NATCHEZ — Last season, Adams County Christian School’s baseball team finished a disappointing 11-14.

“It wasn’t the type of season we were hoping for. We weren’t as successful as we wanted,” ACCS baseball coach Hunter McKeiver said.

Coach McKeiver is hoping this season will be different with many returning players. Some of these players have started getting ready.

“We have started throwing our pitchers already. We are working on their throwing mechanics,” McKeiver said. “But, soccer and basketball are getting in the way. It’s hard to balance the amount of time we can practice with these kids when they have soccer and basketball practice, too.”

First team All-Metro catcher Christopher Perry will be a junior this season, and after a terrific sophomore season in which he batted .473 with nine homeruns, Perry hopes to improve on his already terrific numbers.

Three seniors will return to this year’s baseball team, Ryan Goddard, Brandon Sanders and Rusty Blackwell. With just three seniors on the team, McKeiver said that anyone could step up and make an example for his young team.

“I feel anybody can be a leader for us, whether it is vocal or just by the way the guy plays,” McKeiver said.

McKeiver said he is excited about one of his seniors, Goddard.

Goddard, a left-handed pitcher, tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow during the preseason of his sophomore season. The damage to his elbow required “Tommy John” surgery.

Goddard, after sitting his entire sophomore season due to the injury, played sparingly in his junior campaign.

“I tried to play last season but it hurt too badly,” Goddard said.

McKeiver said he hopes Goddard is ready to go this season but it is too early to tell. Goddard, on the other hand, says his elbow feels fine and he is playing.

“So far it feels good. I look forward to playing my senior year,” Goddard said. “I’ve missed baseball so much.”

With the addition of Goddard in the pitching rotation, McKeiver is setting his sights high this season, and he is expecting a district championship.

“It starts with improving each game,” McKeiver said.

Aside from winning baseball, McKeiver wants his players to learn a few life values.

“Baseball is a life lesson that we’re teaching. Baseball requires so much discipline,” McKeiver said.

ACCS will kick off its preseason with a tournament at David New Baseball Field beginning Feb. 14.

Natchez High School

Natchez High School lost only one senior at the end of last season, and coach Charlie Williams said he feels good about their 2011 chances. Despite a 2010 record of 13-14, the Bulldogs made the playoffs last season, losing in the first round to Ocean Springs.

This season, the Bulldogs are set to make a better run this season with a roster already determined. Williams is just waiting until Feb. 1 so he can get his club on the field.

“We have a good crew of seniors returning,” Williams said. “They’re going to have to play like seniors this season and provide leadership for the younger guys.”

Seniors such as Javon Washington, Scott Turner, Trevon Chatman and Alfred Brown will be the focal points of this year’s Bulldog team, a team trying to win a division crown.

“Our No. 1 goal is to win our division,” Williams said. “We’re tired of being bridesmaids to our division. We’ve finished second in our division for a few years in a row now. We’re going to do whatever is necessary to win.”

With a lead off hitter and the number one, two and three pitchers already established, Williams is all but ready to the 2011 season started.

“Javon Washington will bat leadoff for us again, he sets the tone for us,” Williams said.

Williams is hoping to have the four and five spot in the pitching rotation filled after some good competition from Trevonta Green, Davion Ward and Brian Isaac.

To go along with his seniors, Williams has one junior and a group of sophomores that he said are phenomenal.

“My sophomores are a good crew of players. I’ve kept them together since middle school,” Williams said.

Williams also has a few seventh and eighth graders that he will have on the field to mold into his next high school stars.

After last season’s imploding in the playoffs with two blowout loses to Ocean Springs, Williams and his coaching staff will try to help his team keep their composure this season.

“We have to stay focused this year, we (coaching staff) need to get them (players) motivated and keep them motivated,” Williams said. “Your best ball has to be toward the end of the season and in the playoffs.”

Trinity Episcopal

Natchez— The Trinity Episcopal baseball team wants to go from good to great in 2011. The Saints finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 19-7, won the District 6A Championship against Tensas in dominating fashion, defeated Riverdale in the first round of the playoffs, then went to Riverfield in the second round and beat them in game 1 on their turf.

Then, the Saints lost in a double-header, games 2 and 3, to Riverfield, losses that knocked them out of the playoffs and out of contention for a state championship.

“The reason we lost is because we didn’t pitch well, and we weren’t detail oriented,” coach Mitch Ashmore said. “You have to focus on everything.”

Ashmore preaches about the details of the game.

“You have to be focused on every play,” Ashmore said. “When I came to Trinity, we had a good season, not a great season.”

This season, eight out of nine players will be returning to the starting lineup, which leaves Trinity fans something to be excited about. Jordan Dossett is the only player Ashmore lost to graduation.

“This year we have some great players,” Ashmore said.

Seniors Kent King, Trevor Faust, Givonni Dent and Chase Patrick are, to name a few, players that Ashmore will have to help him chase a championship this season.

When looking forward to this season, Ashmore said he feels last season’s accomplishments mean nothing to him and that this is a new season.

“We have to get better mentally. If we don’t, we will not accomplish our goal,” Ashmore said.

That goal, of course, is a state championship.

“Our goal is to win state. But that depends on a lot of things. We have to stay healthy and focus on the details,” Ashmore said. “We need to grow as a team. To get to the next level we need to grow and become detail oriented.”

With the loss of Dossett, Trinity is going into the season without an established No. 1 pitcher established. Ashmore expects hard work from of his players in this off-season so he can decide who will open up the season for the Saints.

“Whoever is practicing the hardest will be the one on the mound,” Ashmore said.

Ashmore expects to start spring workouts Feb. 1.

Cathedral

Natchez — Cathedral will begin tryouts Feb. 1 in pursuit of building a squad that will get them past the South State Championship.

“We want to win district and make it deep into the playoffs,” baseball coach Craig Beesley said. “We want a championship.”

Last season, the Green Wave (19-7) fell just short of a South State Championship in a loss to St. Aloysius of Vicksburg.

With Tyler Morrison as the No. 1 pitcher in the rotation and skill position players such as catcher Caleb Upton returning, Beesley feels this team has the making of a championship team.

“We’re young and inexperienced, but we can come together,” Beesley said.

Last season, Caleb Upton was the number three hitter in the lineup. Beesley said he feels Upton did a tremendous job behind the plate and at the plate last season, and expects even more from him this season.

Morrison and Upton made the second team All-Metro team last season as juniors and sophomores, respectively.

With the assurance of Upton and Morrison, Beesley said the rest of the team is wide open.

“We have several players trying to move up in the lineup,” Beesley said.

With a solid squad that will most likely return after a successful 2010 campaign, 2011 looks to be promising for the Green Wave.

Vidalia High School

Vidalia — Vidalia High School is in a rebuilding year with new head coach Tim Herndon.

After losing seven seniors, coach Herndon has a big task in front of him in 2011.

Seven years were lost from the 2010 team

“We lost two of our main pitchers, so we’re rebuilding our pitching staff,” Herndon said.

Vidalia will hit the diamond on Jan. 24, as their spring workouts will begin. Senior Caleb Vines will be one of the key players returning from last year’s 15-9 campaign.

“I’m expecting a lot from Caleb Vines this season, a leader, a hitter,” Herndon said. “Vines will fill spots because of athleticism. His true position is the outfield. He’s an amazing outfielder, but we may need him to play the infield.”

Last season, as a junior, Vines made the 2010 All-Metro third team as an outfielder. Vines batted .361, scored 36 runs and stole 30 bases.

Despite 2011 being a rebuilding year, Herndon expects a winning season from his squad.