The Bridge City Cardinals have lost six starters from last year’s district championship team. Coach Chad Landry does have some players back to lead the Cardinals in their efforts to capture another district title.
Six spots in the starting lineup need to be filled for the Cardinals. Landry does have some positions already penciled in on the lineup card. Justyn Romero a sophomore will start in centerfield and in the leadoff position. The coach thinks he will be a good one. Coming back is Kyle Bergeron who is strong on the mound and in the field. Bradley Thibodaux has second base for the Cardinals. Derick Dearing runs the bases better than anyone Coach Landry has seen. Behind the plate is sophomore Schuyler Thibodaux who looks confident and they expect big things from him.
To help fill some of the holes left by graduation Landry has some newcomers in the Cardinals’ nest. Landry mentions Caleb Dubois in the outfield as a possible starter. Chaston Miller has waited his turn according to Landry. He is expected to play a solid first base and throw some innings in relief for the Cardinals. Bridge City has 14 seniors on the varsity. Coach Landry’s job is to find where the best spot for them and the best spot for the Cardinals to be successful.
Bridge City lost some good hitters, but Landry believes the Cardinals’ sticks will come around during the season. Landry knows the hitting will struggle early in the year. He is looking for consistent at bats and the hitting will come around. Austin Fitts, Tanner Doiron, and Kade Wheat can all swing it in the middle of the Cardinal batting order.
Over the years the Cardinals always have an ace on the mound. Landry is looking for that number one pitcher this season and has some good candidates for the job. Landry is high on Tod McDowell who did not get a whole lot of innings last season with ace Chase Shugart and Kyle Bergeron ahead of him. McDowell has worked extremely hard to put himself in position to fight for the number one starter slot. Bergeron of course is in the hunt for the number one starter’s job. Doiron along with Miller and Dubois will get looks at the starter’s role. Another kid Landry likes a lot is Taran Burch who was a middle infielder, but has an electric arm which the coach wants to try out on the bump. Burch accepted the challenge and has thrown really well in the scrimmages so far.
Another district championship is the goal for the Bridge City Cardinals. Coach Landry admits it will not be easy. Landry states the Cardinals are on a mission to win their 25th district championship in the school’s history. They will be fighting for number 25 against a district that is loaded. Landry says there are no days off in Bridge City’s district. He points out the Cardinals will see quality arms, quality teams every Tuesday and Friday night. West Orange-Stark was the three-seed last year and made the state finals. Silsbee will always have some great pitching. Landry predicts the sleeper in the district will be Hamshire-Fannett which will be scrappy and has some pretty good left-handed pitching that will give some people fits.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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