The Conant and ConVal baseball teams scrimmaged at Franklin Pierce University Friday.

When asked how he felt Conant’s season would go, coach Aric LeClair said the team would have its ups and downs this year because they’re going to be young.

“But I think if we put it all together and we figure it out during the 16 regular season games we have, once playoffs, I have a feeling we might surprise some people and show them what these young boys can do,” he said. “Hopefully with some quality leadership from our older guys and young guys. Put it all together and I think, I’m not saying we can win it all because anybody can win it all, I think we could possibly make a little bit of a run. We’ve got some talented players.”

As far as players to watch this season, LeClair cited a couple returning juniors.

“Lane LeClair on the mound, he should be our ace and he threw very well last year. Hitting-wise, he’ll be OK. Didn’t find the hole a few times last year, and you know that obviously plays with your batting average, especially with only 40 at-bats,” he said. “We also have Jordan Ketola, every time he got up to bat he got a hit. Both All-State players last year as sophomores. We got Dylan Adams behind the plate. Only being a sophomore, he was a full-time starter last year behind the plate, probably one of the best Division III catchers defensively. For returning, I think those are our top three.”

ConVal coach Matt Harris is expecting good things this season, even though he anticipates some ups and downs.

“We definitely got some young guys in some key spots, but they’re all ballplayers and they all want to get better and learn, so I think that’s going to be fun,” he said. “I’ve definitely put a lot of pressure on a group of seniors that I’ve had for three years now, kind of being that leader and understanding that the people they are used to being the leaders, the older guys, they’re now the older guys, because those guys are gone. I think it’s going to be fun watching them grow and mature as well in that spot. I think it’s going to be a fun (season), there’s going to be a lot of learning going on.”

Harris expects Ollie Theriault, who had two hits in the scrimmage, to be one of ConVal’s key players.

“He’ll be on the mound. We got Brady Carpentiere. Brady will be a key part on the mound, at the plate, and in the field. I’ve already told him he might play first base a little bit this year and he is just ready to go play baseball,” Harris said. “Joe Gutwein also, he is going to be that table-setter, when he gets on base, like last year when he got on base we did well, and when he struggled to get on base we did as well, so I think he’ll be that table-setter at the top. Then I’m just excited to see a lot of the young guys, Evan Aho at short, Henry Hartwell behind the plate, so it’s going to be exciting.”

Conant was scheduled to host Inter-Lakes Monday at Franklin Pierce, followed by a trip to Monadnock Regional High School Wednesday. ConVal is scheduled be on the road Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. at John Stark High School before a home game Friday against Sanborn Regional High School.

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