Daylight savings time begins this Sunday and a day later the light will shine on the 2024 edition of Craig County High School baseball. The Rockets will open the new season with a 5 pm game at Glenvar on Monday, March 11.
The Rockets graduated just three players from last year’s 7-14 team and look to improve on that record. Corey Smith will begin his second year as head coach and he has a terrific assistant in Craig County’s Jason Lucas, who coached many of these boys to successful seasons in recreation and travel ball.
Craig has some talent returning, including three players who were second team All-Pioneer District last year. Senior Matthew Lucas was second team at utility as a junior and he’ll be a pitcher and middle infielder for this year’s team. Senior slugger Drew Duncan returns at first base, where he was second team all-district, and Jaycob Wolfe was second team as a sophomore. He’ll be a solid portsider on the mound and a tough stick in the middle of the order.
Senior Hayden Reynolds was Honorable Mention all-district last year and he returns as a middle infielder. Joseph Charette was also Honorable Mention as a freshman and he can catch, pitch and play corner infield.
Seth Parsons is another senior and returning juniors include Cameron Huffman, Isaiah Wente and James Smith. Returning sophomores are Luke Potter and Hunter Sowers and freshman Kadin Authors is also on the varsity.
The Rockets will miss graduated all-district pitcher Zach Peters but Smith has a stable of arms to choose from with Lucas, Wolfe, Charette, Reynolds, Sowers and Wente all available to log time on the mound.
“We have high expectations for our returning key players,” said Lucas. “Our goal is to make it to the Region C tournament.”
The Rockets barely missed making the region last year and a strong schedule should get them prepared for postseason play. After Monday’s game with Glenvar, who always has a quality Class 2 program, the Rockets will take on William Byrd in Vinton next Wednesday, March 13. The Terriers are Class 3 and have one of the top programs in the Roanoke Valley at any level.
