Huskies mixing up offseason program

Sometimes good things don’t happen to good teams.

Describing last year’s Hewitt-Trussville baseball team as “good” isn’t exactly a far stretch. The Huskies held pole position in the ASWA Class 7A rankings for three consecutive weeks and ended the 2015 season at No. 8 in the state.

However, that resume wasn’t good enough to qualify for the 16-team state playoff bracket. The Huskies were left on the outside looking in last April. That doesn’t sit well with fourth-year head coach Jeff Mauldin.

“We were a good team last year, just not good enough in the area that we’re in,” said Mauldin.

All four teams residing in Area 6 finished last year ranked in the ASWA poll, with Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook holding the top slots. As only the top two finishers from each area can compete in postseason play, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook marched onward while Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park stayed home.

Mauldin, who is rarely one for playoff absence, has adopted a new format for preparing his team for the 2016 season in hopes that next April won’t see him observing the playoffs from afar.

“We’ve done things that we have not done in my career,” said Mauldin. “We were in the weight room three and four days a week all summer long. We’ve really stepped it up a notch as far as training.”

Unlike seasons past, Mauldin is giving players different workouts based on the position they play on the field, and the results have been positive.

“Usually we make every player do the same workout. Now, we’re being position-specific,” said Mauldin. “Our pitchers are doing a completely different workout than our position players, and we did that on purpose because I knew we were younger on the mound than most teams are.”

That youth could be masked by an abundance of talent and experience once the spring arrives. According to Mauldin, each of his pitchers have gained two to five miles per hour on their fastball under the new workout format.

Hewitt-Trussville only loses one arm from last season — Austin Brewster, who finished his senior campaign 6-3.

Juniors Bradley Huffstutler and Ben Vetters will join sophomores Carson Skipper, Walker Sahagun and Davis Burgin along with others to carry the Huskies on the mound in 2016. There are no senior pitchers currently in Mauldin’s plans.

Perhaps Hewitt-Trussville’s most talented arm is coming off of an injury sustained last spring. Cameron Moore, a junior capable of throwing in the 90s, is easing his way back on to the rubber.

“We’ve really taken it slow and we’re really listening to the doctors and his physical therapy people,” said Mauldin. “He’s going to have no limitations for us once the season starts except he might be on certain pitch counts as the season goes.”

After missing his junior year, Keegan Morrow will be back on his perch in centerfield. Senior Justin Booker will replace Cyle Moore behind the plate. Booker became the team’s primary designated hitter as a junior and seldom filled in for Moore at catcher, but Mauldin likes what his soon-to-be Calhoun Community College signee brings to the field.

“Booker is a different type of catcher than Cyle (Moore),” said Mauldin. “Booker throws just as well as Cyle (Moore), he just looks a little bit different. I think he’s quicker.”

Senior Tyler Tolbert, a UAB signee, and sophomore Ed Johnson return to the middle infield. Johnson spent much of his freshman year at shortstop while Tolbert made a home at second base, but those roles could be reversed this time around.

“He should be, obviously, one of our best players,” said Mauldin of Tolbert. “He’s really improved over the summer. [Tolbert] plays with a lot more confidence now. He’s gotten faster and stronger. He’s advanced two years in the past six months, and it’s been awesome to see.”

Nick Jackson, who played junior varsity ball a year ago, is expected to take over at first base. Former outfielder Jamison Stennis will get the first crack at third base.

“We’re not sure where he’ll play yet,” said Mauldin of Stennis. “He may play third this year, we’re going to look at him at third, but he will definitely be a middle-of-the-lineup guy.”

Exactly how Mauldin fields his young, high-minded roster is foggy at the moment, but they’ll be facing a demanding field in Class 7A, Area 6.

“I think every team in our area can win a state championship if the cards fall right,” said Mauldin. “The sad thing is two of us don’t make it, but I would rather play at the 7A level and compete against the best teams and the best coaches day in and day out. I would rather go down fighting against these type guys than to win against smaller schools.”

The Huskies open their season at home with a doubleheader against Bob Jones on Feb. 15.