Henrico Spring Preview

BASEBALL
Click here for the Henrico baseball team page
2007 record: 7-5 Capital, 13-9
Coach: Ken Schrad (fourth season)
Preview: Deliver. Henrico star Seth Cutler-Voltz has it down.

The standout pitcher registered a razor-thin 1.21 earned-run average, but only finished 5-5-1 overall behind a less-than-stellar offense. The Warriors are set to not let that happen this season.

"Without a doubt, he lives, breathes and eats baseball," Henrico coach Ken Schrad said of Cutler-Voltz, a sure-fire Division I prospect. "He needs some support. They need to do more than look up to him. He has a set of senior teammates that don't need to relax when Seth is on the mound, but deliver."

Some of the other senior leaders who look to step to the forefront are Eric Thornton (first base), a left-handed pitcher as well (4-1 in 2007), Adam Toombs (second, .367 hitter in 2007) and 3B Taylor Smith (16 RBI).

A couple of freshmen provided the most pop at the plate in 2007, other than current U.Va. player J.C. Poma and Culter-Voltz himself, in Michael Mansfield and Landon Prentiss.

Mansfield will take over Poma's vacated catcher spot after delivering 27 RBI off of a .394 bat.

Prentiss will start his second straight season at shortstop. He popped in 21 RBI hitting a consistent .323.

"We've got a lot of talent coming back," said Cutler-Voltz, who is worried more about the mound and defense than the aluminum bats. "I think what we need to do to be successful is pitching. If we hold people down we have an offense that can score some runs. We've gotta hold people down and keep crooked numbers off the board."

With good pitching and more consistent and timely hitting, Henrico should continue its transition from doormat to door knocker.

"From top to bottom, this year we're the most talented we've ever been, which means kids want to be here," Schrad said. "We'll be getting everybody's best shot this year. I think they need to relax at the plate. Rather than hoping we're going to hit, knowing we're going to hit."

SOFTBALL
Click here for the Henrico softball team page
2007 record: 1-8 Capital, 3-14
Coach: Ty Owens
Preview: One senior is present on Henrico's roster, and that's Rachel Washington, also a standout basketball player.

Coach Ty Owens usually has a standout or two on the team, and that's no exception this season with Kristina Caldwell, a do-it-all player who'll see her most action at shortstop.

Watch out for Courtney Kvenvik at catcher, also a junior along with Caldwell.

Get used to the name Jessica Burgess as well. She's a freshman who will do everything but pitch for the Warriors, who are very young.

"We just need to work together, basically," Caldwell said. "We have a lot of talent we just have to play together and mold as a team and we'll be good."

BOYS SOCCER
Click here for the Henrico boys soccer team page
2007 record: 5-5 Capital, 5-9
Coach: Scott Sherrill (ninth season)
Preview: It's not quite basketball, but coach Scott Sherrill had to cut 12 guys who came out for soccer.

"[Basketball coach] Vance [Harmon] is used to that," Sherrill said. "I'm not."

With the International Baccalaureate and the ESL programs at the Azalea Avenue school, more and more students are interested and talented enough to make an impact in spring sports, which delights Sherrill.

But more talent and bodies brings more responsibility to Sherrill and his seniors and junior leader Dylan Norvell to have the team mesh and become a solid unit.

"That's my challenge," Sherrill said. "Getting them all to be on the same page. They all have different ideas of how to do things."

GIRLS SOCCER
Click here for the Henrico girls soccer team page
2007 record: 4-6 Capital, 6-10
Coach: Jeremy Seward
Preview: When asked about who she expects to make an impact on her team, Allison Callahan couldn't stop naming classmates.

Almost the entire roster was uttered before her answer was complete.

Will this be Henrico's year to move up from an accustomed fourth-place finish? Callahan sure hopes so.

"We want to take the next step," the senior said. "We're hoping we can make it to the region tournament."