The Blair High School baseball team went 8-10 last spring.
For seniors Shea Wendt and Bo Nielsen, that's unacceptable.
“I think this is an all-around team,” Nielsen said Tuesday afternoon. “I think, at every single position, we have really skilled players that will make great plays and be able to hit the ball.”
Coach John Roan's Bears have six returning starters, 10 overall returning letter winners and an eight-member senior class. There's returning all-Eastern Midlands Conference and all-state honoable mention players, and Division I college talent on the roster.
“I don't think we're really lacking at any position,” Nielsen added.
So, how does BHS plan to take advantage of its experience and skill when games start March 16 at Bennington?
“Come to work every single day,” Wendt, a future Creighton Bluejay, said. “Come to the yard focused.”
The Bears will be fixated on the bottom line.
“Winning mentality,” the right-handed pitcher said.
Last year, it didn't work out. Blair's schedule was decimated by weather postponements and cancellations, making it hard for the Bears to build momentum.
They hurt themselves, too.
“We always finished well, but I think slow starts kind of killed us,” Nielsen said.
Roan listed both Nielsen and Wendt as returning starters on a preseason survey as well as fellow senior Greyson Kay. Juniors Brady Brown, Dylan Swanson and Nebraska recruit J'Shawn Unger are back, too.
Bears Tanner Jacobson, Nate Wachter, Hunter Travis and Lee Chavez-Lara figure to be key contributors as well.
Wendt said they can all produce more wins this spring by doing all they can to get on base. Defensively, they'll play behind an experienced bullpen.
“Our pitching,” Wendt said when asked about a team strength. “We've got a great staff this year.”
Though the team struggled with some inconsistency throwing strikes a year ago, the Bears' stable of arms can throw it — hard.
“This offseason, I feel like a lot of us worked our butts off,” Wendt said. “Worked on our weaknesses, and one of mine was definitely locating. I worked on that quite a bit.”
While Big East baseball awaits, the senior wants to help get the Bears back into contention for a Class B title. BHS last qualified for the state tournament in 2017.
“Playing with my buds just one last year,” he answered when asked what he was most looking forward to. “Enjoying it and having fun winning.”
In Nielsen's eyes, the stakes are even higher.
“For Shea, he's going on. He's going to play at the next level, but, me, I'm not. This is it for me,” he said. “I've got everything to prove and I've got to give it everything I've got.”
