AREA TEAMS INCLUDED IN THIS POST: Highlands.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE NORTHWEST EDITION WEBSITE:
Start-up companies aren’t expected to turn a profit in their first year.
The same principle generally applies to new baseball programs. At the professional level, expansion teams usually take a few years to compile more wins than losses. With colleges and high schools, the lack of experience tends to override the talent, for at least the first couple of years.
However, Our Lady of the Lake University baseball coach Freddy Rodriguez isn’t buying the accepted wisdom. Rodriguez has no mental safety net in place when he appraises the Saints’ chances for a winning season when they take the field for their inaugural season next spring.
“I have a lot of talent on this team,” Rodriguez said. “I just feel that we’ll compete right off the bat. I know what it takes to win in this conference and at this level. The student-athletes we were able to recruit should be very success from the start.”
Rodriguez is very knowledgeable about the Red River Conference. The 38-year-old spent nine years as baseball coach and one as athletic director at OLLU’s conference rival, Texas College.
Of the 31 players listed on the initial OLLU roster, as of Aug. 1, nine are from San Antonio or Helotes. To build a team capable of competing in the Red River Conference, Rodriguez sought out a good number of transfers from junior colleges and four-year schools to supplement the Saints’ recent high school graduates.
“I tried to get some junior college players and put them in defensive positions I could build the team around,” Rodriguez said. “I wanted to be strong up the middle. Then I started looking for pitchers that could help us win ballgames. Our pitchers will be pretty young, but I think they’ll gain a lot of confidence before the year begins.
“I want to develop our pitching so that, three or four years down the road, we’ll have one of the best pitching staffs in the conference.”
Catcher Connor Kalisky, a 2012 Marshall High School grad, will be one of OLLU’s 14 relative veterans next year. Kalisky redshirted, or sat out the season to preserve a year of eligibility, in 2013 at the University of the Incarnate Word. He played only briefly as a Cardinals redshirt freshman this season.
“Having the experience I have,” said Kalisky, who’ll be a sophomore in eligibility at OLLU, “I know Coach is bringing in a lot of freshmen. I just want to pass on my experiences and help them out, especially with the mental game.”
Recent Highlands graduate Steven Martinez will be a true freshman. Martinez was selected out of a OLLU tryout on June 12. A second tryout took place July 9 to round out the roster.
“I heard about it through one of my friends,” Martinez said. “He asked if I wanted to go. I gave it a shot. I had nothing to lose. It worked out well for me.
“I felt like I did well. I fielded well and hit well. I felt like I gave a good impression of myself.”
Martinez batted .411 at Highlands this year with six doubles, three triples, a home run and 14 RBIs.
“I like the way he swings the bat from the left side,” Rodriguez said. “You can never have enough left-handed hitters or pitchers. I can see that he has a little bit of pop, but he also puts the ball in play. That’s what stood out to me the most.”
Martinez. was a very successful pitcher at Highlands, posting a 4-1 record and 1.55 ERA. The right-hander struck out 41 in 40 2/3 innings as a pitcher. The Saints will develop him as a third baseman, but Rodriguez said Martinez may pitch later in his career.
“He’s a third baseman,” Rodriguez said. “We’re going to work on his defense, but his bat is what stood out to me. If there’s a situation where I feel he can help us, I’ll give him an opportunity with his pitching, too.
“We’ll try to find a spot on the field where he’s able to excel and help us win a conference championship. We’ll take it one step at a time and one day at a time.”
Before he found out about the OLLU tryout, Martinez was considering attending Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Alvin Community College or playing in a men’s league while going to one of the Alamo city colleges and looking for a transfer opportunity.
“If it didn’t work out, I was still going to play baseball,” Martinez said. “I was just staying in contact with the coach, more and more as we went along in the summer. Finally, about three or four weeks ago, he posted my name on the website.”
Now Martinez is playing in that men’s league, hitting off a batting tee and taking ground balls on a daily basis. In short, he’s honing his game to prepare for his time as a Saint.
“I was excited like everybody else,” Martinez said. “I want to do my best for the team and help us win. I want to help make this a very good baseball team for years to come.”
Rodriguez also wants to build a program that will sustain.
“I’m just excited and blessed to be at Our Lady of the Lake and in San Antonio,” he said. “Seeing the baseball teams at St. Mary’s, Incarnate Word and Trinity, and what they’re able to do – there’s no doubt that I feel we’ll be able to fit in (well) with those institutions.”
Now that the players have been assembled, the next step is team building.
“Once you get them into the program, you try to get them to play their best ball,” Rodriguez said. “We want to run the bases well, play aggressively and play hard. I think we’re going to be in good shape, in that regard.
“We’ll look at that realistically and try to fit them into our philosophy of offense, defense and pitching.”
1. Holy Cross
2. Southwest
3. East Central
4. Harlandale
5. Brackenridge
6. Central Catholic
7. Highlands
8. McCollum
9. Edison
10. Lanier
11. South San
12. Memorial
13. Sam Houston
14. Kennedy
15. Burbank
AREA TEAM INCLUDED IN THIS POST: Southside.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:
New Southside football coach Ricky Lock likes the challenge of rebuilding programs. His influence, though, may also extend to other Cardinals teams in need of a boost.
Lock, who also serves as Southside’s athletic director, has hired baseball coach Larry Wuthrich, girls basketball coach Jessica Macias-Cardenas and softball coach Amy Behlen since the end of the 2013-14 school year. The girls basketball team was the only squad in the four sports that qualified for the postseason last year.
“I think it’s a great opportunity coming in,” Lock said. “I like building programs. I think Southside has been in the playoffs four times in school history, to my knowledge, and I don’t think they’ve won a playoff game.
“With the economic growth and the companies coming in on the south side, I think it’s an excellent opportunity. We’ll have new facilities with Field Turf being installed on the football field and an indoor facility being built that all sports will be able to benefit from.”
The Cardinals most recently qualified for the playoffs in 2010 and 2011 under Lock’s predecessor, Paul Haberer. Southside finished 1-9 overall and 1-6 in for eighth place in eight-team District 29-4A last year. It will compete in District 29-5A for the next two years.
Lock, who has a 120-76 overall record in 18 seasons, comes to the Cardinals after five seasons at Gonzales. He took the Apaches to five playoff appearances. They reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals twice. Including last season when they fashioned a 9-5 record.
“We’re in a district I feel we can compete in,” said Lock, who had a 43-16 record and made the playoffs three times at Gonzales.
“The kids we have here are good kids. They are really respectful and have a good work ethic. I’ve been pretty pleased so far.”
Baseball
Southside also has yet to win its first postseason game in baseball, having made the playoffs for just the second time in 2011 under Fernando Garcia. In the recently completed season, Southside finished 4-20 overall record and eighth in 29-4A with a 1-13 record.
Wuthrich, who’ll coach the receivers during football season, has worked with Lock at both Elgin and Gonzales. He coached at Gonzales the last four years, following two years at Gainesville and four at Elgin.
“There was a change of philosophy and leadership in Gonzales,” Wuthrich said. “When the opportunity came to follow (Lock) to Southside, it was a no-brainer.
“I came to visit Southside twice and now we’re having a strength and conditioning camp. I like what I’ve seen. The boys are working hard for Coach Lock, and there’s no substitute for hard work.”
Softball
The softball team has made seven playoff appearances, with its last foray being in 2012 under Behlen’s predecessor Mike Alfaro. The new coach comes from a program that is used to advancing to the postseason. Behlen has been an assistant to Bryan Waller and Megan McCutcheon at East Central, which has a four-year postseason streak.
The Hornets have advanced to the area round each of the last two years. Behlen, who has built the Adrenaline club program, hopes to achieve that type of success at Southside. The Cardinals finished 5-21 overall record and 2-12 for seventh in 29-4A last year.
“East Central was kind of struggling when I first got there,” said Behlen, who coached seven years at the school. “It was a blessing to see it get to where it is. I plan to do the same thing at Southside. We may not get there the first year, or first couple of years, but we’ll get there eventually.
“I want to see Southside up there with East Central, O’Connor and Johnson – in the city’s top 10 rankings.”
Girls basketball
Girls basketball has been one of the school’s most successful programs, reaching the playoffs seven times. Macias-Cardenas was chosen to replace Dolores Sulaica, whose teams qualified twice during her five seasons at Southside.
The Cardinals finished with an 18-14 overall record and 10-4 mark for third in 29-4A. Sulaica will coach at Poteet.
Macias-Cardenas was the top assistant at South San, under longtime Bobcats coach Lucy Sanchez.
“She does a great job,” Lock said. “She has an extensive background in basketball and tremendous knowledge of the sport. We’re very excited to have her at Southside.”
MORE TO COME
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – San Marcos – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at New Braunfels Canyon – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – at Smithson Valley – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – Reagan – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – at Del Rio – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *-Corpus Christi Carroll – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-Southwest – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *b-at Corpus Christi Ray – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-Corpus Christi King – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *-at South San – 7 p.m.
b – at Buccaneer Stadium, Corpus Christi
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – Holmes – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – Central Catholic – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – c-at MacArthur – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – Lee – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – at Antonian – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *b-at Corpus Christi Ray – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-Corpus Christi King – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *-at Southwest – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *a-at Corpus Christi Carroll – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *-East Central – 7 p.m.
a – at Cabaniss Stadium, Corpus Christi
b – at Buccaneer Stadium, Corpus Christi
c – at Comalander Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – Victoria West – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – Taft – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 13 – d-at Lee – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – at Del Rio – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Sept. 25 – e-at Eagle Pass – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *-Corpus Christi King – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-at East Central – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *-South San – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 30 – *b-at Corpus Christi Ray – 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *-at Corpus Christi Carroll – 7:30 p.m.
b – at Buccaneer Stadium, Corpus Christi
d – at Heroes Stadium
e – at Cozel Foster Veterans Memorial Stadium, Eagle Pass
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – v-at Victoria East – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – b-Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *-at Alamo Heights – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *b-Floresville – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *-at Kerrville Tivy – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *b-Boerne Champion – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – at Lockhart – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *b-San Marcos – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-at Seguin – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *b-Memorial – 7:30 p.m.
b – at Edgewood Veterans Stadium v – at Victoria Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – b-Carrizo Springs – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Pearsall – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *b-Boerne Champion – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *-at Lockhart – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *b-San Marcos – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *-at Seguin – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *b-Alamo Heights – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *-at Floresville – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *b-Kerrville Tivy – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *b-Kennedy – 7:30 p.m.
b – at Edgewood Veterans Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – a-Jay – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Devine – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 13 – *a-at Edison – 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 20 – *a-Harlandale – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *a-at Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *s-Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *s-at Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 16 – *a-McCollum – 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 25 – *a-at Jefferson – 7 p.m.
Thur., Nov. 6 – *a-Highlands – 7 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – at Southside – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – e-at Kennedy – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *a-at Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *s-McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 4 – *a-at Jefferson – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *s-Brackenridge – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *a-at Highlands – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *s-Edison – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *h-at Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *s-Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium e – at Edgewood Veterans Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – s-Pleasanton – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Floresville – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 13 – *a-Brackenridge – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *a-at Highlands – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *a-Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *a-at Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *s-Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *s-at Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 1 – *a-McCollum – 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *a-Jefferson – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Thur., Aug. 28 – h-Devine – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Somerset – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *h-Jefferson – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 20 – *a-at Brackenridge – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *h-Highlands – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *a-at Edison – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *h-Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *a-at Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *h-Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *h-at McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Sat., Aug. 30 – a-Floresville – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Uvalde – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *a-Edison – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *h-at Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 2 – *a-Lanier – 7 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 9 – *a-at Sam Houston – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *a-Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *h-at McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *a-Jefferson – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Nov. 6 – *a-at Brackenridge – 7 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – at Antonian – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – a-Lee – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *h-at Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Sept. 18 – *a-Lanier – 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27 – *a-at Sam Houston – 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 4 – *a-Burbank – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *h-at McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 25 – *a-Brackenridge – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *a-at Highlands – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *a-at Edison – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Thur., Aug. 28 – a-Central Catholic – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Pleasanton – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *s-McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Sept. 18 – *a-at Jefferson – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *a-Brackenridge – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 2 – *a-at Highlands – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *a-Edison – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *h-at Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *s-Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *s-at Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – h-Uvalde – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – v-at Victoria West – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *s-at Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *h-Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *s-at Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *h-Jefferson – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 16 – *a-at Brackenridge – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *h-Highlands – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 1 – *a-at Edison – 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *h-Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
v – at Victoria Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – at Bandera – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at Southside – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – *a-Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – *h-at McCollum – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27 – *a-Jefferson – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *s-at Brackenridge – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 9 – *a-Highlands – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *s-at Edison – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *a-Harlandale – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *s-at Lanier – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
s – at SAISD Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – Burbank – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – Sam Houston – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – h-at Austin Travis – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – *a-at Eagle Pass Winn – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *-Laredo Nixon – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *-at Somerset – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *s-at Laredo Martin – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *-Medina Valley – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-at Uvalde – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *-Laredo Cigarroa – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Cozel Foster Veterans Memorial Stadium, Eagle Pass
h – at House Park Stadium, Austin
s – at Shirley Field, Laredo
Date – Opponent – Time
Thur., Aug. 28 – a-at Lanier – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – at South San – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 13 – g-at Holmes – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – Devine – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – at Jourdanton – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *-St. Anthony – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-at Antonian – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *-San Antonio Christian – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-at Brownsville St. Joseph – 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 7 – *-Austin St. Michael’s – 7:30 p.m.
a – at Alamo Stadium
g – at Gustafson Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Sat., Aug. 30 – h-San Antonio Christian – 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 6 – h-Antonian – 7:30 p.m.
Thur., Sept. 11 – h-Austin Eastside Memorial – 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – at Hondo – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27 – *h-Cornerstone Christian – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – *-at TMI – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-at Victoria St. Joseph – 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 25 – *h-Corpus Christi John Paul II – 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-at Austin Regents – 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 8 – *h-Austin Hyde Park Baptist – 7:30 p.m.
h – at Harlandale Memorial Stadium
Date – Opponent – Time
Fri., Aug. 29 – a-at Leakey – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5 – w-at Hawkins – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – at Cornerstone Christian – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 19 – at St. Mary’s Hall – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 26 – w-Cole – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 – at Cotulla – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 10 – *w-George West – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 17 – *-at Hallettsville – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 24 – *w-Mathis – 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 31 – *-at Goliad – 7:30 p.m.
SAN ANTONIO SOUTH SIDE SPORTS 