COLONY — The upcoming baseball season will carry a familiar tune for Crest High’s Lancers.

The Lancers, for the second consecutive season, will look to keep up the team’s success on the diamond after bidding adieu to a deep and talented senior class.

All Crest did last spring was run roughshod through the Three Rivers League on the way to its third state tournament appearance in four years.

“It’s gonna be a challenge,” head coach Roland Weir said. “We’ve got a target on our backs. Our goal is to win league, and everybody wants to take it away.”

And while the Lancers may not have as much experienced depth as in years past, they still return several talented performers to the diamond.

Senior Kade Nilges will once again be counted on to help anchor the Lancer pitching staff. He led the team in appearances last year (12) while going 4-2 with a 3.20 earned run average. He also hit a robust .385 with 29 RBIs in 28 games.

He’ll share the frontline pitching responsibilities with junior Drake Weir, Coach Weir’s son, with a caveat.
Drake Weir is coming off a knee injury from the football season, and has delayed surgery in order to play baseball this spring.

“We’re playing it week by week, game by game, to see how it goes,” Coach Weir said. “So far, he’s doing well with his rehab, but only time will tell.”

Drake Weir, who hit .353 with 26 RBIs while going 2-2 with a 3.17 ERA on the mound, will likely relinquish his catching duties this spring, and instead handle first base, to reduce the strain on his knee.

Juniors Jensen Barker and Henry White also will be expected to see time on the mound, Weir said, although much of their experience the past two years was in the field.

Weir also will look to junior Dalton Kersley to handle second base this season.

Newcomer Kole Walter headlines a large and talented freshman class. Weir expects a handful of youngsters to make an impact, and soon.

“We’ll be deep, and we’ll be fast,” Weir said. “We’re gonna steal some bases and move people around. If anyone knows me, they know I’m aggressive.”

And while he expects the Lancer lineup to remain relatively stable, exactly where each player suits up on the diamond will likely vary from game to game.

“A lot’s going to depend on who’s pitching,” Weir said.

“Every year’s different, and every year has its challenges,” Weir said. “We’ve been lucky to have the same group of kids around for a while. Now we’ve got a tradition started, and your younger players have seen it when they were in middle school. Now they’re a part of it.

“We’ve had a successful football season and a successful basketball season. I have no doubt we’ll be successful in baseball as well.”