Strengths

Cedar Rapids Kennedy has a strong core of seniors returning from last year’s state championship season and a solid group of juniors coming up from a very successful sophomore program. Coach Bret Hoyer cited front-line pitching, the return of eight of his top 10 hitters, and a veteran middle infield as his team’s strengths for the 2011 campaign.

Challenges

Sometimes the biggest challenge can be overcoming the fact that a team has already done it. Winning a championship is great, but winning two is a slice of history.

Kennedy’s graduated seniors provided quality leadership, and new leadership or rearranged leadership must emerge from every team. What can’t be lost is the satisfaction of winning last year.

This team has many candidates with focused leadership skills. Replacing Ryan Dusil and Brendan Drahn in the rotation, B.J. Cunningham’s clutch hitting and Sam Hunter's contribution behind the plate are the biggest question marks for this 2011 team.

Lost to graduation

Dusil and Drahn combined for a 13-2 record last year. Both provided steady outfield play, while Hunter was an excellent receiver and did a very competent job handling the pitching staff. Cunningham’s clutch RBI contribution, Drahn's and Hunter’s workmanlike approach to the game and Dusil’s skill set and tremendous spirit will be missed.

Proven players

Austin Christensen was 9-4 as a pitcher with a 1.94 ERA. He hit .492 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs. Christensen is the logical place to start this discussion, since the aforementioned statistics lead the Metro area among returning players.

Christensen, Terrell Sykes, Griffin Michael, Colin Taylor and Devon Jacobus all hit over .350 last summer and are in the top 20 of those returning in the Metro this summer.

Christensen, Jacobus, Sykes (who are one, two and three) and Michael return as top 10 RBI leaders, while David Yancey, Christensen, Sykes and Michael are in the top 10 in runs scored.

Finally, Michael and Sykes are in the top 10 in stolen bases. On the mound, Yancey, Michael, Taylor and Adam Lloyd combined for an 8-4 record with 3 saves and a 2.96 ERA.

Those numbers combined with Christensen’s have Kennedy’s returning team totals at 17-8 with a 2.48 ERA. If statistics can tell the tale, these numbers speak volumes about the Cougars.

New faces

Austin Benson, outfield; Justin Lytle, outfield, and Matt Maiers, catcher, are seniors with a shot to crack the lineup for the Cougars.

Junior candidates are Cody Bell, third/first; Nick Appleget, first/pitcher; Jimmy Lizarraga, catcher/relief pitcher; Alex Hayden, utility/pitcher; and Josh Jahlas, outfield.

It is out of this group that Hoyer will find the pitching depth he is looking for. These are the guys who will determine if an already good team is merely good or a state contender.

Expectations

Hoyer sees this club as a “contender for one of the top spots” in the Mississippi Valley with the potential to be “a top 10 team by the end of the season.”

Given the fact that Kennedy is the defending state champion and has much of that nucleus returning, the Cougars are considered the team to beat in the Metro area. Hoyer’s attention to detail and emphasis on teaching fundamentals, coupled with the experience he has back, should bode well for the summer of 2011.