It was the best season in 30 years for Dolores baseball.
The Bears won 17 of 22 games in 2011, won the San Juan Basin League title, won the Region-I title and clinched a spot in the Final Four 2A State Championships for the first time since 1981. That year, Dolores won the Class A state championship, according to www.chsaa.org.
Although the senior laden 2011 Bears were ousted by eventual undefeated state champion Rye, it was a year for the ages. Now, comes the 2012 rebuilding process.
Theyre all new faces, said 28th year Dolores coach Jim Everin. Were just starting with fundamentals. Teaching kids how to throw, teaching kids how to catch, teaching kids how to swing the bat correctly, bat mechanics, swing mechanics, and its going to take a while.
Junior Cody Carroll returns at center field and will potentially be the No. 1 pitcher. He also slugged 28 hits last season. Tall and stocky sophomore Tyler Weir returns and will play third base and see time on the mound. Shortstop Kolton Shull returns with the most hits of 33. Newcomers Ethan Upton and Richard Belt are expected to make a big varsity impact at catcher and first base.
The team is young and raw, and ready to surprise some people.
They come to practice with a great attitude, willing to get better, Everin said. Some good things are going to happen to us later on in the year. Right now, just because of our skill level, were going to struggle. Were going to take some hard ball games. We just got to keep our attitude up and good things are going to happen to us later on in the season.
Dolores begins the season today at 1 p.m., in Farmington, N.M., against the Piedra Vista junior varsity. The next game is Tuesday in Moab, Utah, at Grand County. Playing early in warmer climate is essential for Everins team.
Its good that we live in this Four Corners area that we can go down to the Farmington area, and play some tough competition, play on some good baseball fields and just be able to play, he said. We might not fare very well early on, but we need to get outside and we need to play. Whatever happens, happens. As long as we try to put a good product on the field and the kids are starting to come around, I cant fault their abilities. We just got to keep getting better.
More nonconference highlights include the Four Corners Classic hosted by Montezuma-Cortez High School on March 15-17. The Bears will be in the JV bracket.
Dolores SJBL title defense begins at home in Joe Rowell Park against Nucla on April 10.
I think were all in the same ball of wax, said Everin about the entire SJBL, which also consists of Ignacio, Nucla and Dove Creek. Dove Creek is going to be better. I think Nucla is going to be better. Ignacio is going to have some athletes. We lost a lot last year. I think the league is going to be wide open. Whoever plays the best baseball in the year, is going to be league champions.
The Bears will visit rival Dove Creek for a double-header on April 17, and host the Bulldogs in a double-header on April 28, to conclude the regular season.
Districts is at McAndrew Field in Cortez starting May 5.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.
