Preseason Power 25: No. 11 Beloit Turner

March 14, 2017

The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 28, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on March 20, getting their rosters set and finalizing their lineups.

Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we will be rolling out team previews of high school teams all across the state and across all classifications, eventually launching our Preseason Power 25.

We have been sending out our annual Preseason Questionnaire to coaches all across the state and as the responses flood in we will bring you a snapshot of what to expect along with top players and keys to success for that particular team. If you don’t see your team’s season preview make sure your head coach fills out his Preseason Questionnaire.

Team: Beloit Turner
Preseason Rank: 11
2016 Record: 23-3
Conference: Rock Valley South
WIAA Division: 2
Head Coach: Jeff Clowes
Playoff Run: Lost in Regional Final
2016 Final Rank: 21
Returning Starters: 6
Returning Pitchers: 4

TOP PLAYERS

Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
Ethan Burns	WI	Beloit Turner	2017	C
Sam Behm	WI	Beloit Turner	2017	INF/RHP
Hunter Martindale	WI	Beloit Turner	2017	RHP/INF
Mitchell Seager	WI	Beloit Turner	2018	OF
Hunter Waldsmith	WI	Beloit Turner	2018	RHP/INF
Ryan Hughes	WI	Beloit Turner	2018	IF

KEY PLAYER LOST

Nate Loomis, OF (Winona State)

X-FACTOR

Ethan Burns is the reigning Rock Valley Conference Co-Player of the year after hitting .417 last year for a 23-3 Beloit Turner who won the conference in impressive fashion to the tune of a 16-0 undefeated record in conference play. Burns is the catalyst of the Trojan offense and will likely be the big bat to carry the lineup again. Fortunately for Coach Clowes the Trojans have a ton of returning offense to complement Burns.

STAT RAT

Here's some impressive numbers for you:

The Trojans were 16-0 in conference play last year.

Head Coach Jeff Clowe is just 13 games away from win number 100 in his sixth year at the helm.

Turner returns 17 of their 23 wins on the mound.

Offensively the Trojans return six starters to the lineup, all of which hit over .300.

OUTLOOK

The key for Turner in 2017 will be winning the big game, you can chalk-up last year's early exit from postseason play to youthful inexperience, but the Trojans don't have that excuse this year as they return a bounty of statistical performers from last season's 23-2 team. The Trojans are poised to run through the regular season and the Rock Valley South once again, as they look even better on paper than they did last year, but that's just paper. Come playoff time the Trojans will likely feel the sting of last year's Regional loss to Edwardsville and vow that it doesn't happen again.