Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 25 Columbus

March 10, 2016

The Wisconsin high school season kicks off on March 29, the first day for regular season games. Most teams will begin practicing on March 21, getting their rosters set and finalizing their lineups.

Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we will be rolling out team previews of high school teams all across the state and across all classifications, eventually launching our Preseason Power 25.

We have been sending out our annual Preseason Questionnaire to coaches all across the state and as the responses flood in we will bring you a snapshot of what to expect along with top players and keys to success for that particular team. If you don’t see your team’s season preview make sure your head coach fills out his Preseason Questionnaire.

Team: Columbus
Preseason Rank: 25
2015 Record: 16-8
Conference: Capitol North
WIAA Division: 2
Head Coach: Bob Jansen
Playoff Run: Regionals
2015 Final Rank: Not Ranked
Returning Starters: 9
Returning Pitchers: 6

TOP PLAYERS

Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
Kevin Hussey	WI	Columbus	2016	RHP
Randon Dauman	WI	Columbus	2018	RHP
Connor Manthey	WI	Columbus	2018	C
Peyton Henry	WI	Columbus	2017	SS
Tanner Kirchberg	WI	Columbus	2017	OF
Eliot Turnquist	WI	Columbus	2017	2B

X-FACTOR
Senior Kevin Hussey is a returning first-team Capitol North All-Conference pulling double duties for the Cardinals both on the mound and with the bat. Hussey posted a 2-1 record with a 0.78 ERA and hit .414 in 2015. He will be counted on again to put up similar numbers and lead the staff along with fellow senior Tanner Kirchberg.

STAT RAT
9: The number of starters Columbus returns to the field in 2015, that means they lost zero from last year's lineup which went 16-8 on the year, finising second to Lodi in the Capitol North.

OUTLOOK
The Cardinals have a ton of experience coming back in 2016 and are led by a pair of seniors who took home first-team all-conference awards last year. Both contribute on the mound and offensively for Columbus along with another returning first-team all-conference selection, sophomore Randon Dauman. Dauman is a highly projectable RHP ranked in the top 20 of his class and poised to make a huge jump this year. Dauman went 3-3 with a 2.06 ERA as a freshman and is sure to improve on those numbers in 2016. That gives Columbus three top end arms to lean on this year in Hussey, Kirchberg and Dauman. Speaking of sophomores, also keep an eye on the backstop for those three arms, catcher Conner Manthey. Manthey was a second-team all-conference selection as a freshman hitting .351 on the year.

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