Photos by Erik Fraser – Branson Dobrec is one of several talented juniors on this year’s McKinleyville team.

By Ray Hamill — For a team without a lot of seniors, the McKinleyville Panthers have plenty of experience on the baseball diamond.

Whether that can lift them to a possible league title in what is expected to be a very competitive and wide-open Big 5 this spring remains to be seen, but with several starters back from 2022 the Panthers have every reason to feel optimistic.

And experience isn’t the only thing this year’s team has going for it.

“I think we’re going to have really good balance,” new head coach Mike Dobrec said. “I think we’re going to be strong offensively, and if we play catch we’ll be strong defensively, and I think we’ve got a really good group of pitchers.”

The Panthers were scheduled to open the new season at home against Trinity on Saturday, but that game has been canceled because of the expected  weather and they will now open in a non-league game at Del Norte on Wednesday.

The weather has also affected the team’s early-season preparations, but it certainly hasn’t been all bad.

“Practice has been going good,” said Dobrec, who is one of four new head coaches in the Big 5 this year. “There’s been a lot of indoor (practices). The field is hit and miss. But the kids are getting better and working hard, and it’s starting to come together.”

Having such a large group of returning players has helped this year’s team hit the ground running.

In addition to the two seniors, the roster includes a strong junior class of six and a talented group of seven sophomores, many of whom played varsity last year.

Riley Bates, who was a team captain last spring, is back for his senior campaign and will see plenty of time on the mound when he’s not playing first base, and so too is talented infielder Jack Saso.

A pair of juniors — Evan Fraser and Branson Dobrec — will also seen a lot of time on the mound and both already have plenty of varsity experience.

“We have a strong core of returning players,” the head coach said. “Most of our starters are back from last year.”

Mike Dobrec also likes the leadership his juniors and sophomores are already showing.

Evan Fraser

Junior Tenoch Tapia is back from last year’s varsity team and will start behind the plate, while sophomore Bryce Sargent is also back and will pitch and play infield.

Junior Tyson Bragg is also back and will be expected to provide a reliable bat on offense after an impressive season a year ago, while sophomore Kolbey Stolpe is another returning player who already has a lot of varsity playing time under his belt.

Two other sophomores — Jackson Kelly and Scott Meyer — are also both expected to play bigger roles this spring.

With Arcata’s Troy Ghisetti the only returning head coach in the Big 5 this season, it remains to be seen how that affects league play, although Mike Dobrec expects it be a wide-open battle.

“I think it’s going to be a real competitive league,” he said. “All the teams are strong.”

Dobrec, who takes over from Scott St. John, believes Eureka’s pitching makes the Loggers slight favorites, but he also believes Fortuna and Del Norte each have enough experience to give them a chance and that Ghisetti’s teams are always a dangerous prospect.

The Panthers will begin league play at Fortuna on March 29.