6A East Season Preview

February 12, 2016

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

6A EAST

A competitive league that will be largely impacted by the development of two seniors that have made huge strides between their junior and senior seasons.

Pitching

Jonesboro: The Hurricanes compete on the mound on a consistent basis producing a solid group of college prospects on a regular basis. This group should carry on the tradition Coach Dobson has put in place. This year he may look to a couple of talented freshmen to add depth to his returners.

Marion: The Patriots will look to Peyton Moore and Ben Vaughn to lead their pitching staff. Both have experience pitching in the state tournament as they took the mound last spring against eventual state runner up Benton Panthers. They will lean on that experience to help propel them into 2016

Mountain Home: 2016 RHP Ryan Czanstowski will the lead this year’s Bombers pitching staff. The 6-foot-2 180-pound right-hander has shown vast improvement from the 2015 campaign. His velocity has jumped to a consistent 88 mph, and complimenting the fastball with a sharp curveball. They will need to find consistency after Czanstowki but game one of any series they will be tough.

Searcy: The Lions received a big boost when 2016 RHP Bryce Bartlett transferred from Harding Academy to start the year. Bartlett’s stock is on the rise making huge strides on the mound, flashing an upper 80’s fastball and a sharp breaking ball to end the fall. He joins another frontline arm with 2016 Austin Allen returning to the rotation that he lead as junior. This should be one of the better one, two punches in all of the 6A classification.

Hitting

Jonesboro: 2017 C Cameron Hockle will lead this group in 2016. Hockle should not only provide an offensive spark but leadership from behind the plate. Look for this group to compete up and down the line up to defend their 2015 conference championship.

Marion: Tyler Steele and Heath Stephenson are the only two returners from the 2015 team that finished their season in the state quarterfinals. They will look to bring energy and leadership to this line up in 2016.

Mountain Home: After missing the state tournament in 2015, the Bombers will look to compete up and down the line up and manufacture runs. Coach Tejack does a good job getting his kids to buy into his game plane, look for a much improved offense in 2016.

Searcy: The middle of the lineup will be anchored by 2017 CIF Adrian Hannah. Hannah has shown the ability to hit for average and doubles power to both gaps. Look for 2018 C Andrew Stanley to add a spark offensively, as he has a compact swing that produces line drives consistently

Overall

It appears Marion is on the outside looking in for a bid to the state tournament, without having a defined number one in their pitching rotation, they look to at a distinct disadvantage.

Pick

I am going with the Searcy Lions to win the 6A East. Allen and Bartlett are two talented and veteran arms and Hannah is arguably the left-handed bat in the conference to anchor the middle of their lineup.

6A East Season Preview

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