Wildcats Baseball Could Be Powerhouse

Central High School’s 2021 baseball team could be a powerhouse.  Coach Leo McClure has 62 players on the team from the 9th to the 12th grade.

More importantly, every starter from last year has returned.

The 2020 season was strange, to say the least.  It was cut short by Gov. John Bel Edwards who cancelled high school sports in mid-March.  At that time, Central was 5-8 but playing much better than that record would indicate.

The abbreviated season last year would appear to put the Wildcats at a disadvantage, but not so.  Virtually the entire team played travel baseball in the summer and the fall.

Furthermore, every other high school team in the state also lost most of last season.

In addition to Coach McClure, the coaching staff includes Todd Lasseigne, who will coach hitting, Brett Courville, the JV coach, and Hunter Edgens, who will coach 9th grade.  Les McLin has volunteered  to help with the JV team. 

Among returning starters for the Wildcats will be Jimmy Johnson, a junior pitcher headed to SLU. Johnson had the most innings pitched as a freshman and as a sophomore.

Another outstanding player is pitcher D. J. Primo who is headed to LSU.

The Wildcats could be a contender for district honors.  Assuming they make the State 5A Playoffs, they will be in the mix and anything can happen.

The team has a 34-game schedule and will co-host the Live Oak tournament.

This year Central High and Central Private play each other at home and away.

Masking will continue to be an issue unless something changes. Masks are required at school, in the dugout, and on the coaches. Attendance will be limited to 25 percent.  Tickets will be sold online.

The season will start unofficially Friday, Feb. 12 with a JV scrimmage at 5 p.m., followed by a 9th grade scrimmage at 7 p.m.

The Central High varsity will scrimmage this Saturday, Feb. 13 at 3:30 p.m. against St. Amant, weather permitting. Unfortunately, as this is being written, the weather forecast is for rain and then cold.

For more on Coach Leo McClure, read the February 2020 issue of the Central City News at centralcitynews.net, pages 10-11.