* Robbinsville baseball season preview
Robbinsville – The last time a Black Knights baseball team made the playoffs, this year’s seniors were 6 years old.
So while it has not been that long ago since Robbinsville played in the postseason, it has been long enough that head coach Brent Icenhower is tired of experiencing the drought. Back for his fourth season as the Knights’ skipper, Icenhower is carrying a lot of optimism into the 2023 season – mainly because of what he has seen in the preseason.
“This baseball season has me and all the other assistant coaches pretty excited. We are eager to start playing,” Icenhower told The Graham Star in a Friday email. “We have a lot of talent on this year’s squad. The kids have been working really hard in practice, and there is competition all over the field.
“In fact, this is probably the most competition that I have seen among the players since I have been a part of the Robbinsville High School baseball program. Me and my assistants all think right now that we are much better this year at this point than we were last year after a couple weeks of practice. I really think we will be very competitive this season.
“Last season, we barely missed the playoff cut. I honestly feel like this is the year we will get in.”
Robbinsville posted a 7-11 mark in 2022, going 4-8 in the Smoky Mountain Conference. The Black Knights were 7-7 in 2021, but missed the playoffs due to the limited number allowed in the postseason during the COVID pandemic. The last time Robbinsville finished above .500 was in 2018, when the Knights went 9-7.
But Icenhower is right to enter the year with a heightened sense of optimism, as the coaching staff and elder members of the team set the course for the overall tone of the program right off the bat.
“The first week of practice, I set some goals for the team: of course making the playoffs, was at the top and to be competitive. Not only that, but being a good somebody on and off the field,” he said. “Our team motto this year is “togetherness,” meaning team first and no egos. The players have a desire to make the playoffs and win a lot of ball games. They seem to be buying in to what us coaches are wanting them to do.
“Also, the effort these first few weeks of practice has been a real bright spot. We have had to deal with a little bit of sickness and minor injuries, but hopefully we get all that out of the way before our season gets going good.”
Comprising the Knights’ seniors this year will be infielders Lathan Buchanan and Alex Knight, as well as outfielder Caleb Turpin – all returning players – as well as the addition of Turner Jackson and Preston Phillips. Buchanan was named the team’s MVP in 2022 and was one of the captains, a distinction normally not afforded to juniors.
The admiration for Buchanan carried over to this season as well.
“So far, he is the only player to be named a captain of this year’s squad,” Icenhower said of Buchanan. “He seems to have the respect of his teammates and will be a very important leader to keep everyone focused on their job.
“We will probably name other captains later, we are wanting to get a few games under our belts, so me and the other coaches can get a good evaluation on everyone. I have really encouraged the seniors and even the juniors that even if they are not named a captain, be a leader for this team.”
Between varsity and junior varsity, Icenhower boasts that he could send 11 different players to toe the rubber as needed. Returning to the mound are junior Graylen Orr and Ethan Orr – who Icenhower dubbed his starting “workhorses” – as well as relievers Bryce Adams, Bryc Garrison, Quinn Jumper, Luke Lovin, Evan Menard, Phillips, Nathanael Shope, Zach Seay and Avery Webster.
“This is probably the most depth that I have ever seen a Robbinsville team have,” Icenhower said. “I would not be surprised if all those get plenty of innings this year. Luke – as a freshman – throws the ball very well. I am very pleased with the freshman and the rest of the underclassmen on this year’s team.”
Rounding out the rest of the team are juniors Carter Burchfield and Christian Phillips; sophomore Dayne Webster; and freshmen Karen Buchanan, Tyler Martinez and Everette Taylor.
“There are going to be some hard decisions on who should be where, just based off the competition and the hard work being put in by all the players,” Icenhower said. “Overall, I honestly feel like this year’s team can compete for a conference title. If we continue working hard, this should be the year we make the playoffs after a long drought of not being there.”