Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 24 Plainfield South

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

This tooled-up sophomore didn’t see a ton of time at the varsity level last spring, and while not many holes opened up in the starting nine, it would not be a surprise if Tylor Phommachanhom barged his way into the everyday lineup in some way. The multi-positional 2021 grad is effective from the mound and could be a reliable bullpen arm this spring for the Cougars. The pitchability right-hander sat in the 77-80 mph range last month when he was invited out to the Underclass Invitational event, and he took reps as an infielder, too. In the right-handed batter’s box, Phommachanhom has feel for the barrel and top-of-the order potential. Given the infield depth the Cougars are returning, his defensive home might not be on the dirt – but that’s okay. The sophomore might be able to make better use of his athleticism and sub-6.80 speed on the outfield grass if needed.

Phommachanhom’s development over the course of the 2019 spring will add another dimension to a team gearing up for a deep playoff run this May, with a shot at some games on the calendar in June.

Tylor Phommachanhom (2.17.19)

X-FACTOR

The Cougars might not have the traditional ace of their staff, but they have a senior southpaw who competes like one. Austin Richardson, an Illinois Tech commit, is an aggressive starter with the kind of mentality it takes to be relied upon as a team’s big-game, go-to option on the mound. Plainfield South might be the thinnest on the mound, but getting to call on Richardson for this team’s most important games is going to help – a lot.

PBR Illinois and Wisconsin Scouting Supervisor Steve Nielsen was out to see Richardson take on Plainfield North in a showdown last May and he labeled the lefty as an “ultra competitive” pitcher who “wins battles via command and “change of speed over stuff.”

Richardson’s attitude on the mound embodies this South team, and it could lead them to another bountiful season in a rigorous Southwest Prairie Conference.

OUTLOOK

Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Head Coach Phil Bodine has a decade of experience as the chief of this Plainfield South program, and is a baseball lifer. He silently notched the 600th win of his coaching career in 2018, while the Cougars battled ferociously for the Southwest Prairie title, at odds with crosstown rivals Plainfield’s East and North. South wound up finishing just a game behind the North Tigers within the conference – which, in the end, became a more-than-respectable finish considering the Tigers captured the 4A state title.

Bodine’s dugout in 2018 was packed with questions marks. While he had a set of seniors ready to lead and contribute, the Cougars were inevitably going to have to start a handful of inexperienced juniors.

This is where Bodine’s lengthy resume and expertise came in handy. The Cougars coalesced almost seamlessly and South sprinted to May with a 15-3 record. While East and North were expected to contend last spring, the Cougars proved that they could hang, too.

Ultimately, South headed into the postseason on a short win streak but were abruptly halted in the regional semifinals in a 6-0 loss to Naperville Central, but you can’t say that their season was over.

After a brief summer break, the Cougars reunited for the Phil Lawler Summer Classic and streaked to a championship victory, winning games against St. Laurence and Prairie Ridge along the way.

Don’t underestimate the effect that experience had on this team.

Senior Griffin Lapp was named summer state’s playoff MVP and classmate Ryan Pawlak earned a place on the all-state summer team. Lapp is a two-way talent committed to Illinois Tech and was credited with the Cougars’ win in the title game against Prairie Ridge.

After last year’s spring run and a victorious summer, this 2019 class is in a prime position to vault themselves back near the top of the Southwest Prairie, readying themselves for a deeper run in the postseason.

Fellow seniors Connor Blake and Tony Mosher are arguably the two best hitters in this lineup, so the developments Lapp and Pawlak made in July could substantially boost this team throughout this season. And the younger Pawlak, junior Zach, could be counted on to put together hard-fought at-bats. Progression from him, one of the few non-seniors in their lineup, will only make the Cougars that much deeper on offense.

And all this speculation is without mentioning senior backstop Justin McGuigan, whom Bodine labeled as this team’s MVP in our preseason questionnaire.

McGuigan’s role is critical to South this spring, and it goes beyond how many runs he can drive in or how many would-be base stealers he can throw out. The one flaw South has on paper is its lack of a go-to, surefire ace. It’s possible that Richardson could become that arm, and McGuigan can help guide the southpaw there from behind the plate, but it’s an area of uncertainty right now. Richardson should be backed up in the rotation by Lapp, as well as senior OF/RHP Nino Carra, with Mosher re-taking his duties as the team’s closer.

The senior catcher’s handling of this staff is integral to the long-term success of the 2019 Cougars.

Also, keep an eye out for sophomore two-way talent Jack Bruington. The left/left prospect saw some time in the starting lineup for this team as a freshman late last spring. He’s capable of impacting South with either his bat or as an additional piece for Bodine to backup Richardson from the rubber.

BOTTOM LINE

Perennially, we see senior-laden teams more able to work and compete as a unit and, given all the recent winning this class of 2019 has enjoyed at South, the Cougars could be the latest senior-heavy squad to make use of all this experience they’ve garnered in the calendar year.

The summer championship experience could play a major role here. The confidence gained from a journey like that last summer, albeit a short one, is the kind of thing that ignites a program. The recipe might be just right for another prosperous season at South.

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2019 season.

Find more information on the 2019 Cougars below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN