youth and speed.CloverleafCoach: Aaron DeBord (1st season at Cloverleaf).Record: 10-14, 7-7 (T-4th, Metro Athletic Conference.Key letterwinners lost: None.Returning letterwinners: Austin Sustersic (HM All-Gazette, 1B/3B/P jr.), Clinton Fauss (2B/SS, sr.), Gehrig Miller (P, sr.), Jimmy Tolley (OF/P, jr.), Logan Knapp (OF, sr.), Noah Lindenmuth (P/OF, sr.), Carson Baltic (C, jr.), Walker Smith (P, sr.), Kaiyus Davison (OF, so.).Newcomers: Jason Matheny (2B/3B/P, so.), Vincent Hinderman (2B, jr.), Zane Schreck (C/2B, jr.), M.J. Behary (OF, fr.), Bryson Filak (INF, so.), Reed Kilgore (OF/P, jr.), Brady Long (C/1B, fr.), Isaac Smith (2B/OF, jr.), Noah Yager (P, jr.), Justus Sohosky (UTIL, jr.), Rylan Smykowski (1B/P, jr.).Noteworthy: Despite taking over this season, DeBord has already gotten a good feel for his team and feels it is one of the closer groups of kids he has had in his career. HighlandCoach: Jay Grissom (13th season, 187-124 record).Last season: 19-4, 14-0 (1st, Suburban League American Conference), Division III, Northeast 3 District runner-upKey letterwinners lost: Peyton Ganda (All-Gazette), Noah Radigan (HM All-Gazette).Returning letterwinners: Dan Miller (All-Gazette, P, sr.), Casey Myser (All-Gazette, OF, sr.), Grady Gibb (1B/C, sr.), Lucas Gerding (OF/P, sr.), Parker Janickas (2B/SS, sr.), Reid Oney (P, sr.), Anthony DePompei (2B/SS, jr.), Nick Dobkowski (3B/P, sr.), Cole Fernandez (C, sr.), Cooper Richnafsky (P, sr.), Colton Winston (OF/P, jr.).Newcomers: Liam Zielinski (OF, sr.), Cameron Lovejoy (OF, sr.), Jake Weber (2B/SS/P, jr.), Will Rogus (2B/SS, sr.), Joshua Butcher (P/OF, sr.), Logan Spaite (1B, jr.).Noteworthy: The Hornets return plenty of experience on the mound, with 16 of their 19 pitching wins season coming back. That includes three pitchers with at least five, Miller (6), Oney (5) and Richnafsky (5).MedinaCoach: Mark Kelly (4th season at Medina, 64-25 record; 7th season overall, 114-59).Last season: 24-6, 11-1 (1st, Greater Cleveland Conference), Division I, Region 1 runner-up.Key letterwinners lost: Lincoln Briggs (All-Gazette), Nolan Frank (All-Gazette), Ethan Acurio (All-Gazette), Zeylen Yanmaz (HM All-Gazette).Letterwinners: Joey Johnson (Gazette MVP, 2b, sr.), Luka Pagura (All-Gazette, 1B, sr.), Brian Wuchter (HM All-Gazette, sr.), Zeylen Yanmaz (HM All-Gazette, OF, jr.), Kaeden Kostilnik (C/OF, sr.), Alex Rossetti (SS, sr.), Billy Jackson (3B/P, sr.), Joey Johnson (2B/OF, sr.), Kellen Hathaway (P, sr.), Evan Brenner (OF/P, sr.), River Blomquist (OF/P, jr.).Newcomers: Lance Morgan (2B/SS, sr.), Ethan Toerek (2B/SS, jr.), Bryce Sopata (3B, jr.), Gavin Marker (2B/SS/P, jr.), John Riggio (OF, jr.), Abraham Soltero (1B/P, jr.), Logan Dooling (P, jr.), Dylan Muchowski (2B/SS, jr.), Jake Rimke (3B/P, jr.), Jake Zajacz (OF/P, jr.), Max Lewis (OF/1B, so.), Brody Robison (OF/P, jr.), Cooper Kaplack (UTIL, jr.), Ian McKelvy (OF, jr.).Noteworthy: Medina returns a lot of players from a team that made the regional finals last season, including a good amount of the pitching. Kelly hopes the team can use last year's postseason experience to make another deep run.Medina ChristianCoach: Jason Longsdorf (1st season)Last season: 7-6.Letterwinners: Daniel Hussey (2B/SS, sr.), Caden Dyer (OF/P, jr.), Derek Kruszewski (OF, so.), Jaxon Longsdorf (INF/P, so.), DJ Reidl (C/INF, jr.), Adam Collier (INF, jr.), Noah Landers (2B/SS/P, jr.).Newcomers: Auston Kishmarton (OF/2B, fr.), Caden Denton (OF, fr.), Cole Eastlake (OF, fr.), Evan Hoffman (OF/C, fr.), Russell Kovalchik (OF/3B, fr.).Noteworthy: With just one senior and three juniors, this will be a very young team but one that Longsdorf says is very passionate about the game and ready to be at the field every day. Medina Christian will continue to play home games at Reagan Park. WadsworthCoach: Greg Pickard (14th season, 224-106 record)Last season: 10-12, 7-6 (5th in Suburban League National Conference).Key letterwinners lost: Kai Close (HM All-Gazette), Philip Garcia (HM All-Gazette).Letterwinners: Nate Pelkey (OF, sr.), Brett Pelkey (2B, sr.), Jason Copeland (3B, jr.), Lucas Cowen (P, 1B, sr.), Michael Cindia (C, sr.), Ryan Stoops (OF, sr.), Jamison Marshall (P, so.).Newcomers: Landon Skidmore (SS, jr.), Brody Laird, UTIL, jr.), Brody Carbaugh (P, jr.), Jaxen LaCroix (P, jr.), Chris Cindia (P, so.), Landon Villao (C, jr.), Reid Close (OF, so.), Landyn Provance (P/OF, so.), Camren Shuleva (UTIL, jr.), Bentley Weick (INF, fr.), Blake Hoover (OF/P, fr.), Bryson Bupp (OF/C/P, fr.). Noteworthy: The Grizzlies will look to replace a good amount of the pitching they lost from last season, with Lucas Cowen the only returner who threw more than 10 innings a year ago of the 155 total innings pitched for Wadsworth.Contact Ryan Isley at sports@medina-gazette.com.