By Phil Wade
Indiana Executive Director 

Follow @PBRIndiana

The 2015 high school season is just around the corner.  Leading up to the start of the season we are going to take a quick glance at many teams from across the state.  

Team: Knightstown
Class: 2A
Conference: Mid-Hoosier

Head Coach: Daren Hardesty
2014 Record: 23-8
2014 Conference Record: 8-0
Returning Starters: 9
Returning Pitchers: 4

Top Overall Players

Drake Peggs, SS, 2016
Tyler Richardson, 1B/LHP, 2015
Kaleb Kinnaman, OF, 2015
Spencer Mattix, RHP/3B, 2016
Isaac McRoberts, C, 2017
Jake Kwisz, RHP/2B, 2015

TOP 2015 PROSPECTS

Tyler Richardson, 1B/RHP
Kaleb Kinnaman, OF
Jake Kwisz, RHP/2B

TOP 2016 PROSPECTS

Drake Peggs, SS
Spencer Mattix, RHP/3B 

TOP 2017 PROSPECTS 

Isaac McRoberts, C 

OUTLOOK

Head Coach Daren Hardesty and his Knightstown Panthers are coming off their first sectional championship win in over 30 years and were also the Mid-Hoosier conference champs with an 8-0 record. This spring, Knightstown has very high expectations with all nine position starters returning along with four pitchers from last year's 23-8 team.  Junior shortstop Drake Peggs leads the Panthers up the middle of field and at the plate.  As a sophomore the lead-off hitter hit a blistering .476 with 43 runs, 34 RBI, 9 2Bs and 3 3Bs.  He had 50 hits on the season and also swiped 14 bags. Senior Tyler Richardson is another force at the plate.  As a Junior, Richardson hit .429 with 34 runs, 9 2Bs and 3 HR.  The left-handed pitcher was also 6-1 on the mound with a 2.57 ERA and struck out 74 in 51.1 innings.  Senior outfielder Kaleb Kinnaman will also be a big contributor to the Panthers' offense. Kinnaman was solid at the plate as a Junior hitting .387 with 23 RBI, 12 2Bs and also swiped 15 bags. Junior Spencer Mattix returns to the lineup after going 5-1 on the mound with a 2.62 ERA as a sophomore in 2014.  Mattix will also contribute offensively, last season he hit .359 with 22 RBI. Sophomore catcher Isaac McRoberts had a stellar freshman campaign hitting .370 with 29 RBI, 6 2B and 2 HRs.  Hardesty will also rely on senior right-hander Jake Kwisz.  Kwisz was 7-3 on the bump as a Junior, posting a 3.21 ERA with 45 Ks in 52.1 IP.  This year's senior class has started for the Panthers since they were freshman when they won just one game the entire season.  Last year, as Juniors, they helped lead Knightstown to a sectional and conference title and are even hungrier this year to advance deeper in the state tournament.  With the depth and experience all back this season, look for the Panthers to make a deep post-season run this spring.  

CLICK HERE to read more 2015 Team Previews