Toland: Central Plains teams eye next goal

By Roger Toland, Journal Sports Editor | Thursday, August 10, 2006

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The Central Plains Regional American Legion baseball tournament begins today in Aberdeen, with the ultimate goal for the eight teams is a trip to the World Series next week in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

An outstanding tournament is predicted, simply for the reason that most of the teams are familiar with each other because they seem to be frequent participants in the region or played each other during the season.

A look at the region teams:

* Eden Prairie, Minn.: This is Eden Prairie's third straight trip to the regional. They are coached by former Basin Leaguer Gary Morgan. They were the top-rated Legion team in Minnesota and lost only six times in 49 games.

* Minot, N.D.: Minot topped Post 22 11-2 just less than a month ago. Post 22 pitcher Garrett Wolff was roughed up for 10 hits and seven runs. Minot has a 53-11 record. Minot did just about everything right! Tyler Lundy has belted 25 homers for the Vistas this summer.

* Johnson County, Iowa: This is the fifth straight journey to the regional for Johnson County, which has a 20-4 record.

* Lawrence, Kan.: Another perennial visitor to the region as Lawrence, 36-6, is making its fourth straight trip.

* Aberdeen: The offensive-minded Smittys have had an outstanding season. The question is if their offense can overcome the pitching.

* Rapid City Post 22: When the Legion season begins, most people "pencil in" Post 22 as the team to beat. There's nothing different this season as they have an impressive 64-12 record, with victories in 14 of the last 15 games.

* Omaha, Neb., Creighton Prep: Post 22 tripped Creighton Prep 4-3 on June 18 on Mike Robinson's grand slam homer in the championship game of the College World Series Legion tourney.

* Oshkosh, Wis.: This is the first state title for Oshkosh since 1958. First baseman Ryan Demmin, who had three hits in the championship game against Appleton, was named the tournament's MVP.

Who will be the last team standing Monday?

Post 22 has a chance to go to its second straight World Series if some big ifs are answered.

Will Post 22 get the pitching needed in the region? Can Kirby Morsching set the tone in the opener? Can Mike Robinson stay focused in his trip to the mound? Will they continue to get outstanding performances out of the bullpen?

Will the hitting stand up? Can they string hits together?

Will the defense perform? Or will they revert to the game when they had four errors in one inning against Aberdeen?

Only time will tell, but it should be an interesting tournament to say the least!

Region notes

* De Pere, the top-rated Legion team in Wisconsin, was knocked off before ever getting to the state tourney. Post 22 had downed De Pere 13-6 this season.

* Coon Rapids, the runner-up to Eden Prairie in Minnesota, will play in the Great Lakes Regional. Coon Rapids lost to Post 22, 9-1, during the season.

* Las Vegas Bishop Gorman downed Las Vegas Sierra Vista, which had toppled Post 320 this summer, in the title game in Nevada.

* Portland, Maine, is unbeaten in 28 games this season.

* Enid, Okla., last year's World Series champion when the tourney was held at Fitzgerald Stadium, will be playing in the Mid-South Regional.

* Nebraska champion Lincoln Southwest is playing in the Northwest Regional in Casper, Wyo.

* Cheyenne, Wyo., takes a 53-23 record into the Northwest tourney.

* The Billings Scarlets have a 51-8 mark heading into the Northwest Regional.

* Post 22's 64 victories are the most wins by any team competing in a regional.

* The Central Plains champion will meet the Northeast champion in the final first-round game in the World Series in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, Aug. 18.

This and that

Brad Vanden Boogaard has been named head men's basketball coach at Presentation College. ... Pierre's Scott Rislov set a single-season arena football2(AF2) record for TD passes by throwing eight, giving him 106 for the season, in Central Valley's 62-49 win over the Stockton Lightning. ... Rapid City's Laura Doshier (basketball) and Pierre's Zach Vogt (golf) have been named to the Dean's List at South Dakota State U. for the spring semester. ... Rapid City's Matt Robinson has a 3-0 record, with a 3.81 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 26 innings for the Gulf Coast League Indians. ... Rapid City's Spencer Ingaldson is hitting .221 for the Duluth, Minn., Huskies in the Northwoods League. ... Rapid City's Ben Thomas is hitting .280 with 44 RBI for the St. Joseph Blacksnakes of the American Association Independent League.

Contact Toland at 394-8430 or at roger.toland@rapidcityjournal.com