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South Suburban Conference Baseball: A 2011 Preview

It's going to be a new brand of baseball this year in the South Suburban Conference, but it's likely going to be just as competitive as the Lake Conference used to be.

It’s going to be a new brand of baseball this year in the South Suburban Conference, but it’s likely going to be just as competitive as the Lake Conference used to be. How do you keep track of it all? Keep it easy this way: Eden Prairie, Chaska and Chanhassen are out. Prior Lake is in to fill out a 10-team conference.

By season’s end, several of the teams in the South Suburban Conference could be ranked in the top-10. And they pretty much all get to face each other again with everything on the line in the Section 6AAA Playoffs. Burnsville beat Eastview for the Section 3AAA title last year, then lost to conference rival Eden Prairie in the Class AAA state title game.

Lakeville South first year coach Al Iversen summed up the competition in the conference with one statement: “We tend to kick the snot out of each other in the regular season and see who is still standing in the playoffs.”

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With a breakdown of each team: Here’s a sample of what this year’s conference should look like.

BURNSVILLE: The Blaze went 21-6 last season and won the Lake Conference title with a 12-5 record. They defeated Eagan in the Section 3AAA Championship, then won two games at the Class AAA State Tournament before falling to Eden Prairie 7-5 in the title game at Target Field. The team graduated three seniors that accounted for 90 runs, 90 RBI and 14 wins. Quinn Johnson returns as one of the team’s top pitchers. He went 4-1 last year, including state tournament win. Justin Threlkeld, a senior catcher, returns as one of the team’s top hitters. The Blaze also has three juniors back who were regular starters as sophomores. Early prediction: Burnsville is the favorite in the South Suburban Conference until someone beats them.

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LAKEVILLE NORTH: The Panthers went 12-9 in 2010 and finished in the top half of the Lake Conference at 9-7. They lost in the first round of the playoffs and now must replace 10 players who graduated. Tyler Brekke, who went 5-2 with a 2.37 ERA last year, will anchor this year’s pitching staff. First baseman Travis Evanson is back after hitting .319 with four homers and 21 RBI. A.J. Moore also went 3-0 as a starting pitcher. With the talent they have back, finishing in the top half of the conference can be expected. Burnsville and Eastview will be tough to get by, though.

APPLE VALLEY: The Eagles have a new coach in Jeremy Hendrickson, who stepped up after Al Newman took the job, then resigned. Apple Valley went 12-10 last year and 9-7 in the Lake Conference. The Eagles’ key losses include outfielder and captain Scott Splett, pitcher Ryan Geary, Ryan Beringer and pitcher/infielder Matt Bodin. Top returners include senior catcher Aaron Gretz, who has signed to play baseball at Ohio State University. He hit .294 with 14 RBI last season. Kris Goodman, who also has a Division I offer on the table, is expected to anchor the Eagles’ middle infield.  He hit .425 last year with 14 RBI, four doubles, one triple and one home run. Senior Steve Maxwell is expected to lead the outfielders. Maxwell hit .325 in 2010 with 11 RBI, one homer, five doubles and two triples. Hendrickson said he expects the Eagles to contend for the conference title. Check back after they face Burnsville, Eastview and Rosemount.

EASTVIEW: Look for the Lightning to contend for conference and section crowns in 2011. Eastview went 16-8 last year and 11-5 in the Lake Conference. The Lightning got to the section championship game, where they fell to Burnsville, the eventual state runner-up. Among their key losses is Matt Dekovich, who hit .400 and drove in 18 last year. Joey Voss, who had a 2.72 ERA and struck out 32 in 38-plus innings, graduated. Cody Groskreutz, who hit .342 and drove in 16, is also gone. Ty McDevitt is back as the team’s top pitcher, and many coaches say he could be the most dominant pitcher in the South Suburban Conference. He had a 3.43 ERA in 49 innings pitched last season. The offense will be led by Stu Daly (.365 BA, 7 RBI, 9R), Taylor Branstad (.343 BA, 14 RBI, 20 R, 2 HR) and David Barry (.387 BA, 5 RBI, 12R). If the Lightning can get another quality arm or two after McDevitt, they’ll be as tough as anyone in the conference.

EAGAN: The Wildcats are coming off a 16-9 season where they finished 10-4 in one of the toughest conferences in the state. They’ve also played Burnsville in the last two section title games, losing last year after getting to state in 2009. Eagan graduated 14 players from last season, but returns five players who were regular starters. The Wildcats graduated Neal Kunik, who went 7-0 with a 2.0 ERA last year. They also lost all-state catcher J.D. Dorgan and Zach Zenner, who was 41-of-42 in stolen bases last year and is now playing football at South Dakota State. Ryan Burmeister, an Augustana recruit, is the team’s top returner at third base. Eric Peterson hit .400 last year and could play in the middle infield or center field. Tommie Bodaker played in 14 games behind the plate last season and looks to improve his bat this year, and Charlie Conkel could be the team’s best pitching arm back. The Wildcats could surprise some people and be one of the top teams in the conference if things go their way.

LAKEVILLE SOUTH: The Cougars struggled last year with a 10-11 record, including a 5-10 mark in Lake Conference play. But they have a new head coach in Al Iversen, who came over from Apple Valley. Lakeville South had three key losses to graduation. They were Grant Mitchel (.315, 11 R, 7 RBI), Dan Noehring (.232 BA, 9 RBI, 10 R) and Joe Zander (.308 BA, 9 RBI, 10 R). Back to lead the rotation is Will Lundquist, who could pan out to be a top arm in the conference. He also has his battery mate back in senior catcher Alex Continenza (.259 BA, .352 slugging, 9 RBI, 4 R). Ben Adelmann and Derek Buermann are other senior pitchers along with Nate Gelle and Matt Heilman. Their record may not show it at the end of the spring, but the Cougars should be tough to beat in most games they play.

ROSEMOUNT: The Irish are coming off an 11-10 season that included an 8-8 mark in the Lake Conference. Their roster is filled with seven seniors for the 2011 campaign and loaded with talent. Those seniors include Kevin Rennich, Matt Foley, Tony Prostrollo, Lucas Haase, Josh Green, Jon Bishop and Andrew Nelson. If everything comes together for the Irish and the team stays healthy, they are a team to keep an eye on in the South Suburban Conference this season.

Preseason Player of the Year: You could pick several, but most coaches are saying Eastview pitcher Ty McDevitt has the potential to be the dominant guy on the mound in the South Suburban this year.

Three Can’t Miss Games: Eastview vs. Apple Valley (rivals), Lakeville North vs. Burnsville, Eagan vs. Burnsville (rematch of Section 3AAA title game last two years)

Toughest road trip: Throw this in the “toss-up” category. Every coach says every road game is tough, but look for Burnsville, Eastview and Lakeville North to be especially tough at home this year.

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