Now in his eighth season at , coach Brian Smela is familiar with the taste of success, having won the Class 4A state championship in 2010 and 2013.
But he and his teams have also tasted the bitterness of coming up just short, as the Mountain Lions did last spring after a 5-4 loss to Erie in the state tournament ended their season a week earlier than they would’ve liked.
“That’s a big motivator this season — the fact that we were a run away from moving on to the final four weekend,” Smela said. “Every team is different, and even though we only had three seniors last year, they were three really important seniors, so we’re still working to find our identity this year to get back to that point.”
Leading the way for No. 3 Mountain View (3-0-1, 2-0 Northern League) is senior pitcher/infielder Dylan Norsen, who was the conference batting champ last season and will also be crucial on the mound.
Additionally, senior pitcher/infielder Ivan Thomas, senior pitcher/infielder Jace Suarez, senior pitcher/outfielder Reid Nichols and junior catcher Michael Felton round out a lineup that’s eager to prove last season’s ending was merely a precursor to something greater this spring.
“Our players understand that people who have come before them have all put bricks in the wall to build something.” Smela said. “Now, it’s their turn, and it’s their time to put a stamp on things. Despite the fact so many of these guys were here last year, senior classes tend to get the credit for what happens, and I think these guys want to prove they weren’t just a supporting cast last year.”
After a 21-4, 12-2 campaign led Mountain View to the Northern crown last season, this year the Mountain Lions face renewed competition from No. 7 Longmont, No. 10 and upstart Northridge, among others.
And as Smela emphasized, in order for his team to compete with the likes of defending champion and No. 2 at the state tournament in May, the Mountain Lions must continue to develop pitching depth.
“You really have to develop three quality arms in order to get through the tournament,” Smela said. “You can’t get through the first weekend at state without at least two aces, then when you get to the second weekend, you really have to have three. The deeper you go, the more your pitching depth matters.”
Mountain View is in action next Wednesday afternoon at home for a 4 p.m. conference affair with Longmont at Greg Brock Field.
