LEGION BASEBALL: Lums look to continue run of Lake City's champs
Zach Clanton, coach of the Coeur d’Alene “AA” Lumbermen, watched from afar as his alma mater — Lake City High — won a state 5A baseball championship for the first time since his junior year in 2007 last weekend at Memorial Stadium in Boise.
Starting on Saturday, he’ll take aim at bringing home a state AA American Legion baseball program with many of those same players.
Clanton opens his third year as Lums coach on Saturday in the Missoula Mavericks Memorial Day tournament, facing the Helena Senators at Lindborg-Cregg Field in Missoula.
“Kind of looking at this team from afar, I wasn’t sure what to expect of this year’s team,” said Clanton, who for the past two seasons was the pitching coach at Wenatchee Valley Community College of the Northwest Athletic Conference, and was recently named head coach. “I knew we weren’t going to be as talented with losing five seniors from last year’s team. I figured we were going to play some small ball and grind out some games. But that group really matured. As a whole, they matured the entire season and I think we’ve got the senior leadership to have a successful Legion season as well.”
Returning starters from last year’s 30-22 squad include Grant Wade, who caught a majority of games in the final two months of the 2015 season, as well as Dominic Conigliaro at first base and pitcher.
“Grant really carried the load for us last year behind the plate,” Clanton said. “I’m sure he’ll play a large role back there again this year. Dominic, he’ll be one of our big guys offensively and on the mound.”
Also around the infield will be Jarred Hall (second base), Cody Garza (shortstop) and either Brett Stapleton or Jake Grinde at third base.
In the outfield, Nathan Phillips and Daniel Gunnerson will share duties in left field, with Tanner Criswell in center field and Kaleb Reid in right field.
Hall and Garza have signed to continue their playing careers at Yakima Valley Community College. Conigliaro signed to play at Lewis and Clark College in Portland.
“I think Daniel had an underrated senior year at Coeur d’Alene, and will either be our No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher,” Clanton said. “When he’s not pitching, he’s going to provide a spark on the field. I’ve always liked the way he’s played and watched him in single-A. I think he’ll do some good things for us as well.”
Of those returning, Grinde and Gunnerson are the only two from Coeur d’Alene High.
“It really reminds me a little bit of our group when I played in 2007,” Clanton said. “My group, we were a little different because we’d played together since we were 6 years old and almost advanced to Williamsport (for the Little League World Series) and were playing together almost year-round. Chemistry was something tough to replace and it’s a very underrated part of the team. With that chemistry, it gives you the confidence that everyone is just going to go out and do their job. All you’ve got to do is just focus on yourself and the other guys will do their part.”
In addition to the Best of the Northwest and Fourth of July Wood Bat Classic, Coeur d’Alene will also compete in a tournament in Billings, Mont. (June 24-28), and the Greater Seattle League College Showcase (July 6-10) in Centralia, Wash.
“The Billings Scarlets are arguably the best team in the state of Montana,” Clanton said. “The GSL tournament is going to be on-par with some of the best talent we’ll see all year.”
The Class AA Area A tournament is July 21-24 at Harris Field in Lewiston.
Lewis-Clark finished second at state last year. Coeur d’Alene advanced to state as the host team, then went two and out.
Al Bevacqua takes over the Northern Lakes program this season. Brian Fowler returns for his second year at Prairie and Kyle Blackwell is in his third season at Lewis-Clark.
“It sounds like Al’s excited to get going,” Clanton said. “He’s actually one of my favorite coaches of all time and was the JV coach when I was at Lake City. With Lewis-Clark, the way I look at them, the road runs through them — and it definitely does this year — with them hosting districts. Prairie had us on the ropes last year in the district opener, so you’ve got to be ready to play every night
As of now, only Area (District) A champion advances to the class AA state tournament at Timberline High in Boise.
“It’s kind of like (former Coeur d’Alene) coach (Lloyd) Duman always told us,” Clanton said. “We’ve got to peak before regionals and make sure we’re playing our best at the end of the season.”