By John Cackowski
State Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage. The Top 50 teams are picked from all classifications, and are not divided up by class level. To see the entire list click here

Team: Pine Creek
Preseason Rank: 11
2014 Record: 17-5
Conference: Colorado Springs Metro
CHSAA Class: 5A
Head Coach: Glenn Millhauser
Playoff Run: Lost to Rock Canyon 7-6 in 5A Final 8
2015 Final Rank: 13
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 5

TOP PLAYERS:
Brice Johnson, LHP, No. 10 2016 (Creighton)
Wade Council, OF/LHP, No. 43 2016 (Concordia)
Riley Gregory, C, No. 58 2016 (University of Northern Colorado) 
Parker Evans, INF, 2016
Travis Olson, C/INF, 2016
Toby Scoles, OF, No. 20 2017
Justin Olson, 1B/LHP, No. 6 2018
Jeremy Onken, RHP/OF No.14 2018

 

 

OTHER PLAYERS THAT COULD MAKE AN IMPACT
Riley Cornelio, SS/RHP, 2019
Parker Gregory, RHP, 2019

X-FACTOR:
There is not another team in the state that has as good of a left-handed starting pitching lineup as the Eagles do. The Eagles are carrying 4 left-handed pitchers on their roster. 

KEY PLAYERS LOST:
Peter McEvoy: Stanford

STAT RAT:
Last year out of the 5 losses the Eagles had..4 were by 1 run..including two heart breaking losses in the 5A Final 8 Playoffs. 

BOTTOM LINE:
The Eagles might have the best young talent in the state right now. After graduating 6 seniors starters the Eagles have reloaded, and have some of the best pitching depth in the state. 2016 LHP Wade Council (Concordia) returns off a very successful 2015 season. Last year Council was 6-1 with a 2.22 ERA. In 35 innings pitched Council struck out 26 batters. He also hit .408. 2016 LHP Brice Johnson (Creighton) who stands an impressive 6-foot-6 on the mound returns. Last year the Eagles had enough depth Johnson was only called on to throw 19 innings but he struck out 23 batters in the process and only walked 5 batters. The Eagles have a pair of two of the best 2018 players in the state. 2018 LHP/1B Justin Olson hit .418 last season as a freshman, and drove in 28 runs. 2018 RHP/OF Jeremy Onken also brings a mid 80's fastball to the mound. 2017 OF/LHP Toby Scoles returns and hit .359 last year, scored 21 runs and led the team in triples and stolen bases. The Eagles have a D-1 catcher coming back in Riley Gregory (University of Northern Colorado). Gregory is one of the better defensive catchers in the state. The Eagles have become one of the top programs in the state the last few years. They have depth and talent. It would be an underachieving year if they don't reach the 5A Final 8 again. 

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