PREP BASEBALL 1992: EMPIRE LEAGUE

Cypress

1990 RECORDS: OVERALL: 3-19 LEAGUE: 2-13

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL Don Rayl: 32-78

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Ken Fann Sr. 1B-P R-R Dan Flanagan Sr. 2B R-R Greg Poyner Sr. 3B R-R Shane Sowers Sr. C R-R Micah Stovall Sr. P L-L John Teutimez Sr. OF-P L-L

OTHER TOP RETURNERS YR. POS. B-T Garrett Vitale Sr. OF R-R Robbie Walshe Jr. OF-P R-R

TOP NEWCOMER YR. POS. B-T John Peck Jr. OF-1B L-L

OUTLOOK

Is the league’s sleeper about to awake? Would it be considered a big surprise to see Cypress become an upper-division team? Probably not, especially when you look at the fact the Centurions have six regulars back from last season’s team. Then again, they have six regulars back from a team that won a total of three games. Fann was the team’s only bright spot, hitting .370 and earning all-league honors--the only Centurion to be named to the first team. He’ll be counted on heavily again this season. Poyner had only 27 at-bats last season, but came through when called upon, hitting .441. Flanagan, a .351 hitter, played every inning at shortstop last season, but moves to second base to shore up the right side of the infield. Vitale (.289) and Stovall (.271) add power in the middle of the lineup. Speed and depth are additional strengths for Cypress and figure to make the Centurions a playoff contender. There are a couple of questions to be answered before we pencil them in for a postseason berth, however. The biggest is how well an unproven pitching staff performs.