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**SETXsports.com Week One Baseball Rankings**


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SETEXSPORTS.COM

WEEK ONE – “TOP TENâ€

(February 25, 2007)

As noted in our preseason poll, the early weeks are full of surprises.  That’s why they play the games, right?  Preseason #1 West Brook lost 3 times while unranked Vidor went 4-0, including a 14-2 spanking of #3 Silsbee.  None of those compare, however, to the week Barbers Hill had…they lost starting SS/P Chase Barrera to a knee injury then started the season 3-1 including a 5-3 win over West Brook.  Their only loss? A 9-8 extra inning loss to 5A #5 Flower Mound.  After week one, we shook ‘em up and here’s what we get:

1.   NEDERLAND

Impressive first week for the ‘Dogs, including a very workman-like 5-1 win over #8 Huffman.  Beau Helmke looked sharp and Aaron McFarland had a big hit as the ‘Dogs defeated Northland Christian in extra frames 8-7.  This is a very solid team and the move up a notch to claim this week’s #1 ranking.  Next up – Nederland hosts their own tourney and a Friday match up with Bridge City.

2.   BARBERS HILL

The Eagles may be #2 in our poll but they are #1 in our heart as they survived their first week without standout Chase Barrera to go 3-1.  Ross Hales was sharp in 4 shutout innings vs. West Brook but the entire Eagles roster gets kudos for a job well done.  Even their only loss (9-8 to #5 Flower Mound) gets our nod of approval.  The Eagles host HJ this week and then jump right back in the fire in Houston’s always competitive Ewell Jackson tournament.

3.   BRIDGE CITY

The Cards remain undefeated although they did ‘suffer’ a 3-3 tie vs. Lufkin Hudson in Hudson’s own tournament.  LHP Jeff Stringer reportedly hit 90 from the bump while jr. Troy Bolton tossed a ‘no no’ vs. Central Heights.  BC was rained out on Saturday so we missed the Cards rumbling in the championship bracket.  No problem – they get plenty of competition Friday with a date with #1 Nederland.

4.   LCM

Only 1 returning starter?  No problem for the Battlin’ Bears as they run the table during week one, defeating WOS, Kelly, HJ (twice) and HF.  Jake Rowell and crew (including hot hitters Ben Jones and Kris Hearn) are scoring runs in bunches, totaling 54 in 5 games.  Granted, all their wins were vs. 3A squads but we’ll find out soon enough – the Bears make their annual trip to one of the state’s best events – the always tough Brenham Tournament. 

5.   WEST BROOK

Not the best of weeks for our preseason #1.  The Bruins score nearly 7 runs a game and still go 2-3.  LHP Mark Serna is ‘off the hill’ indefinitely with a hurt shoulder and RHP Josiah Svoboda threw a total of 2 pitches all week.  At this rate, the Bruins may need to score 17 runs a game.  Brook has a Monday date vs. Central then hosts their own tournament with national power Lake Charles Barbe and other stiff competition such as Brazoswood, PNG , Lufkin and Victoria.

6.   VIDOR

Knocking on the door last week, Coach Kyle Green has a new facility, a new attitude and new results in Vidor.  The Pirates went undefeated last week including a 14-2 shellacking of #3 Silsbee.  All in all, “V†town outscored their opponents 49-7 last week, dominant by any definition.  Up next for the Black n’ Gold?  A trip to Woodville and the Eagles’ wood bat event.  Waiting there will be Jasper and Silsbee, along with always tough Woodville.

7.   OZEN

Here’s another team with heart as big as Texas.  The Panthers show up Monday night at West Brook with only 9 players.  Of course, 2 of those players were DD Lott and Josh Gardiner who held the vaunted Bruins’ lineup to only 3 unearned runs as Ozen opened the season in fine form…a 7-3 win.  Lott not only did the job on the hill…he bashed out 3 hits (including 2 doubles) as the Panthers end the week undefeated.  With a pitching staff of Lott, Gardiner and James, this team is built to be in any game they play.

8.   SILSBEE

The Tigers throw ace Schooling and have to hang on to defeat Kelly 7-5.  Then Vidor turns the Tigers into pussycats with a 14-2 whupping.  They did ride RHP Kevin McDonald’s 9 K performance to a 4-2 vs. Lufkin Central but Silsbee’s sluggish start means a drop in the polls.  They catch Lumberton early in the week and then travel to Woodville for a weekend tournament and a possible rematch (payback?) with Vidor.

9.   HUFFMAN

No shame in the 5-1 loss to Nederland along with dominant wins vs. Willis and Lumberton.  We still like the Falcons, especially their starting pitching of Listi and Arnold.  The offense needs to step up against quality pitching but we still think Huffman will be fine, even up in 4A.  They host their own event this weekend and look for them to hoist the trophy by Saturday night.

10.   JASPER

These Bulldogs opened the season in less than impressive fashion, losing to Lufkin Central.  They did get healthy with 3 wins in the Lufkin Hudson Coca Cola Classic (vs. Dibol, Hemphill  and Livingston) and are hoping a trip east to Woodville continues that trend.   Which is the real Bulldogs?  Maybe we’ll know a week from now.

STILL CLOSE, NOT AS CLOSE:

PNG falls from our top ten, losing two lopsided games (12-4 and 13-1).  Their only respite was Eric Harrington’s shutout vs. Texas City.  Woodville remains on the bubble, thanks largely to the season opening loss to Crockett.  The Longhorns from HF opened the season 3-2 while HJ was only 2-3, albeit one of those losses was a 1 run heartbreaker vs. LCM.  Looking forward to a great Week 2 in SE Texas baseball !!!!

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In fact, all the kids from BH deserve Kudos far a job well done. As far as the pitching goes, Hales wasn't at his sharpest despite throwing 4 scoreless innings against Westbrook. Hales has only been pitching for a month due to surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Hales will be fine. The other JR. southpaw ( Kendall Thamm ) was dominant. Thamm tossed a 92-pitch complete game against #9 area ranked Houston Christian, finishing with a 3-hitter w/ 12K's and no walks ( 1 solo HR and 2 infield singles ). BH's other strong pitcher Hunter Silva did not even throw this weekend due to Saturday's rainout.  All said, we will take the #2 board ranking.

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Released by MIF04

SETEXSPORTS.COM

WEEK ONE – “TOP TENâ€

(February 25, 2007)

As noted in our preseason poll, the early weeks are full of surprises.  That’s why they play the games, right?  Preseason #1 West Brook lost 3 times while unranked Vidor went 4-0, including a 14-2 spanking of #3 Silsbee.  None of those compare, however, to the week Barbers Hill had…they lost starting SS/P Chase Barrera to a knee injury then started the season 3-1 including a 5-3 win over West Brook.  Their only loss? A 9-8 extra inning loss to 5A #5 Flower Mound.  After week one, we shook ‘em up and here’s what we get:

1.   NEDERLAND

I like this team, most talent in years. Pitching depth galore, with quality hitters. 

2.   BARBERS HILL

You take a Sr Div 1 player out of your line up and don't miss a beat, watch out.

3.   BRIDGE CITY

You lose a couple Div1 players plus one that was drafted you expect the target removed, not BC.

4.   LCM

When you lose 8 to college ball, as a Head Coach you speak more often to your investment expert than college coaches. But wait, the well isnt dry.

5.   WEST BROOK

How can this be, we have all the hitters, they have all the pitchers. Dang magnet school.

6.   VIDOR

Rodney Dangerfield of Southeast Texas, but your district mates are Richard Pryor and Robin Williams

7.   OZEN

9 is all you need, wear plugs in your ears

8.   SILSBEE

Let's hope that one show at Beck isn't all that's left in the bag.

9.   HUFFMAN

We move up, dang BH is around and 90t at New Caney

10.   JASPER

We will show more than a field, it's early

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i think dayton should be in there somewhere. We beat Caney Creek who is ligit when there stuf pitcher is on the hill. We beat klein forest. And we 10 run ruled northland christian who nederland beat in extra innings. we lost one game to new caney but we should have won that. the score was 8-1 but it was 1-1 going into the 7th inning. So i thing we should atleast be in the mix..at least in the close but not to close group.

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PN-G's record will probably be a little deceiving at the beginning of the year due to their strength of schedule full of 5A teams.

Wins

Texas City 4-0

(5A) Baytown Sterling 7-6

Losses

(5A) Baytown Sterling 12-4

(5A) Clear Brook  13-1

This week

West Brook Classic

vs (5A) Brazoswood

vs (5A) Lake Charles Barbe

vs (5A) Victoria

vs (5A) Lufkin

vs (5A) West Brook

The key for them will be keeping their confidence even if the records not there. Last year it the schedule seemed to backfire on them.

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PN-G's record will probably be a little deceiving at the beginning of the year due to their strength of schedule full of 5A teams.

This week

West Brook Classic

vs (5A) Brazoswood

vs (5A) Lake Charles Barbe

vs (5A) Victoria

vs (5A) Lufkin

vs (5A) West Brook

The key for them will be keeping their confidence even if the records not there. Last year it the schedule seemed to backfire on them.

No doubt a huge test.  Where will the Barbe game be played?  I would like to catch that one.

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