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Tonganoxie baseball setting sights on return trip to state

By Shawn Linenberger - | Mar 18, 2015

The Tonganoxie High baseball team has its sights set on a return trip to the state tournament.

It was more than 20 years since the team’s last berth when THS punched its state ticket last year, but this year’s Chieftains are looking to take another shot at a state title in 2015.

THS coach Mitch Loomis said the preseason has been going well.

“I think we’ve been pleasantly surprised so far,” Loomis said. “With the leadership and intensity, usually it takes a few weeks to get that worked in.”

Loomis certainly has a number of upperclassmen this year.

THS sports seven seniors who are back for their final campaigns.

Shortstop/pitcher Brady Swedo, second baseman/pitcher Connor Wentz-Hall, outfielder/pitcher Ty Hampton, centerfielder Colten Weaver, third baseman/pither Thomas Minor, first baseman Justyn Leslie and pitcher/first baseman/third baseman Justin Wagner all are back for the Chieftains.

“We only lost two guys — two big pieces — but I think we have a lot of guys who started three or four years who have set their sights a little higher,” Loomis said.

Those two important components on last year’s state team were Travis Woods and Shane Levy.

“They have higher expectation,” Loomis said. “Last year, getting a taste of success has only motivated them more.”

Also cooperating, at least so far, this year, has been the weather.

That will come in handy as THS prepares for some salty competition. The Chieftains open next week with defending Class 4A Division II champ Bishop Ward on March 26 in Kansas City, Kan., and then takes on Jeff West, a team that has handled THS in recent meetings.

Loomis looks for Basehor-Linwood to be competitive. And then there’s Mill Valley.

“They’re always just a tall order,” Loomis said.

He looks for the Jaguars to be a heavy favorite this year to win the Kaw Valley League.

Loomis said players are doing a pretty good job of being where he expects them to be at this point in the year, though he noted that junior Coy Howard has a nice preseason so far. Howard is a first baseman.

Now in is his fifth year as head coach and eighth overall in the THS program, Loomis said last year’s state appearance has been a springboard for this year.

“I think it’s definitely helped us as far as going through the fall and winter,” Loomis said. “We don’t want to make it another 20-plus years before we get back there.”

Though THS doesn’t open the regular season until next week, the team will have a scrimmage with alumni at 1 p.m. Saturday.