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Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 7 Janesville Parker

March 23, 2015

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 31, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on March 23, getting their rosters set and finalizing their lineups.

Throughout the month of March we will be counting down our Preseason Power 25 Team Rankings leading up to the No. 1 team right before opening day.

CLICK HERE for complete Preseason Power 25.

No. 7 Janesville Parker

2014 Record: 23-6
WIAA Classification: 1
Conference: Big Eight
Head Coach: Brian Martin
2014 Playoff Run: Sectional Champions/State Semifinalist

TOP PLAYERS

Logan Coulter, OF, 2015 (UW-LaCrosse)
Zach Bailey, SS, 2015 (Madison College)
Connor Osmund, OF, 2015 (UW-Whitewater)
Hunter Van Zandt, LHP, 2016

UP AND COMING

Jordan Bailey, younger brother of senior standout Zach Bailey, could be the next top prospect to come out of the Viking program. The freshman Bailey is a L/L LHP/OF who is highly athletic and shows a quick arm and bat. Coach Martin might not need the younger Bailey this year but down the road he could be providing a big impact to the Parker program.

X-FACTOR

Experience. Parker is returning a good trio of seniors in Bailey, Coulter and Osmond, all who received all-conference honors last year. But the most valuable expeience gained of all may have come from junior LHP Hunter Van Zandt. Van Zandt went a remarkable 11-1 last year with a 1.11 ERA and also the quarterfinal game in Appleton. Van Zandt and the Vikings will have a target on their backs this year after all of last year’s success, how they handle it will be key.

OUTLOOK

Coach Martin will be counting on senior leadership in 2015, with four returning all-conference mentions the Vikings have the talent to get back to Appleton .They play in arguably the toughest conference in the state in which three of last year’s state tournament field members hailed from the conference (Sun Prairie, Middleton, Janesville Parker), so the Vikings will definitely be battle tested by tournament time. The Big Eight will again be a tight race at the top with at least five teams that have legitimate playoff caliber teams. Parker’s ability to handle being the “hunted” rather than the surprising “hunter” will be the difference in their success in 2015. They have all the tools to make another deep run as long as the senior leadership comes through and the Vikings play confident baseball all year.

If you are a high school coach and have yet to send in your Preseason Questionnaire please fill one out HERE.

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By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 31, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on March 23, getting their rosters set and finalizing their lineups.

Throughout the month of March we will be counting down our Preseason Power 25 Team Rankings leading up to the No. 1 team right before opening day.

CLICK HERE for complete Preseason Power 25.

No. 7 Janesville Parker

2014 Record: 23-6
WIAA Classification: 1
Conference: Big Eight
Head Coach: Brian Martin
2014 Playoff Run: Sectional Champions/State Semifinalist

TOP PLAYERS

Logan Coulter, OF, 2015 (UW-LaCrosse)
Zach Bailey, SS, 2015 (Madison College)
Connor Osmund, OF, 2015 (UW-Whitewater)
Hunter Van Zandt, LHP, 2016

UP AND COMING

Jordan Bailey, younger brother of senior standout Zach Bailey, could be the next top prospect to come out of the Viking program. The freshman Bailey is a L/L LHP/OF who is highly athletic and shows a quick arm and bat. Coach Martin might not need the younger Bailey this year but down the road he could be providing a big impact to the Parker program.

X-FACTOR

Experience. Parker is returning a good trio of seniors in Bailey, Coulter and Osmond, all who received all-conference honors last year. But the most valuable expeience gained of all may have come from junior LHP Hunter Van Zandt. Van Zandt went a remarkable 11-1 last year with a 1.11 ERA and also the quarterfinal game in Appleton. Van Zandt and the Vikings will have a target on their backs this year after all of last year’s success, how they handle it will be key.

OUTLOOK

Coach Martin will be counting on senior leadership in 2015, with four returning all-conference mentions the Vikings have the talent to get back to Appleton .They play in arguably the toughest conference in the state in which three of last year’s state tournament field members hailed from the conference (Sun Prairie, Middleton, Janesville Parker), so the Vikings will definitely be battle tested by tournament time. The Big Eight will again be a tight race at the top with at least five teams that have legitimate playoff caliber teams. Parker’s ability to handle being the “hunted” rather than the surprising “hunter” will be the difference in their success in 2015. They have all the tools to make another deep run as long as the senior leadership comes through and the Vikings play confident baseball all year.

If you are a high school coach and have yet to send in your Preseason Questionnaire please fill one out HERE.