By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 25 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

Team: Marist
Preseason Rank: 23
2015 Record: 24-14
Conference: East Suburban Catholic
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Kevin Sefcik
Playoff Run: Lost in the Sectional Semifinal
2015 Final Rank: Not Ranked
Returning Starters: 3
Returning Pitchers: 3

TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
John Carmody, 1B, 2016
Zach Sefcik, OF, 2016 (North Central)
Jack Snyder, RHP/OF, 2016 (Triton JC)
Brian Wood, OF/LHP, 2016
Brandon Hanik, RHP/SS, 2016
Ben Chaffee, RHP, 2016 (Triton JC)
Elijah Hynes, OF, 2017
Colin Pfotenhauer, RHP/INF, 2017
Bob Gorman, 3B/SS, 2017

X-FACTOR
John Carmody. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-handed hitting 1B was the RedHawks’ main power source last season, leading the team in homers (four), doubles (eight) and RBI (35).

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Elijah Haynes. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound junior outfielder should bring speed and athleticism at the top of the lineup.

KEY PLAYER LOST
SS Pat Meehan
C Eric Hansen (Indiana)
OF Ryan Kairis

STAT RAT
Unsigned senior RHP Jack Snyder returns as the team’s ace after posting a 1.10 ERA in 50.2 innings as a junior last spring. Snyder struck out 32, walked 13 while finishing with a 4-1 record and one save.

OUTLOOK
It hasn’t taken second-year coach Kevin Sefcik long to turn around the program. In his first year last spring, Marist finished fourth with a surprising 9-9 record in the rugged East Suburban Catholic Conference, then nearly upended eventual state-champion Providence in the playoffs, losing a 3-2 nine-inning heartbreaker in the Class 4A sectional semifinal. The RedHawks took that momentum into the summer, where they finished runner-up in the IHSBCA summer state tournament, losing to Lincoln-Way North, 2-0, in the championship game. On paper, the RedHawks aren’t very flashy, not in the least. But they play fundamental, hard-nosed baseball and don’t beat themselves. That’s a testament to Sefcik, a former big-leaguer, and his brand of baseball. While Marist may not have any Division 1 signees on its roster currently, that likely will change in the future. Sefcik’s 2019 class is loaded with potential high-level prospects.

BOTTOM LINE
Marist’s summer state run was no fluke. While the RedHawks likely won’t win the East Suburban Catholic Conference with the likes of Joliet Catholic and Nazareth, they will certainly win their share of games. And come postseason time, playing in one of the toughest sectionals in the state, Marist has the potential to knock off anybody, as it almost did last season with Providence.