What to know about the Sioux Falls area American Legion baseball teams for 2022
The high school baseball season is over and Legion baseball is underway in South Dakota.
Rapid City will host this year’s Class A state tournament, and the five Sioux Falls area metro teams all like their chances of getting there to compete for a title. Renner Post 307 is the defending state champ, having outlasted Sioux Falls Post 15 East in last year’s title game, but Rapid City Post 22 always looms large, while Yankton, Brookings, Mitchell and others figure to be in the hunt as well.
Here’s a look at the metro teams as the 2022 season gets going.
Sioux Falls Post 15 East
Last year: State runner-up
Coach: Danny Hughes (1st year)
Top hitters: Myles Rees (SS), Tate Schafer (IF), Andrew Glovich (C), Cale Swanson (OF/1B)
Top pitchers: Jackson Boe, Chase Houselog, Sawyer Tolk, Rees
Coach says: “I feel like we’re pretty confident at the plate. We’re hitting the ball really well right now. There’s a lot of talent in the state this year and we look forward to the challenge. We have guys back from last year who are hungry to play for another championship.”
Outlook: Hughes takes over for Matt Storo, who stepped down after a lengthy stint as East’s coach. Former USF pitcher Matt Graham will serve as Hughes’ pitching coach. In a year when many teams are starting over and rebuilding, East has a solid nucleus of returners that makes them one of the favorites as the summer gets underway.
Sioux Falls Post 15 West
Last year: State tournament qualifier
Coach: Charlie Dubanoski (6th year)
Top hitters: Dexter Payne (1B), Brayden Byrum, Noah Goodroad (OF), Ryan Rysavy (SS)
Top pitchers: Payne, Kyler Miritello, Treyson Harty-Olsen, Rysavy
Coach says: "What's been encouraging about this group is they've come together quicker than some of the legion teams I've had in the past. This is a team that comes out and battles for each other. We're a little short on talent and experience but we're getting out there and competing."
Outlook: Virtually every starter from a team that went 35-16 last year is gone, but what West lacks in experience they make up with in talent. If varsity newcomers make an impact, they can be in the hunt.
Brandon Valley Post 131
Last year: State tournament qualifier
Coach: Jeremy Van Heel (6th year)
Top hitters: Matt Brown, Cole Frisbie, Logan Kelling, Austin Reiter, Treshaun Hodge, Nate Meyers, Ayden Spicer
Top pitchers: Trey Sejnoha, Aiden Zerr, Tayden Mitchell
Coach says: “It’s a really good group. A solid core of guys that are battle-tested. They were thrown to the fire last year, had to step up and compete, and some colleges noticed that, giving them an opportunity to play at the next level. These are hard workers who want to get after it, and that enables us to do some fun things with them. We’re really able to push them to get the most out of them we can.”
Outlook: With an experienced, veteran squad (seven seniors), BV has the talent and intangibles to make a push for a state championship.
Renner Post 307 Royals
Last year: State champions
Coach: Mike Greco (2nd year)
Top hitters: Quinn Dunham, Preston Konechne, Garret Hoffman
Top pitchers: Wyatt Hermsen, Konechne, Manny Struck
Coach says: “It’s going to be a process to learn from each other. Just in our first weekend we saw a lot of improvement from the beginning of the tournament to the end of it. It’s gonna come together, it’s just gonna take awhile. Hopefully we’re ready to peak at the end of the season.”
Outlook: The Royals are rebuilding after graduating a big senior class, but they still return plenty of upperclassmen. There’s optimism that if the players come together they can be in the mix to defend their title by the end of the summer.
Harrisburg Post 45 Tigers
Last year: State tournament qualifier
Coach: Jake Adams (1st year)
Top hitters: Tyman Long, Jack Sutton, Noah Boschee, Max Carlson, Maddux Scherer
Top pitchers: Sutton, Lucas Crichton, Maddox Plack
Coach says: “Our pitching is inexperienced, but we have a good defense behind us that will help. And we have a good lineup that should get some good swings off. I like the long ball and we should hit a lot of ‘em.”
Outlook: Adams steps in on the heels of a playing career that saw him set the Big Ten record for home runs in a season at Iowa before reaching Double-A in the Astros system. He takes over a Harrisburg program that suits his personality – they’re known for being a power-hitting team, and with the help of former pros Kris Regas and Kole Zimmerman, who are also on staff, this is a team with excellent leadership. They’ll hope their instruction can help offset the loss of Division I recruits Chase Mason and Will Simmons.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Legion baseball: Preview of Sioux Falls area teams
