THE FRONT ROW WITH GARRETT CABEZA: Saturday, June 27, 2015

Living in Spirit Lake, Prairie Cardinals catcher Jerrett Plunkett's commute to practice at Post Falls High is longer than his teammates' drive.

But once Plunkett is on the field, he plays hard and helps lead the Cardinals.

"He's definitely vocal back there," Prairie coach Brian Fowler said. "If we have a play on, he's definitely making sure that everybody knows where they're going."

While Plunkett's primary position for Prairie is catcher, he mostly played shortstop and caught a little for Timberlake High - where he will be a senior this fall.

"I'm always trying to get better but in middle school and Pony League I caught a lot," Plunkett said. "Then, starting in high school, I played shortstop but I still caught a lot in practice. So I'm pretty comfortable there but I'm always trying to get better."

FOWLER SAID that Prairie had minimal catching experience heading into this season. Plunkett catches most of Prairie's games while Chris Kirkeby and Sam Schulze fill the spot behind the plate when Plunkett is at shortstop or somewhere else on the field.

"He has a really good arm actually from behind the plate too," Fowler said of Plunkett. "He's been throwing guys out this year. I believe he's actually thrown out about 40 percent of the runners who ran on him."

Fowler said Plunkett has improved in blocking balls in the dirt.

"One struggle he's had that he's been getting a ton better at since the beginning of the season is blocking balls," Fowler said. "He just hasn't had a lot of time catching a whole lot but he's definitely put some time in at practice and gotten better at that."

Plunkett could have been playing for Northern Lakes this season - the new American Legion baseball team comprised mostly of Lakeland High players.

But Plunkett decided to stick with the team he has been playing for the past couple seasons.

"I moved up from California right before my freshman year and I went and played for Prairie, and I've played for them my last two, three seasons, so I didn't want to leave them," Plunkett said. "Prairie's kind of like my family. I love the coaches, I love the players, and I wanted to stick with them."

Plunkett is the only Timberlake High player on Prairie but he is comfortable with it because he has played with the same Post Falls High players since he started playing for Prairie.

After Plunkett graduates high school, he wants to continue playing baseball.

Plunkett has communicated with the coach at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore.

Plunkett has already been exposed to Ontario and the area surrounding it.

Prairie played a doubleheader Monday and Tuesday at Fruitland High, which is next door to Ontario, earlier this week and also participated in a camp Wednesday and Thursday in Ontario.

Plunkett also played at Treasure Valley's field for the 3A state baseball tournament this season. Fowler played two years at Treasure Valley.

"I knew coach Fowler a little bit before summer," Plunkett said. "I knew he played for Treasure Valley and then I got to play the state tournament down there, and I asked coach about it and he talks about how it's a really good program and all that kind of stuff. It's definitely something that helps me think about it."

Fowler is confident that Plunkett would do well at Treasure Valley if he chooses to play there.

"He's a hard worker," Fowler said. "I've actually played at Treasure Valley as well. I kind of know that program and I think because he's such a hard worker that he'd fit in pretty well there."

Garrett Cabeza is a sports intern for The Press. Contact him at [email protected].