This year’s version of Bonney Lake High baseball is strong on talent and short on experience, so Panther coach Mike Olson is breaking with tradition and for the first time may award a select few starting assignments to freshmen.
“Last May was pretty darn boring for us, because for the first time in the school’s baseball history, we didn’t make the playoffs,” Olson said. That didn’t sit well with the team, he added, which aims to return to postseason play.
One of the greenhorns this season will be Michael Gretler, who will be filling a vacancy at shortstop. Gretler is a slick fielder and is a formidable gap-to-gap hitter, Olson said.
Another wet-behind-the-ears diamond dog is freshman speedster Nolan Weber. Olson said Weber is a decent hitter with serviceable fielding mechanics at second base, but also offers versatility on the base paths with his running ability.
Olson contends that he will not hesitate to put things in motion this season, taking risks in order to manufacture runs, as opposed to relying on stringing together extra base hits.
Olson expects to get some help on the mound and in the outfield from freshman Taiki Green, who comes from the left side as a hurler and is also proficient defensively with the leather.
Olson wasn’t exactly left with the cupboard empty, especially in the pitching department. One of the better pitchers from last year, Joey Gamache, will be returning as a junior this season.
When Gamache isn’t toeing the slab for the Panthers, he will most likely be holding down the chores at first base.
Joining Gamache in the battery will be fellow juniors Nate Potterf and Ty Harder. Potterf has most likely nailed down a starting role at catcher, but also is a hard-throwing righty. Harder will spell Potterf at backstop and is an adept utility man as well.
Also joining the stable of Panther slingers will be Chris Brown, who set school records for touchdown aerials and passing yardage on the gridiron in the fall.
“Chris is almost as good at hurling a baseball as he is at tossing that football,” Olson said.
Bonney Lake just missed a postseason trip last year, finishing 7-7 in the South Puget Sound League 3A.
