By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
After longtime coach Nick Swillum retired following last year’s 17-11 season for Mt. Vernon, there’s a familiar face leading the baseball program this spring in Kyler Shoff.
Shoff spent the last three seasons as an assistant for the Mountaineers and is no stranger to the area.
“I’m just super honored that the school chose me for this position,” he said. “I got to coach here the last few years with Coach Swillum and I grew up in Mt. Vernon. I’m from here so being able to take over the high school program in the town you grow up in is pretty neat.”
Mt. Vernon finished as the district runner up in 2024 and returns the majority of that roster and pitching staff. The Mountaineers will feature a senior-dominant lineup but must replace left fielder Jake Leeper (honorable mention all-conference), second baseman Sean Raucher (second team Big 8 honors) and utility player Sawyer Anderson, a first team honoree in the Big 8 as an infielder.
Seniors Braden Dodson, Brayden Jameson and Payton Jones will helm the pitching staff with years of experience at the varsity level. Dodson is also the starting catcher and had a “phenomenal season” last year, Shoff said. He earned unanimous first team honors in the Big 8 as a catcher and was a first team Class 4 all-state selection. He set the school hits record with 48 and Shoff said he’ll likely set the career hits mark this spring.
Jameson threw the second-most innings and had a “great year,” earning honorable mention Big 8 honors as an infielder, and Jones will also be counted on to pitch key innings.
Senior Payton Jones returns as the team’s third baseman and senior Gavin Johnston is back at shortstop and has started there since his freshman season. At first base the team returns Jameson, and senior Jarrett Zerby (honorable mention outfielder in the Big 8) returns to play center field and is another player with varsity experience since his freshman year. Grayson Gann, a senior, will be back to play right field.
“This team is going to be really solid,” Shoff said. “Last year pitching was actually our biggest struggle but at the plate we’re going to be really solid. Last year was our best year hitting in a long time and I think that’s going to continue to improve. We should be good defensively and we’re going to be relying on those three senior pitchers to get us through games and keep us in it.”
Other players who could contribute include sophomore Aaden Tennison and seniors Dominic Schnelten and Hudson Gaddy.
Mt. Vernon will host a March 15 jamboree with Pierce City and New Covenant. The Mountaineers open the regular season in the Stockton tournament and Cassville/Seneca tournament before hosting Lighthouse on April 1. The school has added teams like Branson and West Plains to the schedule, and finishes the season with non-conference opponents Hollister, Marionville, Marshfield and Purdy before district play. The Mountaineers finished as the district runner up twice in the last three years.
