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By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

Head Coach: Chad Cope
High School: Watson Chapel
Conference: 5A South
Mascot: Wildcats

PBR: What are your expectations for your team this spring? 

Coach Cope: Our expectations are the same every year. We want to play sound fundamental baseball. We will be very young, but we have 3 seniors that have started since the 10th grade. 

PBR: Who is going to be your key contributors on the mound this spring?

Coach Cope:  We will be led by senior lefty Justin Pierce. He is 15-3 over the last 2 years. Senior Jaylen Jackson has also seen significant time on the mound. Junior Blake Phillips and Sophomores Aaron Frazier and Hayden Arnold will also he heavily relied on to eat up some innings. 

PBR: For your offense to be effective who do you expect to set the table? Who do you expect to drive in runs? 

Coach Cope: Senior Dalton Barker and Sophomore Griffin Penny will be counted on to be table setters. Senior Jaylen Jackson has paced the offense since his 10th grade year. Junior Blake Phillips ,Senior Justin Pierce  and Senior Jaylen Jackson will join Jackson in the middle of the line-up.Junior Bernard Black along with Sophomores Aaron Frazier, Hayden Arnold and Joe Moore will also be counted on.  Freshman Ja'kobi Jackson, Garrett Dennis and Kaleb Hill will be the first freshman to see varsity playing action at WC under my coaching. 

PBR: Which Underclassmen do you need to step up and fill a void by last year’s seniors?

Coach Cope: FRESHMAN: Ja'kobi Jackson, Garrett Dennis and Kaleb Hill will all see playing time. 

SOPHOMORES: Aaron Frazier, Hayden Arnold, Griffin Penny, Bernard Black, Sam Beavers, Scott Taylor and Javy Stewart will all have to grow up quickly and expected to contribute to our team. 

Junior Blake Phillips will be heavily relied on this year as well.

PBR: Who is the team to beat in your conference/ your classification?

Coach Cope: our conference is very solid. All the teams can beat anybody any day, so I guess you should count them all in. 

PBR: What is your biggest non-conference game and why?

Coach Cope: We really try to set up a tough non-conference schedule to help prepare us for conference play. We have Bryant, Conway, Sheridan, Benton, LR Catholic and North Little Rock all on schedule. All of these teams are quality teams with great tradition so any of these teams could be considered a quality non-conference match up.

PBR: What tournaments is your team attending this spring?

Coach Cope: Benton Invitational - 1st week of the season. LR Catholic tournament over Spring Break.