By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The 2020 sports cancellation was difficult for all schools; however, it hit Camdenton particularly hard.
Already young and inexperienced at the time, the Lakers and head coach Bryce Durnin were hoping to use this past season to develop, grow and improve as a team.
A year later, Camdenton’s players are a year older, but still lacking valuable game experience at the varsity level.
“We were going to be very young in 2020 with only 3 seniors returning,” Durnin said. “We were making plans for a sophomore three-man pitching rotation and starting a freshman on the infield. Since coming to Camdenton in 2015, the catching position was maybe our strongest player. We were scrambling to find someone to fill that spot in 2020. With the closure, questions still remain and our young team lost a valuable year of experience.”
Graduated seniors Brandon Pasley, Drake Miller and Andrew DiBello move on from the program.
Pasley (University of Missouri – St. Lous) and Miller (State Fair Community College) will continue their respective baseball careers this season at the next level.
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“These three seniors were special and a big part of the 2019 district championship team,” Durnin said. “We would have been a young team in 2020 but I believe these three would have led us to another winning season.”
Camdenton’s biggest returnee is junior outfielder/pitcher Conner Miller.
“[Conner] actually came in as a freshman and got the final two outs of the district championship game,” Durnin said. “He is a strong bat and could be our top pitcher.”
Joining Miller will be sophomore shortstop/pitcher Kam Durnin, senior utility/pitcher Brady Ford and senior first baseman Cesar Chaparro.
Camdenton will once again turn to a relatively inexperienced pitching staff this season; however, Durnin feels Miller, Orozca and Normand could quickly develop into something special.
“In 2020 we were going to roll with three sophomore pitchers,” Coach Durnin said. “They will have to step up and pitch like they had last year’s season. Of course, we will go with the hot hand but all three have potential to give us a chance to win.”
At the plate, the Lakers will also look for consistency from the lineup.
“We definitely had deeper lineups in the past but hopefully we are able to put up nine competitive guys in the box,” Durnin said. “In the end, it’s about not striking out and finding ways to put the barrel on the baseball.”
Durnin feels his pitching staff has the potential to be a focal point of the team, particularly when question marks exist on defense and behind the plate.
“I really think our three junior pitchers could be our strength,” Coach Durnin said. “Being able to put up runs and stop the bleeding on defense remains to be seen. Seeing who can handle the catching duties will be the biggest x-factor for sure.”
While the Lakers will enter the season with questions and relatively inexperienced, Durnin believes that lack of experience can quickly translate into something positive long-term.
“I hope the lack of experience shows up in us working harder than we ever have and playing real loose,” Durnin said. “I like structure; however, I think playing free will work to our advantage this year as we try and find our identity. I have always considered being in the district championship game as a measure of success. I think that should be the minimum expectation every year.”
Following a March 11 jamboree at Waynesville with the host school and Dixon, Camdenton opens its season March 19 at home against Eldon.
