LOOKING BACK

When Chaffey began preparing for the 2010 season, the most critical issue was the age of the incoming players.  Michael Conforto and Dylan Davis, both 17 year olds, had started for Chaffey since they were 16 and continued to have a major impact both offensively and defensively. Both Michael and Dylan have committed to play for the Oregon State Beavers next year.  Chaffey was 47 and 12 going into the final tournament of the year, the Baden NW Invitational.  Chaffey won the inaugural Bob Garretson Memorial Tournament in Yakima and the Brandy Pugh Tournament, hosted by Lakeside Recovery, for the second consecutive year for an unprecedented 5th time since its inception.  Of the 47 wins going into the season ending tournament Chaffey won 29 games by 2 or less runs, demonstrating a total team effort and the unselfish support the players gave each other on and off the field.

 

All of the graduating 18 year old seniors from last year’s team have moved on to college to continue their education and play ball. At the end of our season, Evan Hudson signed a letter of intent to play football and baseball at the UW.  Chris Guinn will be attending Bellevue Community College and playing ball.  Cody Reed and Mac Acker will both be attending community college to play ball; with Cody catching for Edmonds and Mac pitching for Columbia Basin.

 

LOOKING AHEAD

The 2011 season returns Michael Conforto and Anthony Blackie in the outfield.  Dylan Davis, Zach Abbruzza, Obe Taylor and Max Engelbrekt all return as starters; JoJo Howie and Conner Campbell, also returning, did the majority of the relief duties last summer.  The starting infield is all returning with Dylan LaVelle anchoring down third base and Mitchell Gunsolus and Seth Heck in the middle.  Kasey Bielec and Austin Jones showed great flexibility both playing multiple positions last summer. Chance Laboda also returns having caught.  Chaffey will be opening up the season over Memorial Day Weekend in Ephrata playing a series of games with the Riverdawgs.

 

INFIELDERS

Chaffey will have a lot of flexibility in the infield this summer with Dylan LaVelle able to play both short stop and third, Mitchell Gunsolus and Seth Heck can both play in the middle of the infield, Zach Abbruzza and Kasey Bielec will also be playing 3rd. Mitchell, a three year starter playing short stop at Inglemoor High School, will again bring his quickness and left handed bat into the top of our lineup.  Mitchell has also committed to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs next year along with Zach.  Seth has been the starting short stop at Kamiak High School since he was a freshman and has the ability to play either position in the middle of the infield and also hit in the top of the lineup. Kasey has been a 4-year starter at N. Mason High School with the athletic ability to play either corner position in the infield but he can also play in the outfield as needed and again will be hitting in the middle of the lineup.  Zach having been a 3-year starter Redmond High as a starting pitcher and also a corner infielder will continue to be a starter for Chaffey and also will DH and play 3rd.  Zach has also committed to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs next year.  Dylan, a 2-year starter at Lake Stevens as a starting pitcher and short stop anchored down 3rd base for Chaffey last summer hitting in the middle of the line-up and has the ability and arm strength to move over to short stop this summer.

 

Owen Jones has been a 3-year starter for Edmonds –Woodway High School playing first and also catching, Owen will continue to play first base and also catch this summer.  JoJo Howie has been a 3-year starter for Bellevue Christian as a starting pitcher and also playing first base.  JoJo will also be moving over to 1st base this summer and put his left handed bat into the lineup.

 

CATCHERS

With a great deal of flexibility behind the plate, Chance Laboda, in his second year with Chaffey, will be catching for Blanchet this spring with great size and arm strength.  Bubba Jones also catches for Edmonds-Woodway and can rotate behind the plate.  Bubba also played 1st-base for Chaffey last summer and as a power hitter – hits in the middle of Chaffey’s lineup.  Kody Granger has caught for Emerald Ridge for the past 2-years and will be in his first year with Chaffey and help anchor down the catching behind the plate. 

 

OUTFIELDERS

Michael Conforto will be returning to the Chaffey program as our centerfielder, having started since he was a 16 year old.  He was one of the homerun leaders on the team and added extra base hits from the left side of the plate.  Michael has shown the athletic ability to move into the infield and played short stop last summer as well as at Redmond High School where he has played that position since he was a sophomore.

 

Dylan Davis is returning as a starting outfielder and pitcher having started for Chaffey for the past two seasons.  Dylan led Chaffey in homeruns and RBI’s last summer and has anchored down right field for the past 2 years.  Dylan has also been a 3-year starter for Redmond High School also as a starting pitcher and playing right field.

 

Anthony Blackie has been a 2-year starter for Lake Stevens High School as a starting pitcher and is returning this summer rotating back into the outfield.  Anthony primarily was a pitcher in High School but has shown the athletic ability and arm strength to play in the outfield.

 

As newcomers this year Tyler Hormel and Isaac Kim both have the athletic ability to play multiple outfield positions.  Tyler a starting outfielder at Sammamish High School will move into Chaffey’s outfield with the speed to play all three outfield positions and hit from the left side of the plate.  Isaac a four starter at Jackson High School as their starting center fielder also has the speed to lead off this summer for Chaffey.

 

PITCHERS

Zach Abbruzza, Max Engelbrekt, Anthony Blackie and Dylan Davis anchored down the core of Chaffey’s starters from last summer.  Dylan and Zach both as seniors are dual position players at Redmond High School.  Both are very competitive with strong arms and also are dual position players for Chaffey.  Max and Anthony are both returning as 17 year olds this summer and will continue to be penciled in as starting pitchers.  Max from the left side became very effective last summer only walking 1-1/2 batters per seven innings pitched.  Anthony also playing the outfield came to the mound with a very strong arm and was used not only as a starter but also for long relief last summer.

 

Returning from the left side JoJo Howie and Connor Campbell both return from last summer having been used primarily as closers.  JoJo and Connor came in and closed 37 of Chaffey games last summer.  JoJo will be in his fourth year as a starting pitcher at Bellevue Christian and will also be moving over to 1st base this summer.  Connor is playing at Juanita High School as a pitcher and also plays in the outfield. 

 

Obe Taylor as a two year starting pitcher at Inglemoor High School returns to Chaffey for his second year working both as a starter and throwing middle relief with the ability of keeping hitters off balance.

 

Dylan LaVelle in his second year with Chaffey is returning as a 16 year old starter both at third and also pitching as a starter and in relief.  Dylan led Chaffey last summer in strike outs averaging over 1-strikeout per inning and is looking to move over to short stop and will be used primarily in relief this summer.

 

Chaffey has added four-right handed pitchers to the staff this summer Konrad Leitis, Aaron Thomassen, Peter Hendron and Grant Gunning all are outstanding 17-year old athletes.  Konrad attends Eastlake High School and has also worked out with Chaffey over the past couple of winters, Aaron a 3-year starter for Nathan Hale High School, Peter a two year starter at Redmond High School and also starts in their outfield and Grant has been a 3-year starter for Snohomish High School.  All four of these pitchers not only have the ability to be starters but can play multiple positions defensively.

 

THE SCHEDULE

With the upcoming renovation of the Husky Ball Park renovation could begin in the latter part of the summer. With that in mind Chaffey will be hitting the road and playing in 7 tournaments over the summer, from the Brandy Pugh Tournament to the Battle of Omaha during the college World Series.

 

The 2011 season will open up with a round-robin tournament in Ephrata beginning on Saturday and ending on Memorial Day playing the Riverdawgs, Showtime and Honda of Bellevue.

 

Following the Memorial weekend Chaffey will open with single games against the Kent Bulldogs and Bankers baseball, at Husky Ballpark.

 

The first weekend in June will in the White-Rock Tritons for a double header followed by a double header with the Columbia Basin Riverdawgs.

 

Chaffey will again host to Lakeside Recovery - one of the top American Legion programs in the State. Lakeside Industries and Beaverton Baseball will be coming to the Husky Ball Park to play a pair of double headers.

 

Chaffey will be returning to the Bob Garretson Memorial Tournament over the June 18th weekend to defend its championship from the inaugural year in 2010.

 

The Battle of Omaha Tournament is hosted in Omaha Nebraska during the College World Series, beginning the 22nd of June and running through the 27th.  This will be Chaffey’s first appearance in the tournament and the first team from Washington to attend.

 

Over the 4th of July Chaffey will be playing in the Star Spangled 4thof July Tournament in Corvallis Oregon for the 1st time, running from the 29th of June through the 3rd of July.

 

The Brandy Pugh Tournament is the longest running tournament in the Northwest having run for over 30 years.  Chaffey has won the tournament 3 of the last 4-years with the tournament starting July 7th through the 11th.

 

July 15th through the 17th Chaffey will travel to Corvallis a second time during the summer to play a series of games at Oregon State University against the Danville Zoots, Riverside Baseball, EJ Warriors-from the Bay Area and Corban College.

 

This will be the second year of the NW Baden Invitational Tournament with games being played around the eastside, starting on the 20th of July and ending on the 24th.

 

The final year end tournament Chaffey will be playing in the Lee Johnson Memorial Tournament at Bellevue Community College hosted by Lux Baseball, played from the 27th thru the 31st of July.