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As we prepare for the upcoming 2019 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Mounds View
Nickname: Mustangs
Class: AAAA
League: Suburban East
Head Coach: Mark Downey
Years as Head Coach at School (Overall Record): 10 (133-88)
2018 Overall Record: 17-11
2018 League Record: 8-8
2018 League Finish: N/A
2018 Post-Season Finish: Section 5AAAA Champions and State Participants

2018 Mounds View Grads:
Josh Bonde:  Senior.  IF/P.  Senior All-Star Series. Section All-Tournament.  All-Conference Honorable Mention. (Grand View University, IA)
Jake Christopherson: OF/P. (Bethel University, MN)
Channing Cole:  OF.  All-State Academic
Kyle Folska: P. Josh LaValle Mustang Award
Ben Jepko:  IF.  All-State Academic
Scott Kalthoff, P
Ty Koehn: OF/P. All-State. Senior All-Star Series. Star Tribune All-Metro. Section All-Tournament. All-Conference. (Bethel University, MN)
Joey Lawson:  IF.  All-State Academic. All-Conference Honorable Mention
Matt Meloch:  C. (Wheaton College, IL)
Nick Simser:  IF
Matt Strong: OF
Carter Traczyk: IF. Senior All-Star Series (alternate). Section All-Tournament. All-Conference
Jack Zieske:  OF

Returning Players:
Hunter Ault: Senior. IF/P
Ian Bahn:  Junior.  OF/P
Brett Bateman:  Junior. OF/P.  2018 Section All-Tournament Team. 2018 All-Conference Honorable Mention
Matt Herold:  Senior. C/P. Captain
Will Rogers: Sophomore.  C/OF/IF
John Solfest:  Senior.  IF/P. Captain.  2018 All-Conference
Jonah Sparks: Senior. OF. Captain
Cole Stenstrom: Junior. C/IF/P

2019 OUTLOOK:
"In addition to the 8 players returning from the 2018 playoff roster above- we have additional Seniors (2019) looking to compete for playing time: John Abercrombie (C/IF/P), Sam Christenson (OF/P), Guy Fleischhacker (IF/P), Kameron Manning (OF), and Alec Wahlin (OF/P). We have a large junior class (2020) of players looking to compete for varsity playing time, as well as some sophomores (2021) who expect to push the upperclassmen for opportunity. 

The pitching staff in 2018 produced a team ERA of 2.99; exactly the team goal for the year.  Last year’s seniors logged 2/3 (66%) of the innings on the mound.  Returning pitchers with varsity innings are John Solfest (29 IP), Brett Bateman (27.3 IP), and (10 IP).  As with every team, the success of the Mustangs in 2019 will largely be determined by how well players step up to develop into a solid pitching staff throughout the season going into the Section playoffs.

We had significant senior class offensive production in 2018, with 2/3 (66%) of the hits and 71% of the RBI’s produced by the now graduated seniors.  That said, in 2019 we do return several position players that have significant varsity playing experience.

Playing outstanding defense will always be a priority; there is obviously a strong correlation between pitching/defense and winning.  Our goal each season is to field .950 or higher; a challenging goal for a high school baseball team.  The Mustangs fielded .957 in 2018.  We expect to be very solid in the field every year, and will strive to achieve that .950 goal again in 2019.

As with all seasons, we’re looking forward to a great deal of opportunity and competition for varsity playing time!  We expect to see a number of different players earn some varsity playing time early in the season as they compete for playing time in the second half of the season and on into the Section playoffs." Head Coach Mark Downey