Lucas Punkari
They might not be the strongest team during the regular season, but the Sight & Sound Wolves never should be counted out once the post-season begins.
Having captured the Rainy River District Fastball League crown the last two seasons, including an upset over last year’s regular-season powerhouse, Beef’s Warriors, the Wolves are gunning for a third-straight title in 2012.
“We’re not going to panic as our regular-season record isn’t the greatest as we want to peak at the end of the regular season again,” explained first baseman Derek McKinnon.
“We haven’t been throwing the ball around too much compared to some of the other teams, so they might be a little bit sharper than we are to start things off,” he noted.
“But for us as a team, it’s good to be back out and spending [time] with the guys again.”
This year’s roster also is a bit different from the Wolves’ squad that hoisted the RRDFL trophy last summer as some new, young talent has come in to replace a few players who have hang up their cleats.
“We had a couple of players who retired that had played with us for a long time, such as Bob Andy who had been an all-star pitcher over the years,” McKinnon said.
“But we have some nice talent joining the team, such as Cole Tymkin and Tucker Johnson, who are excited to have come play for us and fill in those roles,” he added.
Heading into a game last night against Couchiching (results were not available as of press time), the Wolves sport a 1-1 record after dropping a 10-1 affair to the Big Grassy Braves last Tuesday before blanking the Stratton Eagles 11-0 on Thursday.
Prior to last night’s slate of games, the Rainy River Royals, Beef’s Warriors, and the Braves led the way with 2-0 records while the Wolves, Big Island, the Sabaskong Lakers, and the Barwick Blue Knights were in a log jam at 1-1.
Manitou, the Sabaskong Cubs, Couchiching, Northwest Bay, and the Eagles all were still searching for their first wins going into yesterday’s action.
While there’s still has a long way to go before the playoffs begin on July 24, McKinnon feels this season could be one of the tightest in recent memory.
“This league is a tough one from top to bottom,” he stressed.
“We picked up three more teams this year [Couchiching and two from Sabaskong],” noted McKinnon. “And while we did lose one squad [the Big Grassy Lightning], they have already said they are trying to come back again next year.
“There’s not a league anywhere that has numbers that are strong as this one,” he added. “As you look in places like Duluth and Winnipeg, they are having a tough time to get a lot of teams.
League action then resumes tomorrow night (weather permitting), with the Wolves hosting the Royals, the Braves taking on the Eagles, the Lakers challenging Big Island, the Blue Knights battling Manitou.
Northwest Bay will face off against the Cubs while Couchiching will clash with Beef’s Warriors.
