PITTSBURG — Iola High’s Mustangs earned the “favorite” tag in Monday’s preseason coaches’ poll for the 2012 Southeast Kansas league baseball season.
Labette County High’s girls were selected as favorites to defend their SEK softball crown in 2012.
That is according to The Ticket — 99.1 ESPN Radio coaches polls announced during the second annual Southeast Kansas High School Baseball/Softball Media Luncheon at the Watco Companies Conference Room Monday.
Iola High’s Fillies finished eighth in the preseason softball coaches’ poll for 2012.
Iola is playing its last season in the SEK League before moving to the Pioneer League next school year.
The Mustangs picked up five of the seven available first-place votes (one school did not vote and coaches could not vote for their own schools) in the baseball poll. The Mustangs (17-3 in 2011) finished with 53 of a possible 56 points to get a five-point edge on defending champion Pittsburg.
The Purple Dragons (16-6 in 2011) picked up two first-place votes and finished with 48 points to rank a comfortable second in the poll. Playing in Class 5A last season, Pittsburg was the regional runner-up last season. The Dragons are in Class 4A this season.
Positions three through six were separated by seven points, with Columbus getting the No. 3 slot with one first-place vote and 36 points — one ahead of Fort Scott and three better than Independence.
This is Columbus’ last season in the SEK as well — the Titans join the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League next school year.
In softball, the defending champion Grizzlies topped the coaches survey with seven of the eight available first-place votes and 63 of a possible 64 points. Labette County posted a 20-2 record in 2011.
Parsons and Fort Scott each grabbed a single first-place vote, with the Vikings placing second in the poll with 54 points and the Tigers coming in third with 49 points.
Parsons (13-6 in 2011) was the regional runner-up after knocking off LCHS in the semifinals.
Columbus and Chanute finished with 40 points each to tie for fourth place.
2012 Southeast Kansas League
Preseason Baseball Coaches’ Poll
