By Jeffery Laux
Bright lights, sharp cleats and the smell of fresh clay, baseball season is upon Central Florida. New coaches have taken over the reigns and are ready to take their team to the top this season. Coach McDaniels and Coach Campbell are ecstatic about their team’s chances during the 2017-2018 campaign. McDaniels labeled his players as “hard-workers” and “go-getters” while Campbell commented on the talent that this team holds. McDaniels was hired at Apopka to rejuvenate the team with hard work and relentless effort. Players from his previous tenure at Oak Ridge described him as a “self-driven facilitator,” as he checks off every skill of being an excellent coach, from his fundamentals to the ways he builds his one on one relationships with his players.
The players didn’t know what to expect after former head coach Lassiter transferred to brand new Windermere HS after last year’s 16-10 season, but this new coaching staff took them by surprise. Top hitter Spencer Hancock stated that “having a strong relationship with the coaching staff” pushes the team to be their very best. Coach McDaniels and Coach Campbell will “hound you until you give your 110%” on and off the field. Spencer hopes that this team’s elite coaches will be able to push the team over the hump of winning states.
Taking the Darters to the state championship is the ultimate goal for this coaching staff as that is one of the achievements that has not been completed in the history of varsity baseball at Apopka. Last season had a bitter end as Apopka’s top rival Lake Brantley knocked the Darters out of the playoffs in the first round of district play. The returning players from last year are anticipating the next meeting between the two teams on the 7th of March as this has been a fueled rivalry each and every year that elite pitcher, Cameron Stewart, has been on the team. “I just want to go out there and give them a run for their money each and every time we get to play them.” The Blue Darters need to prove their worth against top opponents and a win would put a vital strum on the string of rankings for the district playoffs.
Young talented players have always been the marquee statement about Apopka Baseball and it has never been so strong than this year as underclassmen pitchers/outfielders Matt Prevesk and Wesley Luttfring both have been the prototypical players coaches dream of. The presence of seniors has been uplifting for the young players as many upperclassmen have become mentors and friends. Senior stud Austin Reed believes that this year’s varsity team has the deepest depth chart in years of players who are capable of taking their play to the next level and beyond.
The Baseball team will have their first matchup of the season on February 13th, as they will head to Bishop Moore to play in the Pre-Season Classic tournament. The first home game of the season will be against Evans on the 1st of March of the regular season. The future of Darters baseball is bright and will continue to shine while the players and coaches take a step each day into making this team into a state championship caliber team.