The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 29, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on March 21, 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: Sun Prairie
Preseason Rank: 4
2015 Record: 19-7
Conference: Big Eight
WIAA Division: 1
Head Coach: Rob Hamilton
Playoff Run: Lost in Sectional Semifinal
2015 Final Rank: 11
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 3

TOP PLAYERS

 

X-FACTOR
Junior OF/RHP Ben Hauser will be counted on to fill in on the mound, as the Cardinals lost 75 innings from last year. Hauser went 1-1 last season with a 2.77 ERA. He made a jump on the mound this summer as he topped out at 85 mph with his fastball at the PBR Future Games. The athletic Hauser will also see time in the outfield, and contribute to the lineup as he hit .318 in his sophomore season.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Junior IF Walker Jenkins moved to Sun Prairie from Missouri this year and will augment the Cardinal infield. Jenkins has a strong arm across the diamond with smooth defensive actions. The switch hitting Jenkins has a balanced approach from both sides of the plate and is a solid runner.

OUTLOOK
After winning the last five Big Eight Conference Titles, and past three Division 1 State Titles, the Cardinals were unseated in both regards by Janesville Craig in 2015. Senior Marquis Reuter is returning from a first-team all-conference selection his junior year and will be a huge cog in the Cardinal success in 2016 both on the mound and with the bat. Reuter and Hauser will likely be the one-two punch on the mound tasked with taking Sun Prairie back to state. The Cardinal offense is a strength of the 2016 squad, Reuter, Hauser and JP Curran. The addition of transfer Walker Jenkins is likely to be a huge factor for Coach Hamilton's lineup as well. Coach Hamilton's teams always take competitive at bats and this year's lineup should have a little more pop as well. Look for Sun Prairie to again be in the discussion at the end of the year as they look to get back on top of the WIAA D1 field.

If you are a high school coach and have yet to send in your Preseason Questionnaire please fill one out HERE.