Bryan County’s baseball team will be short on numbers but long on approach to how it is going to play the game and compete.
Second-year coach Kyle Farmer has only 13 players on his roster, four of whom are not yet available because they’re competing in winter sports, but he is not worrying about what he doesn’t have but rather is focused on what he does have. And he likes what he’s got.
“We want a team that is representative of our community and that’s what we’ve got,” Farmer said. “North Bryan and Pembroke is made up of tough and gritty people and our team is tough and gritty.
“We do not have a big team (numbers) this year and we’ve still got some guys playing basketball,” Farmer said. “We went out and got some guys that do well in the classroom and do well in other sports.
“We’ve got some good athletes. We’ll be playing with 10 guys when the season starts but you can’t play but nine at a time. We’re going to have to avoid injuries.”
Bryan County is coming off an up-and-down 13-17 season which saw it go 10-6 in Region 3A-DII play and qualify for the state playoffs where it lost to state runner-up Wilcox County in the first round.
The Redskins open play Tuesday when they host Jenkins of Savannah. The non-region schedule again promises to be a difficult one with the focus, obviously, on competing in a region which is loaded with good teams at the top in Emanuel County Institute, Metter and Screven County.
ECI was a Final Four team last year for the second straight season while Metter advanced to the Elite Eight and Screven reached the Sweet 16. Metter won state championships in 2021 and 2022.
Prior to the Jenkins game the Redskins will honor former coach Albert Lodge for his contributions to Bryan County athletics. Lodge coached at several schools in the area but he is a legend at Bryan County where he produced outstanding baseball and softball teams.
Leading the way for Bryan County will be three players coming off excellent seasons in senior Ethan Williams, junior Eli Koskela and sophomore Gunner Ennis.
“Ethan is a dirt bag,” Farmer said. “He’s one of our leaders and he will do anything I ask him to do. He leads by the way he practices each and every day…he leads by example.”
And it should be noted the term “dirt bag” is one of the highest compliments a coach can pay a player whose achievements go beyond his talent level. He is a hard-nosed competitor, has a willingness to do whatever it takes to make his team better and, of course, is not afraid to get his uniform dirty.
Williams will start at shortstop but will catch when Koskela, who started behind the plate as a freshman, pitches. He will also draw mound duty.
“We’re going to have guys playing multiple positions,” Farmer said. “Every game is going to be a chess match as we’ll be moving guys around with where they play. It’ll all depend on who is pitching.”
Koskela had a no-hitter last year and may or may not be the Redskins’ No. 1 hurler but he shines behind the plate and at the plate as does Ennis who played leftfield last year but has moved to third. He, too, will see mound duty.
Ennis was the team’s top hitter last year as he hit .354 and was also the top run producer with 22 RBI. Koskela hit .329 with a team high 10 doubles while driving in 16 runs. He and Ennis also excelled in football with Koskela earning all-region honors as a linebacker.
Junior Jordan Fabin improved greatly last year and he will be one of the team’s key starters on the mound and will slide into the third base position when Ennis pitches. Braylin Deloach, a sophomore transfer from Benedictine, will play the outfield and move to shortstop when Williams is behind the plate.
Seniors Ashton Martin and Keller Groover will be in the outfield while Gunner McClelland and Harrison Adams will split duties at first base. Groover will also play second as will freshman TJ Mcbrayer who is still with basketball.
“We’re going to be an old school baseball team,” Farmer said. “Everyone is going to get an opportunity to play. Guys are getting reps at several positions and they’re doing a great job understanding what we’re asking of them.”
Roster:
Harrison Adams, senior, 1B/P/DH;
Braylin Deloach, sophomore, CF/P/Inf;
Ethan Williams, senior, SS/C/P;
Gunner McClelland, junior, 1B/DH/P;
Keller Groover, senior, OF/Inf/P;
Gunner Ennis, sophomore, 3B/P/Utility;
Ashton Martin, senior; OF/P;
Eli Koskela, junior, C/P/OF;
Jordan Fabin, junior, P/3B/DH;
Gerome Lee, sophomore, 3B/P/OF;
Will Summerford, sophomore, P/OF;
TJ McBrayer, freshman, INF/Utility/P;
K’nari Dixon, sophomore, OF.
Schedule:
Feb: 10: Jenkins; 14: Commerce DH, 11 a.m; 17: at Bulloch Academy; 20: Seabreeze.; 21: Islands, 1 p.m.; 24: Jenkins County*; 26: at Liberty County; 27: at Jenkins County*.
March: 3: ECI*; 4: Johnson Savannah; 6: at ECI*; 10: at Claxton*; 12: at Savannah Country Day; 13: Claxton*; 17: at Portal*; 18: at Bluffton; 20: Portal*; 24: McIntosh County Academy*; 26: at McIntosh County Academy*; 30: Perry; 31: Metter*.
April: 2: Liberty County; 3: at Metter*; 7: at Screven County*; 9: Screven County*; 11: Zion Christian Academy DH, 12 p.m.; 13: at Islands; 15: Bluffton.
*--Region game.
