Coaches rank several DFW teams in state 5A baseball poll

by Sonya Grogg

Spring is very near. Let's hope the sunny weather holds out for the beginning of the glorious high school baseball season. Here is a look at the DFW team's who rank as some of the best in the state.

The Flower Mound Jaguars are the highest-ranked area team. The Jaguars are ranked No. 4 in 5A action by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA).

Tant Sheperd, who primarily plays third base, will play a big role in Flower Mound's success. The soon-to-be Longhorn finished last season batting .455 with 26 RBIs, 42 R and 20 stolen bases.

The team is looking to rebound from last season. The Jaguars ended the season with a 28-8 record, and dropped out of the season poll.

Southlake Carroll ended last season ranked No. 10 with a 25-10-1 record. The Dragons bumped up a spot this year to No. 9. The pitching staff will be led by ace Chase Reid.

Reid was labeled as DMN's "Newcomer of the Year" last season. He was the dominant force in the rotation (9-4, 1.62 ERA, 145 Ks in 86 2/3 IP) and the clean-up hitter (.378, 10 2B, 32 RBIs) for the Dragons.

Last season, the Coppell Cowboys rose up to be the 2006 6-5A District Champs. The Cowboys were rewarded by landing in the No. 10 spot.

Coppell's co-captains, Jonathan Kaskow and Cole Green play a big part in the team's success. First baseman Kaskow (.442, 8 2B, 7 HR, 22 RBIs) is heading to Texas A&M after this season. Green (8-3, 0.97 ERA), 114 Ks in 65 IP , who was named by Inside Prep Baseball as the No. 1 Player in Texas for the Class of 2007, is the ace of the Cowboy staff.

Who's going to come out on top? We'll just have to sit back, eat a lot of sunflowers seeds/peanuts and wait and see.