Preseason Power 25: No. 18 Stevens Point

March 6, 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: Stevens Point
Preseason Rank: 18
2016 Record: 21-4
Conference: Wisconsin Valley
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Kraig Terpstra
Playoff Run: Regional Champions
2016 Final Rank: 10

TOP PLAYERS

Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
Gus Turner-Zick	WI	Stevens Point	2017	OF
Joe Strigel	WI	Stevens Point	2017	RHP
Cameron Lee	WI	Stevens Point	2017	RHP
Brandon Patoka	WI	Stevens Point	2017	OF
Braedon Franz	WI	Stevens Point	2019	RHP/SS

X- FACTOR

Gus Turner Zick is a returning first team all-state selection after hitting .488 last season and racking up all kinds of postseason recognition. Turner-Zick is a spark plug to the SPASH offense and will be even more valuable as a team leader to the many youngsters filling the Panther holes lost to graduation.

STAT RAT

5: The Panthers have owned the Wisconsin Valley Conference for the last five years, going 12-0 in conference play last year en route to the title. The 2017 season may be more challenging than last in conference play, as Wausau West is poised to give the Panthers a run.

OUTLOOK

Stevens Point will need help from last year’s 21-4 JV team to reload a senior roster from a year ago. Their knack for reloading the roster year after year should hold true again in 2017. Look for sophomore Braedon Franz to have a more pronounced role on the mound after posting a 1.24 ERA on varsity as a freshman last year. Franz should compliment staff ace Joe Strigel well after coming off a first team all-conference year recording a 7-1 record on a 1.70 ERA. Coach Terpstra’s squad should get quite the challenge from conference foe Wausau West this season in the Wisconsin Valley, but the winning atmosphere around the Panther program will not go quietly.