HANCEVILLE — Entering his 18th season as head coach of the baseball team at Wallace State, Randy Putman has his program right where he wants it, and it is evidenced by the attitude toward his team by the other coaches in the Alabama Community College Conference.
“We’ve won the last two and six of the last 10,” Putman said. “And I’ve had a few coaches tell me if their team cannot win the state championship, they don’t care who does as long as it’s not us.”
The Lions are coming off a 2006 season where they made it to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Col., and came away with a third-place finish.
In 2007, the Lions want to go a little further and win it all.
“Like always, we’re anxious to get the season started and get started playing,” Putman said. “We’ve done about as much as we can do on wet fields, soccer fields and parking lots.
“We’re ready to get out there and defend out state title and see if we can do better than we did last year.”
One of the key components in building a dynasty at the two-year school level is making sure to have a good balance between sophomores and freshmen each year. Putman has that this season with a total of nine players returning this year for their sophomore season.
“We have nine good players coming back from last year’s World Series team, and that can be good in some instances and bad in others,” Putman said. “They do bring back that much experience, but sometimes they have lost their passion when that second season here rolls around.
“They may have already signed with a four-year school or have made other plans once they are done here. I don’t think that is the case with anyone on this team. I think we are all ready to go this year.”
Top Sports
Lions looking to defend ACCC crown
- Top Sports
-
-
PREP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Addison’s Taylor posts highest attacking % at All-Star showcase
Jessy Taylor is proud of her power at the net — as she should be.
-
LOCAL SPORTS: Catfish earn 4th straight state diving title
The Cullman diving team headed into Thursday’s state meet determined to continue its short period of domination against those standing in the way.
-
NFL: Stark contrasts for RG3 as Redskins open camp
Instead of engaging in another round of contradictory, back-and-forth podium sessions with Mike Shanahan, Robert Griffin III stood at the microphone and said he has coaches who believe in him. He implied he wasn't even allowed to do "the bare minimum" as a quarterback a year ago.
-
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL: All-Star experience 'awesome' for Holly Pond's Gambrill
Meg Gambrill rose from the bench, strode to the scorer's table and hunkered down in front of it, slapping the floor, shouting encouragement and eagerly waiting to make Holly Pond history.
-
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Oregon is Pac-12 favorite after Mariota's return
Although Marcus Mariota knew he would be under a spotlight when he stepped onto the famed Paramount Studios lot Wednesday, the Oregon quarterback is getting quite comfortable in his starring role.
-
National survey finds sharp increase in teen use of HGH
Experimentation with human growth hormones by America's teens more than doubled in the past year, as more young people looked to drugs to boost their athletic performance and improve their looks, according to a new, large-scale national survey.
-
PREP SPORTS: Five local schools crack list of fine-, ejection-free institutions for 2013-14
St. Bernard's student-athletes and coaches showed their saintliness for the entirety of yet another academic year, joining four other local schools on the Alabama High School Athletic Association's list of 100 fine- and ejection-free institutions in 2013-14.
-
LOCAL GOLF: Hectic summers winding down for local courses
Although summer may be slowly coming to an end, local golf is still very much in full swing.
Just ask Cary Craig. -
OUTDOORS: Refine your practice time for best fishing
On more than one occasion, I have had anglers sit and talk about how they love to fish, but just don't have the time to get on the water and find good patterns that will hold up for more than just a few days.
-
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Petrino returns to Louisville for 1st ACC season
Bobby Petrino turned Louisville into a top-10 team nearly a decade ago. Now, more than two years after a scandal derailed his career, Petrino is back with the Cardinals as they enter the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- More Top Sports Headlines
-
Raw: Air Algerie Flight 5017 Wreckage
Virginia Governor Tours Tornado Aftermath
Judge Faces Heat Over Offer to Help Migrant Kids
Kerry: No Deal Yet on 7-Day Gaza Truce
Kangaroo Goes Missing in Oklahoma
More M17 Bodies Return, Sanctions on Russia Grow
Gaza Residents Mourn Dead Amid Airstrikes
Raw: Deadly Tornado Hits Virginia Campground
Ohio State Marching Band Chief Fired After Probe
Raw: Big Rig Stuck in Illinois Swamp
Cumberbatch Brings 'Penguins' to Comic-Con
Raw: Air Algerie Crash Site in Mali
Power to Be Restored After Wash. Wildfire
Crashed Air Algerie Plane Found in Mali
Israel Mulls Ceasefire Amid Gaza Offensive
In Case of Fire, Oxygen Masks for Pets
Mobile App Gives Tour of Battle of Atlanta Sites
