Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 22 Oshkosh West

Oshkosh West’s legendary head coach Gerharz rarely ever brings up freshmen to his varsity squad but seniors McBriar and and Kohl were exceptions to this rule, as mentioned aobve. Both are headed into this spring as four-year varsity starters for the Wildcats and the senior duo are accompanied by a jam-packed 2018 class that’s given Coach Gerharz his best shot at a FVA crown -- and possibly even a deep postseason run -- in perhaps his entire three-decade tenure.

This team is coming off a regional championship-winning season but lost their very next game in the sectional semis to FVA rival Kimberly, the eventual D-1 state champions. Many of the pieces that helped earn the Wildcats a regional title are back, though they’ll miss RHPs Hunter Barber and Austin Fox, who are both playing baseball at the next level in 2018. But the depth this 2018 class provides should be more than enough to cover those key losses.

McBriar’s back as the staff’s No. 1, Kohl should be featured at the back-end when he isn’t playing shortstop, and senior RHP Devan Wright will be sandwiched right between them.  Wright was a reliable arm of Gerharz’s staff last season and he should snag a few more innings this spring given last season’s senior departures.

Offensively, Oshkosh West is prepared to challenge the likes of Kimberly, Hortonville, and Appleton North. Kohl was the team’s catalyst in 2017 and he’s prepared to take on that role again. But more importantly, joining Kohl are many of the same pieces as last year. It’s a senior-led group with a wealth of experience. Senior OF Tyler Whiteley was named second team all-conference a season ago, his first full year starting, and hit .313. He’s joined by fellow two-year starter and senior 2B/OF Jordan Brewer, who hit .340 last spring. And the senior 3B Bryce Koch is also returning for his third season at the hot corner -- yet another Wildcat who hit well above .300.

It’s a deep team that may have been assembled at a good moment in time while powerhouse Kimberly fields a talented but somewhat inexperienced unit in 2018. If Gerharz can find a junior or two to contribute the way Whiteley and Brewer did last spring, the Wildcats could make a run at the FVA title and beyond.