Coach: Jeremiah Peace

Returning players: Matt Faiman, sr., P/1B/OF; Kyle Wangler, sr., SS/P; Ryan Bragg, sr., 1B/P; Rick Dodridge, jr., P; Michael Noffsinger, jr., 2B/P; Anthony Betancourt, jr., OF/P; Blaine Powley, so., IF/P/C; Kelvin Page, jr., 3B; Aaron Kihn, jr., C; Rob Goulette, sr., 3B; Kyle Weber, sr., OF; Scott Kimball, sr., 1B.

New to varsity: Andrew Funsch, so., OF; Mike Pacella, sr., OF.

Outlook: Expectations could hardly be higher for the Falcon baseball team. After losing a heartbreaker in extra innings to eventual state runner-up Escanaba in last year's regional semifinals, Ogemaw enters the 2007 season ranked No. 2 behind defending state champ Battle Creek Lakeview in the pre-season Division 2 coaches poll.

Winning a school-record 32 games, racking up record-breaking numbers of stolen bases (it's not listed officially yet in the MHSAA record book but the 2006 total of 190 would be third all-time for a season), and bringing back two NCAA Division 1 pitching prospects and most of your starting lineup will do a lot to breed high high hopes.

As important as all that, especially for coach Jeremiah Peace, has been the preparation put into the upcoming season.

"Bottom line, the kids have put in the work," he says. "They spent all summer, fall and winter waiting for the season to begin to get the taste out of their mouth from the Escanaba game.

"From Day One, each kid has worked hard at getting better. We've been in at 6 a.m. hitting and conditioning, then back at night to get our team practices in. Some kids have made huge strides and I really think could step up and have big years."

The pitching staff will be led by a pair of left-handers, senior Matt Faiman (a Central Michigan University signee) and junior Rick Dodridge (drawing plenty of college interest), as well as senior Ryan Bragg, who saw plenty of key action last year. Faiman was 7-4 with a 1.68 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 63 innings, while Dodridge went 13-2 as a sophomore, with a 0.80 ERA and 146 strikeouts against just 32 walks in 78 innings. Bragg appeared in 14 games, both as a starter and reliever, and was 6-1 with a 1.99 ERA.

Anthony Betancourt, Kyle Wangler, Blaine Powley and Michael Noffsinger fill out a deep and quality staff.

In the field, Bragg will move from third to first base, with Noffsinger moving to second, Kelvin Page and Rob Goulette playing third, Aaron Kihn behind the plate, and Kyle Weber, Betancourt, Faiman, Andrew Funsch and Mike Pacella playing in the outfield.

Perhaps as impressive as the Falcons' pitching its their speed on the basepaths. Peace expects to exceed last season's school record stolen base total.

"Believe it or not, we are faster all around than last year," he says. "People talk about our pitching, but our speed is awesome. I don't know who else has this many seriously fast kids.

"They want to have a great season and they've done the work so far. They need to keep it up. If our pitching holds, our defense shores up and we play good situational baseball we will compete in every game we play. Hopefully we learned from last year and come out hungry and prepared."