By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

Team: Glenbrook North
Preseason Rank: 47
2014 Record: 18-17
Conference: Central Suburban League – North Division
IHSA Class:  4A
Head Coach: Dominic Savino
Playoff Run: Lost in Regional Final
2014 Final Rank: Not Ranked 

Returning Starters: 8
Returning Pitchers: 6

TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
Michael Oh, RHP, 2016
Matt Tedeschi, INF, 2015
Sage Bruhl, 2B/RHP, 2015 (Stetson)
David Burnside, LHP/OF, 2015
Brice Call, OF/RHP, 2015
Kyle Mitter, SS, 2016
Jerry Park, C, 2015
Danny Ahern, RHP, 2015
Brandon LaBunski, 1B/DH, 2015
Harrison Solano, OF, 2015
Peter Koulogeorge, LHP, 2015

X-FACTOR
Michael Oh. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Oh is an imposing presence on the mound. Although he is only a junior, Oh has plenty of big-game experience. He will need it, as Oh will serve as the staff ace.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Hikaru Ozone. The sophomore catcher will be playing behind returning senior Jerry Park, by Ozone has the catch-and-throw ability to make an impact on varsity.

KEY PLAYER LOST
The Spartans return nearly the entire team from last year.

STAT RAT
Matt Tedeschi, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior corner infielder, tallied 34 RBI while batting .407 as a junior last spring.

OUTLOOK
With eight starters and six pitchers returning, coach Dominic Savino welcomes back an experienced club, one that advanced to the IHSBCA summer state Elite Eight for the second straight season. Savino is hoping that his team’s summer success will translate better this spring, as the Spartans finished one game above .500 and behind Highland Park in the Central Suburban North. Savino certainly has a lot of pitching options, headlined by Oh, David Burnside (8-2 record; .376 BA, 27 RBI), Brice Call (4-2), Sage Bruhl and Danny Ahern. While GBN has mound depth, one of the questions is the team may lack that one dominant ace needed to advance deep in the playoffs. Defensively, the Spartans are strong up the middle with junior SS Kyle Mitter, Bruhl and C Jerry Park. The team features a lot of depth, too, as the junior class went 24-5 as sophomores last spring.

BOTTOM LINE
The Spartans have the experience, depth, and are coming off another impressive summer campaign. They should be the strong favorites to win the Central Suburban North, but how deep they go in the playoffs will depend on their frontline pitching.

Preseason Countdown

+ Top 50 Preseason Countdown Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2015 Rankings