Prep Baseball Report

2015 Team Preview: Wichita Heights



By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

As we prepare for the upcoming 2015 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Wichita Heights
Nickname: Falcons
Class: 5A
League: GWAL
Head Coach: Jeff Topping
Years as Head Coach at School: 9
2014 Overall Record: 20-3
2014 League Record: 14-2
2014 Post-Season Finish: 5th at 5A state tournament

Returning Starters: 2
Pitchers with 15+ Innings Returning: 1

TOP RETURNERS (College Commitment)
Keylan Killgore, LHP, 2015 (Wichita State) – KABC 5A All-State, 2nd Team
Tremaine Simpson, OF, 2016 – All-City, Honorable Mention
Creighton Sanders, OF, 2016 – All City, 2nd Team
Tristan Windler, IF/OF/RHP, 2015

X-FACTOR
Keylan Killgore.
The KABC 5A All-State honoree dialed in a 1.37 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched as a junior and gives Heights a legitimate No. 1 starter.

KEY PLAYER LOST
Josh Farrington, SS/RHP, 2014 (Barton County CC). Farrington went 7-0 on the mound and was the starting shortstop for the Falcons 20-3 squad a year ago.

KEY STAT
Three
. The Falcons have advanced to the 5A state tournament three years in a row.

2015 OUTLOOK:  
After going 39-7 the last two seasons with upperclass-heavy teams the Falcons will need a group of first-year starting sophomores and juniors to step up to keep their streak of three straight 5A state tournament appearances alive. They have a legitimate No. 1 starter in Wichita State signee senior Keylan Killgore and two All-City performers in junior outfielders Tremaine Simpson and Creighton Sanders. Simpson hit .400 with 21 runs scored and 20 RBI and only 4 strikeouts in 70 at bats last spring while Sanders produced with a .410 batting average with 24 RBI, 17 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.

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