Skyhawks amid title contenders

     By Todd Dewey
     View staff writer
      With six Division I college signees returning to the diamond, the Silverado High School baseball team has to be considered one of the favorites to capture this year's state crown.
      However, in a valley brimming with baseball talent, Skyhawks' coach Brian Whitaker isn't taking anything for granted.
      "I'm sure a lot of people look at us as one of the favorites, but there are a lot of good baseball teams in Southern Nevada," he said. "It's a real baseball hotbed right now.
      "It's a situation where we have some talent and we're gonna have to put up or shut up. People gun for the favorites, which makes it fun. I expect us to have a ballgame on our hands every day."
      Silverado, which starts tryouts Saturday and opens its season March 9 at Western, will get an early look at one of the other favorites to win it all when it hosts defending state champion Durango on March 10.
      "If I was to pinpoint a favorite, it would have to be last year's state champion -- Durango," Whitaker said. "I'm sort of old school a little bit, where I think the champion is the champion until someone else unseats them, not to mention (as contenders) Green Valley, Basic, Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman, Cimarron (and) Cheyenne. ... All the programs are legitimate and (there are) others I didn't even mention."
      Don't get him wrong, though. Whitaker, the only coach in Silverado's five-year history (with a record of 79-63, including 75-41 over the last four years), still likes his squad's chances.
      "I like them just fine," he said. "I wouldn't trade my team for anybody's."
      The Skyhawks went 18-7 and won the Sunrise Division title last year -- ending then six-time defending state champion Green Valley's reign -- but missed out on a trip to the state tournament after getting beat by the Gators and Durango during the Southern Conference playoffs.
      The Skyhawks took out their frustrations on their American Legion opponents over the summer by rolling to the state title with a 52-9 mark and return 11 lettermen from last year's team, including the aforementioned six -- Jeremy West (Arizona State University), Tommy Rojas (Pepperdine University) and future UNLV players Robbie Van, Ryan Ruiz and twin brothers James and Joe Wickman.
      West and Van were both named First Team All-Conference for their outstanding performances last year.
      West led the Skyhawks with a .576 batting average, smacked a team-high six homers and drove in 30 runs in 25 games.
      Van, a left-handed pitcher/outfielder, went 5-2 with a 2.77 earned run average in seven starts -- five of them complete games -- and had 50 strikeouts in 53 innings.
      James Wickman also returns to the hill for Silverado. The right-hander went 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA last season and completed five of seven starts.
      The Skyhawks return their entire infield, which -- with the exception of second baseman Mike Esragh -- is already inked to Division I deals.
      And Esragh, who hit .329 with three homers and 15 runs batted in last season, is no slouch himself.
      "I think he's a college-caliber player, too," Whitaker said. "We just haven't found a spot for him yet."
      Rojas will start at catcher, Joe Wickman will play third, Ruiz will start at short, Esragh will be at second and West will man the bag at first.
      Rojas led Silverado with 36 RBI last year, was second on the squad with a .425 average and drilled three homers. Ruiz hit .338 with three homers and 23 RBI, while Joe Wickman hit .282.
      Other returnees for the Skyhawks include outfielders Eric Nielsen (.309, 18 RBI) and Bobby Morvay and pitchers Ken Clayton (2-1, 3.44 ERA, two walks in 20 innings) and Mark Lester.
      According to Van, pitching will be the key to the team's success.
      "I just hope everyone can pitch good, because that's what everyone thinks we're weak at," he said. "Everyone knows most kids on our team can hit."
      While Whitaker doesn't see his pitching as a weakness, he agrees it could be a big factor in Silverado's quest for its first-ever state baseball title.
      "We really have some outstanding hitters and our defense should be real solid," he said. "Our pitching is above average, but we just have to go out and get it done. We're not gonna go out and strike out 15 or 16 guys in a seven-inning game like some of these guys can. But (our pitching staff) is quite capable; we just have to field the ball."