“The goal is simple – to repeat,” Bearcats head coach Chad Barry said. “I don’t know that there is pressure with it being our last year in 5A, but I do believe that this year’s team’s biggest opponent will be themselves. They must gel together and function as one. If they can do that, I think they have the talent to make another run at the state championship.”
Aledo did graduate senior standouts, such as pitchers Devin Miller and Grayson McKelvey along with Luke Trager, Nic Foster, Ethan Hodo, and Brennon Evans. Despite that, plenty of key players return including LSU-commit Lucas Nawrocki, who hit 4-for-4 in the state title game and earned MVP honors in the process. The latest championship has Aledo baseball better than ever with a bright future both in the near and short term.
“I would say the state of the overall program is good. We definitely have really high goals for the upcoming season,” Barry said. “We have a lot of key players back from last season. We definitely have to replace a lot of talent from last year’s senior class, but we feel like this group has the right guys to fill in the voids left over from last year.”
Other key players returning include pitcher Luke Sandefur, second baseman Landon Barnes, third baseman Dylan Duran, centerfielder Luke Gladchuk, and relievers Teryn Byrne and Tanner Tovar. Barry noted Wilson Sehnem, Reid and Brady Huffman, Conner Whitmire, Caleb Turner, Garhett Love, Will Cayce, Jackson Loos, and Kaler Mason as new faces to expect to see in the dugout and on the field.
Last year, the Bearcats posted a 1.17 ERA and 220 strikeouts across nearly 180 innings as a collective pitching staff and finished with a run differential of plus-169 (238-69). Additionally, the team posted a 0.963 fielding percentage, stole 80 bases, and turned 10 double plays, much of which was produced by Aledo’s quality arms.
“I think our overall strength will again be our pitching talent and depth,” Barry said. “We have a lot of quality arms. We will lean on our pitching to keep us in games throughout the season.”
After reaching the pinnacle, Aledo has another chance to reach the top as a Class 5A school before it jumps to the 6A level. More importantly, the team knows the stakes and what it takes to get there through pressure.
“I feel confident that this year’s team understands that they have a target on their back each time they step onto the field,” Barry said. “They know that, and they know that they have to rise to the occasion every time they step onto the field.”
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