Team Preview: Conway High School
January 25, 2017
By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director
The 2017 season is rapidly approaching. As we get closer to season, I begin my preview of each team and stories that will affect the overall results of the high school season, and who will ultimately end their season in Baum Stadium on the campus of the University of Arkansas. We will begin with the 7A Central and Conway High School.
2015 Bentonville defeats Conway 6-5 in the 7A State Championship Game. 2016 Bryant defeats Conway 5-0 in the 7A State Finals. After back to back State Runner-Up finishes you would think the talent cycle has taken a down turn…Not exactly, Coach Boucher made a decisions two years ago, to let the youngsters go out and play and has been heavily rewarded. 2017 may be even better as the core of the past two seasons is mostly intact, which lands Conway as the favorite to win the 7A Central and the 7A State Title.
On The Mound
2018 LHP Jordan Wicks, carried a large load as freshman, including a start in the 7A State Title Game. A similar year of success as a sophomore. The A-State commit is now one of the veterans of the league and will led the Wampus Cat pitching staff. Wicks has shown advanced pitch-ability locating his fastball on both sides of the plate 84-86 mph. He compliments the fastball with a curveball and changeup that he commands consistently as well. After Wicks, 2017 RHP Cade Tucker which has been primarily used as the closer the last two seasons will move to the rotation, followed by a slew of young talented arms that will be vying for innings left-behind by 2016 LHP Collin Cahill and 2016 RHP Matt Strickland. A name that may pop up out of this group is 2018 OF/RHP Andrew Hreha, who has a live arm, with a mid-upper 80’s fastball.
Offensively
This is what will set the Wampus Cats apart from most competition across the state. Position player wise they are loaded offensively with high end talent. At the top of the lineup expect 2017 MIF Kolby Reck and 2017 OF McCail Dail to get them going followed by Wicks and Tucker in the middle of the order. The final pieces being 2018 INF Matt Lloyd, 2018 OF Parker Gavazzi, 2018 C Jack Stroths, and 2018 OF Andrew Hreha. The entire unit has been through the battles and have been impressive throughout their high school careers.
Overall
Overall Conway is the team to beat in 7A, they will be challenged by the overall depth of the 7A Central and in a one and done state tournament you never know what can happen. On paper talent top to bottom, you will not find a team with the combination of talent and experience that Conway will put on the field in the spring of 2017. If all goes as planned Coach Noel Boucher will have his group at Baum Stadium for the last game of the year again in 2017.
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