Arik Sikula, left, and Kyle Blank give Hurricane High School’s pitching rotation two starters who have already racked up Class AAA All-State accolades. Ask Hurricane Coach Billy Joe Hicks.
"I'd rather have two than not have two," said Hicks, whose top two pitchers, transfers Arik Sikula and Kyle Blank, were All-State first team selections last year. "One year we had three first teamers, but not two pitchers."
It is believed that no team in state history has had two returning All-State first team pitchers on its staff -- until now.
"That's interesting," said Hicks, whose 2002 Redskins won the Class AAA championship behind Brandon Halstead, now at West Virginia State, and Daniel Carte, currently in the Colorado Rockies' farm system.
Last year's Redskins, with Blank but not Sikula, finished 19-10.
The 6-foot Sikula, a hard-throwing right-hander, led South Charleston to the 2006 Class AAA state title. When his family moved closer to his father's job at Marshall University, he transferred to Hurricane.
He had 17 strikeouts on Tuesday in his debut with the Redskins against Spring Valley. Last year, Sikula was 8-2 with a 1.33 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 64 innings.
The other is senior Kyle Blank, a 6-2 lefty with impeccable control who played his sophomore season at Capital High. Blank had a 7-1 record with a 1.07 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 59 innings.
Sikula will play his college baseball at Marshall University. Blank has committed to Potomac State.
"Arik throws four pitches and has real good control," said Hicks, who is beginning his 12th season with the Redskins. "Arik is a bulldog. When you get up to the plate, button your chinstrap because here he comes."
Hicks compares Blank to former Hurricane star Billy Biggs, who pitched at West Virginia University and is a former Arizona Diamondbacks' farmhand. Hicks said Biggs is the best pitcher he's had during his tenure at Hurricane.
"Billy came down here and I introduced him to Kyle and Arik," Hicks said. "I told Kyle that when (Billy) was in high school, he threw to spots and Billy talked to him a little bit."
Now that pitching isn't a problem, what about hitting?
The Redskins haven't been known for their offensive prowess. In fact, they didn't have a player hit over .384 (Travis Henry) last year.
"We need a hitting coach," Hicks said, half-jokingly. "We had three guys hit .300 last year."
He plans to bat Sikula No. 3, with Billy Smith leading off and last year's leadoff hitter -- Cam Dunlavy -- batting second.
Sikula, who was 5-for-6 in the State Tournament for South Charleston last season, will offer protection in the lineup. He batted .511 with 26 RBI and 33 stolen bases, leading off for the Eagles most of the year.
Blank, who batted .310 last season, will bat cleanup.
Sophomore Brett Barber, the Kanawha Valley's Rookie of the Year in 2006, had a 5-1 record with a 3.35 earned run average.
With Sikula firmly planted in the third spot in the lineup and he and Blank headlining the pitching staff, Hurricane appears destined for a special season.
Sikula says it wouldn't be fun if there was no pressure.
"There's no pressure on me," Hicks said. "I can't play for them. I'll prepare them just like I've prepared all the other teams I've had here."
A look at other Class AAA baseball teams in Kanawha and Putnam counties (2006 records in parentheses):
South Charleston (22-9) -- Second-year Coach Ken Samms has more to live up to after winning the Class AAA state championship in his first season.
With the loss of star pitcher Sikula to Hurricane, the Black Eagles will lean on youth on their pitching staff. The only senior pitcher, Frankie Mullens was third on the team in innings last year and had a 3.16 earned run average.
Junior Trey King had a 2.82 ERA in 27 1/3 innings and sophomore Jack Hudson pitched 26 2/3 innings and had a 1.57 ERA.
South Charleston's top returning batters are Mike Williams, who batted .354 as a junior; Nick Canterbury, who battled .349 as a junior; and King, who batted .340.
The offense also lost 13 of its 17 home runs from last year with Sikula's transfer and the graduation of Ryan Flanagan, Joey Jobst, Andrew Ford and Travis Hudson.
Nitro (22-8) -- The Wildcats will be pitching-heavy this season under sixth-year Coach Steve Pritchard.
Left-hander Chase Pickering will be the Wildcats' stopper, and with strong-throwing right-hander Jake Kight, will form a challenging tandem.
Pickering was 4-2 with a 3.00 earned run average. He also struck out 62 batters in 45 innings. He's also expected to be Nitro's leadoff hitter.
Kight was 7-1 with a 3.38 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 51 innings. Kight also batted .376 with five homers last year and 26 RBI.
Nitro also welcomes back Adam Purdy, who will likely be the No. 3 pitcher. He had a 3-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in 27 1/3 innings last season.
However, the key to the operation may be Pickering, who will bat third, be the ace and play center field when he's not pitching.
"Something clicked with Chase over the summer," Pritchard said. "I told him, during our three-week workout that he's playing center, leading off and pitch in the big games, ‘You need to get your groove on.'
"Since then, he's been a one-man wrecking crew."
Two newcomers to the roster are freshman J.R. Bradley, whose father is the middle school basketball coach at South Charleston. Bradley is also expected to see some innings and will play shortstop or second base. Pickering's younger brother, Andrew, will get some at-bats as a freshman, likely as the designated hitter.
St. Albans (20-13) -- Coach Rick Whitman is looking for leadership. He may find it from a sophomore.
Caylen Baire, who started at third base as a freshman last season and is "by far" St. Albans' best infielder, will start at shortstop as the Red Dragons seek their first State Tournament appearance since 2004.
"He'll probably start down our batting order, but probably end up hitting anywhere from leadoff to second," Whitman said. "He has above average speed."
However, the Red Dragons will lean heavily on senior pitchers C.J. Meadows and Davey Allen. Meadows also hit eight home runs last year.
Other key components for St. Albans will be third baseman T.J. Feazelle, catcher Tommy Mallory and second baseman T.J. Fisher. All started as sophomores.
"I think they had an idea last year that in the regular season everything is geared toward the postseason," Whitman said. "They came together in the sectional and the first regional game."
George Washington (11-24) -- Coach Chad Campbell was named the Kanawha Valley Coach of the Year for winning 10 more games in his first year than the Patriots did two years ago.
In 2007, the bar has been raised.
"I don't want to say we were happy that we were able to compete last year," said Campbell, whose Patriots won their first game of the season on Wednesday at Princeton. "But, last year was more of a rebuilding. This year as a staff we expected them to win and the kids have confidence to do it."
George Washington will lean heavily on pitcher Jason Smith, one of three seniors. He won four games and had an earned run average of 5.39, but also had 52 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings.
"He's got to accept the role of being our No. 1," Campbell said. "He has to get better throughout the season."
The other seniors are second baseman Tyler Withrow and No. 4 pitcher Lee Masters.
Two big pieces to the puzzle are 6-3 sophomore Matt Frazer, who hit his first home run of the season Monday, and utility player Gavin Patton, a freshman. Patton can play multiple positions and will likely share starts at shortstop with Tyler Wilson.
Riverside (12-14) -- All Coach Al Estepp asks is for his team to have a chance.
For that to happen, the Warriors -- who don't have a star -- must come together quickly.
"We're going to be competitive, that's the best way I can put it," Estepp said.
Three .300 hitters from last year return in seniors John Long, Nick Veazey and Alex Kincaid. Long had six home runs last year.
"We have five or six we think will hit it, but it's different hitting off me and the pitching machine than live pitching," Estepp said.
Senior Thad Williams was designated hitter last year and had two home runs, but will move behind the plate.
Pitcher Aaron Fridley, a senior, came out for the first time but has some talent. Other pitchers that assistant coach Mike Carte is working with are Zach Downey and Chad Stowers. Senior Dakota Davis is also among the pitchers.
"We have five or six young kids," Estepp said. "We just hope those kids can keep us in the game, throw strikes and play defense well to give us a chance. That's all you can ask for."
Capital (7-23) -- First-year Coach Robert Massey isn't a newcomer anymore.
"I made it a point to be around the kids," said Massey, who was an assistant at Nitro High last year and still teaches there. "We've been practicing 31/2-4 hours a day getting the kids acclimated to the work."
Massey is intrigued by the talent, which includes MSAC Soccer Player of the Year Ian Rebrook, who will play the outfield and eventually become the Cougars' pitching ace.
"He's bulked up a little bit," Massey said. "Actually, all of our guys after about six weeks have added about 5-8 pounds of muscle."
Other key elements for Massey are right fielder Steven Pauley, pitcher and outfielder Mike Harris, shortstop Adam Batty, senior Josh Workman -- who is going to West Virginia University Tech to play linebacker -- and sophomore Joey Wright, who will see a lot of time as a pitcher.
Pauley is the team's leading hitter returning. He batted .362 last spring. Batty batted .354.
However, one of the most exciting players is Joe Beane, a 6-5 freshman who will get to pitch this season.
"He throws the ball well," Massey said. "We're going to throw him into the fire."
Massey said, the players have picked up what he wants to do.
"They are very responsive," he said. "There athletic ability is there."
Contact sportswriter Rich Stevens at richstevens@dailymail.com or 348-4837.
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