By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
While some will look at the roster and see inexperience – with only one full-time returning starter – Conway High School baseball coach Clay Bilyeu looks at it differently, as an opportunity for his guys to prove themselves.
Regardless, he is certainly setting the bar high despite Conway playing in the Summit League.
“In my opinion, it is probably the best small-school conference in the area on a consistent basis,” Bilyeu said. “Mansfield and Seymour will both be very good again this year, but there isn’t at team in our conference that isn’t capable of beating anyone else.”
And?
“I think we have a realistic shot to compete for a conference championship,” Bilyeu said. “I am excited about this group of guys and, while they might be young, they are talented and will only continue to get better.”
The 13-man roster has several notable storylines, including junior Colby Vavruska, senior Hayden Graves and Kason McBride.
Vavruska pitched 40 innings in the fall season, striking out 56 and compiling a 2.10 earned run average.
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“Vavruska will be asked to anchor our defense up the middle from the shortstop position, where he really displays a ton of range, great hands, and a very strong arm,” Bilyeu said. “He will also be the guy we ask to pitch our big games. He made a couple of starts last spring, but has really worked hard during the summer to increase his velocity and now has a fastball in the low to mid-80s. If he can continue to improve his command, he could be one of the better starters in our conference.”
The pitching staff includes juniors Andrew Dame and Jimmy Shockley along with sophomores Tanner Simpson Chase Coffey, Trey Earls and Hayden Wright.
Simpson, who is closer material too, struck out 24 in 16 1/3 innings. The other pitchers combined for 57 innings in the fall, with Shockley striking out 18 in only 11 2/3 innings.
Graves, a corner infielder, batted .296 with 10 RBI in the fall.
“Hayden is our lone senior and will be asked to take on a leadership role this spring,” Bilyeu said. “He really does a great job of coming prepared each day and working hard.”
McBride, a sophomore right fielder, batted .167 with three RBI, but he could help key the Bears.
“Kason McBride is someone who could really turn into a special player,” Bilyeu said. “He is a five-tool player who is only going to get better with experience. He showed flashes of what he can be towards the end of the fall and we are really hoping he can continue that trend into the spring.”
The projected lineup has junior left fielder Logan Fourt, Caffey at catcher, Dame at second base, Simpson at designated hitter or infield, Vavruska, Graves, Shockley in center field, sophomore Jake Vestal at first, Wright either catching or at third, junior Grant Cornelison in the outfield.
Fourt hit .393 with 22 hits, including seven doubles, two triples and 12 RBI. Caffey batted .256 with a .431 on-base percentage and scored 11 runs. Dame hit .350 with a .458 on-base percentage and seven steals. Simpson hit .378 with the same number of RBI as runs scored (10).
Beyond them, Graves and Shockley each supplied 10 RBI in the fall.
“Our biggest strengths are our athleticism and our versatility,” Bilyeu said. “We have good athletes at every position and a lot of speed to really put pressure on teams. All of our starters also have the ability to play multiple positions which really helps overcome injuries and slumps.”
It’s understandable that Bilyeu is challenging his team. After all, he has been in their shoes. You see, he is a Class of 2000 Conway graduate and now is 405-127 as a coach, including 384-111 at Conway.
However, the team was 13-14 last year.
“They are young but they are hungry to show what they can do at the varsity level,” Bilyeu said. “They are also a great group of competitors who really love the game.”
