2010 All-Star Weekend: West Team Practice
The Gameday crew caught up with Loudoun Valley's Beattie Southerland right after the West Team practice ended on Wednesday. Southerland, who will play 1st base for the West squad was impressed with his teammates who represent some of the best ballplayers in the Northern Region...
Photo By: GamedayMagazine
West Team assistant coach Wayne Todd stops by to chat with the Gameday crew after practice on Wednesday. Todd was happy with what he saw on the field and likes their chances against the East Team...
Photo By: GamedayMagazine
West Team shortstop Justin Weaver swung his way into the Home Run Derby at practice on Wednesday. Weaver sent two bombs over the fence at Chantilly High School...
Photo By: GamedayMagazine
CHANTILLY, VA - With the 2010 All-Star Game just 48 hours away, The West All-Star Team hit the field for head coach Chuck Welch on Wednesday at Chantilly High School. Welch, who coached the West Squad a year ago in the inaugural summer classic, said he was impressed with the talent that was in attendance on Wednesday.
"I like our chances," said Welch. "I was surprised about how well we hit the ball, and the scrimmage at the end of practice was good work for our guys. We have a great chance to win this game."
If you think Welch doesn't take this All-Star Game seriously, you are flat out wrong. He was out at the East Team practice on Tuesday scouting the East All-Stars as they participated in batting practice.
"It's all about putting in the time, and yesterday gave me a chance to see what they had," said Welch. "They hit the ball awfully well, so I'm not sure it was a good thing for me to come out and see that, but it was fun."
Welch will have a solid lineup of hitters himself to feature on Friday night, led by Concorde Player of the Year Cam Walter from Centreville. Walter will start at 1st base, and be joined in the infield by Shane Vlasic (Broad Run) at 2nd Base, Chris Campbell (Centreville) at shortstop, and Aaron Scoville (Westfield) at 3rd.
Centreville's Chris Mandell will get the start behind home plate at catcher, and the West Team starting outfield will feature Sherando's Brogan Hoover in centerfield, Connor Bach (Centreville) in right field, and Loudoun Valley's Alexander Barr in left field.
Getting the start on the mound will be Centreville Ace Ryan Ashooh, who will play for the University of Virginia next year. Ashooh was the co-pitcher of the year in the Concorde District after leading the Wildcats to the regular season Concorde District title.
Westfield's golden arm Danny Thorpe will be second in relief, and that 1-2 punch on the bump put a smile on Welch's face.
"I would have liked to have Ryan and Danny throwing every other day all year long over at Westfield," said Welch. "I can't imagine seeing Ashooh's stuff from the left side, and then seeing Danny from the right with his delivery. That should be fun for the East Team."
Welch's assistant coach in the dugout is Loudoun Valley head coach Wayne Todd. Todd, who won a state title at Broad Run in 1991, is no stranger to coaching great talent, and he said he's excited about the West Team's chances in Friday's game after he heard some of the trash talk that the East Team sent over the bow on Tuesday.
"Sometimes you have to be careful what you ask for," Todd said smiling. "These guys will come out on Friday, and they will play hard, I can promise you that. Everyone is going to have fun, and that is for sure."
The West squad is looking to become the first All-Star Game Champion after last year's game ended in a 3-3 tie. Welch told his players at the beginning of practice that he was about having fun, and being safe, and then he emphasized that he would love nothing more than to put it to the East Team.
The West All-Star practice was crisp, and included a scrimmage toward the end. Brentsville's Justin Weaver won the at-large bid in Thursday's Home Run Derby by putting three over the fence in batting practice.
As for George Khalsa's quest to earn a spot on one of the All-Star Team rosters, Welch said he spoke with East Team head coach Jason Ritenour, and was under the impression that Ritenour had already carved a spot for Khalsa on his team.
"I saw him practicing on Tuesday with the East Team," Welch said with a laugh. "He's definitely going to be on the East Team from what I understand."
With practice completed, the players and coaches will turn their attention to the 2010 Home Run Derby which will take place on Thursday at 4:30pm at Chantilly High School.
Participating for the West Team will be Cam Walter (Centreville), Justin Weaver (Brentsville), Connor Bach (Centreville), Brian McBride (Brentsville), and Alex Owens (Loudoun Valley).
Each participant will be competing for the Derby Championship on the individual basis, but each will also be trying to help their teammates hit the most home runs total to help secure home field advantage in Friday's All-Star Game.
Home Run Derby is free to the public and begins at 4:30pm at Chantilly High School. The 2nd Annual All-Star Game will begin Friday 7pm at Chantilly High School as well with admission set at $10. Proceeds benefit the Chantilly Athletic Booster Club.
Gameday will be televising both events for On-Demand Replay online, and will also provide a live audio broadcast feed during the event on the Gameday Broadcast Network.
For more information about All-Star Weekend, please email GamedayMagazine@aol.com
WEST TEAM ALL-STARS 2010
PITCHERS:
- #5 RYAN ASHOOH - CENTREVILLE*
- #25 DANNY THORPE - WESTFIELD
- #10 CONNOR BACH - CENTREVILLE
- #11 JUSTIN WEAVER - BRENTSVILLE
CATCHERS:
- #8 CHRIS MANDELL - CENTREVILLE*
- #17 BRIAN MCBRIDE - BRENTSVILLE
1ST BASEMAN:
- #22 CAM WALTER - CENTREVILLE*
- #17 BEATTIE SOUTHERLAND - LOUDOUN VALLEY
2ND BASEMAN:
- #7 SHANE VLASIC - BROAD RUN*
SHORTSTOPS:
- #12 CHRIS CAMPBELL - CENTREVILLE*
- #11 JUSTIN WEAVER - BRENTSVILLE
3RD BASEMAN:
- #10 AARON SCOVILLE - WESTFIELD*
- #11 ALEX OWENS - LOUDOUN VALLEY
RIGHT FIELD:
- #10 CONNOR BACH - CENTREVILLE*
- # 11 NICK IMPELLIZERI - HERNDON
CENTERFIELD:
- #14 BROGAN HOOVER - SHERANDO*
- # 8 SPENCER BROOKEBANK - STONE BRIDGE
LEFT FIELD:
- #3 ALEXANDER BARR - LOUDOUN VALLEY*
- #1 NICK CLAYTON - HERITAGE
DESIGNATED HITTER:
- # 4 LEO MONTOYA - CENTREVILLE*
- #11 DANIEL SHILL - HERNDON
*STARTERS
WEST HOME RUN DERBY CONTESTANTS:
- CAM WALTER (CENTREVILLE)
- BRIAN MCBRIDE (BRENTSVILLE)
- CONNOR BACH (CENTREVILLE)
- ALEX OWENS (LOUDOUN VALLEY)
ALL-STAR COACHING STAFF (WEST TEAM)
- CHUCK WELCH - WESTFIELD
- WAYNE TODD - LOUDOUN VALLEY
- BILLY CLAY - WESTFIELD
- BOB HERSEY - WESTFIELD
- BRAD BAUDER - LOUDOUN VALLEY
