2024 Ashland County Baseball Preview Part 3: Crestview and Mapleton
In Part 3 of Ashland County's 2024 baseball preview, we preview Crestview and Mapleton.
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Crestview
2023 Record: 20-5
Firelands Conference finish: 14-0, 1st place
Team Expectations
The defending Firelands Conference champions were the top baseball team in Ashland County last year, winning 20 games and going undefeated in league play (14-0). After falling to Edison in last year's Division III district semifinals, the Cougars bring back a core that has what it takes to win a district title.
"Our team goals would be to win the Firelands Conference, win a sectional title and advance past the district," said Crestview head coach Don Keener. "In order to reach these goals we have to continue to have strong leadership from our returning players and push each other at practice, as well as during games."
Team Outlook
"The Firelands Conference brings back a very experienced Norwalk St. Paul and Mapleton team," Keener said. "We also bring back a good amount of experience and we hope to compete for the FC title."
Key Returning Players
Crestview brings back eight letterwinners and seven returning starters in four-year guys in Jarek Ringler, Matthew Volz, and Brennan Fulk, and three-year players Gavin Barker and Tyson Ringler.
Pitcher/shortstop Jarek Ringler not only produced on the mound and was the team's No. 1 starter (7-1, 54.2 innings pitched, 1.66 ERA, 3 Saves, 67 Ks) last season but at the plate too (.430, 19 RBIs, 40 Runs, 25 SBs). He made first-team All-Firelands Conference and first-team District 9. Third baseman Gavin Barker (.417, 33 RBIs,18 Runs) was a first-team All-Firelands Conference selection and District 9 honorable mention, while centerfielder Matthew Volz (.325, 34 RBIs, 34 Runs, 15 RBIs, 2 HRs) was a second-team Firelands Conference selection.
"Our biggest X-factor is to stay healthy and to find pitching depth," Keener said. "With a very challenging schedule, we hope it will prepare us for the conference and postseason."
Mapleton
2023 Record: 14-7
Firelands Conference finish: 10-4, 3rd place
Team Expectations
Mapleton will have two challenging hurdles to get past if it wants to win the Firelands Conference this season, in Crestview and St. Paul (top two finishers last season), and both look like they will be pushing for the top spot this time around. Mapleton (third-place finish in 2023) head coach Aaron Welch believes his team has more than enough to win the league.
"I expect the team to be very competitive this season," said Welch. "We have six seniors and two juniors on the varsity team and believe we will be at the top of our conference again. I also believe we could make a strong playoff run this season."
Key Returning Players/Expected Starting Lineup
Seniors Kollin Cline, Zack Wrobleski, Keeton Ables, Cole Vermilya; junior Tyson Welch; and sophomore Ajay Workman.
Cole Vermilya SS/P
Zack Wrobleski CF/2nd/P
Kollin Cline C/CF/SS/P
Ajay Workman C/1st/P
Keeton Ables 3rd/P
Tyson Welch 1st/3rd/P
Mason Sword OF/2nd/P
Lane Dreibelbis 2nd/OF/P or Gabe Wrobleski OF
jsimpson@gannett.com
Twitter:@JamesSimpsonII
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland County Baseball Preview: Crestview and Mapleton
