What would happen if you added Rayce Hoepker to the Mustangs’ basketball roster? Or what if Sydney Wade was on the Cubs’ girls basketball team? How about if Dagen Goodner were added to that Mustang defense in football or Piper Moore joined the Cub volleyball team?
Conversations like that are fun water-cooler talk to be bantered around when one team has success and there is a neighboring athlete that just seems like a great fit. For Allen County, those fun conversations play out on the baseball field each summer.
The American Legion Post 15 Indians feature not only the core of the Mustangs team that advanced all the way to the state tournament, but also Humboldt stars Daylon Splane and Lance Daniels. To add to the talent, Crest’s Nate Berry is also joining the Double-A Indians this season.
The Indians had a great season last year when they advanced to the state playoffs, but were eliminated when most of their core missed the first day of the tournament attending a trip for their church.
This season, the Indians are poised to take that next step.
PITCHING
The greatest embarrassment of riches for the Indians is on the mound, where the team’s top four pitches were all All-State players this Spring.
First Team All-State selection Derek Bycroft leads the staff. Bycroft is coming off of a strong sophomore campaign for the Mustangs.
Splane joins Bycroft atop the rotation. Splane was a Second Team All-State selection in his senior year for the Cubs.
The newcomer to the Indians is Ben Cooper. Cooper wrapped up his Mustangs’ career last week and has taken the summer off in the past from baseball to prepare for football and basketball. This summer the Second Team All-State selection is getting another taste of competitive sports before heading to college.
Teams will be hard-pressed to match those top three aces for the Indians, but even if they can do that, it is hard to believe anyone has a fourth starter as talented as Ethan Tavarez.
The junior this past season with the Mustangs earned All-State Honorable Mention honors as a utility player as he helped the Mustangs as a catcher and a pitcher.
Behind their top four, the Indians sport plenty of depth with Isaac Vink, Cal Leonard, Kane Rogers and Darius Greenawalt who have all proven themselves on either the high school or Legion levels.
INFIELD
With Tavarez likely to move from behind the plate so he can pitch more during his senior Mustangs season, that transition could begin during the Legion season.
Zane Whitney — who is playing part-time along with Calvin Delich because of their busy summer schedules — and Casen Barker will likely share time behind the plate with Tavarez playing some too.
Daniels will be the starter at first base after spending the whole year there last season.
Bycroft will play third and Splane will play shortstop, with Leonard filling in for whichever one is pitching.
Second base will go to Mustang starter Blake Ashmore.
OUTFIELD
Vink transitioned from the infield to center field during the high school season and he will continue to man that spot for the Indians.
Rogers was a regular for the Mustangs in left field and appears to be the likely candidate to start there again for the Indians.
The versatile Cooper seems pegged to move to right field, but the Mustangs’ shortstop provides the team plenty of substitution options.
Post 15 Indians
Double-A
Roster
Isaac Vink OF/P
Daylon Splane SS/P
Derek Bycroft 3B/P
Lance Daniels 1B
Ethan Tavarez C/P
Kane Rogers OF/P
Blake Ashmore 2B
Cal Leonard IF/P
Casen Barker C/OF
Nate Berry P/OF
Darius Greenawalt 3B/P
Ben Cooper OF/P
Calvin Delich OF
Zane Whitney C
Schedule
June
1 – at Chanute
8 – at Garnett
9 – HOWARD
16-17 – Chanute Tournament
22-25 – KCK Tournament
29-1 – Fort Scott Tournament
July
5 – CHANUTE
7-9 – Home Tournament
13 – at Howard
19-22 – Zone Tournament
25-29 – State Tournament
