No STARS deep in Heart of Texas this year (14U)

[375_comp __47_core]

Many posts debating the best 14U teams in Central Texas this year. Some may recall that the ASA State 14U champ came out of CenTex last summer (92 Austin Stars)). Very strong 2nd year 14U team last summer that was pretty dominant on the local level for 2 years and competitive at 18U locally as a 14U team.

Well this year there just isn't a locally dominant 14U team in Central Texas. Early on the Blaze(Prinzo) team and South Texas 8's were making lots of waves...but each was just a flash in the pan compilation of the best players and guests from multiple teams. Kids on those teams are back now on their regular teams and playing mostly 16U/18U...thus don't look for either of these teams in the State 14U ASA hunt.

The best of the rest (ie true 14U teams) in no particular order would be:

Bombers 94 - Has run into problems on Saturdays (early loss) but has been a battling team on Sundays. Always solid on "D" and aggessive on the bases. Historically (10U, 12U, 14U) strong group.

Crush 14U - Notched some trophies early in the spring but has been up and down lately. Did not fare well at ASA district. Like the Bombers 94 this team has some good history

Corps (Thompson) -Played em twice and split with them. Big bats can erupt...but sometimes not. I think this team got stronger late after HS ball ended.

Stars 93 - Strong team but not like the older sister (92 Stars). If they add a piece or two to the puzzle they can challenge locally.

Stix (Myrick) - Another team that is kinda up and down. Like the Crush did not fare well at ASA district. Big hitters that can erupt...hard to stop when bats get rolling but can go cold sometimes...like others.

Wildfire - Only the Bombers 94 from the group above hold a W/L advantage over WF this season...just could not beat them on Sunday (3 tourney exits to Bombers 94). Winning record against Stix, Crush, Stars and S Tex 8's. This team has finished playing for the year...not around anymore.

So of those left standing...I'd rank Bombers 94, Corps (Thompson) and Stix (Myrick) all pretty equal.

Back to the original topic...I don't see anyone from CenTex going as deep as the Stars 92 (State Champ) did last year.

[slapper]

Well this year there just isn't a locally dominant 14U team in Central Texas. Early on the Blaze(Prinzo) team and South Texas 8's were making lots of waves...but each was just a flash in the pan compilation of the best players and guests from multiple teams. Kids on those teams are back now on their regular teams and playing mostly 16U/18U...thus don't look for either of these teams in the State 14U ASA hunt.

Wasn't the Prinzo team made up of mostly Blaze 94 players and the S.TX 8s made up mosly of 93 Bombers players? I know both of these teams had other pickups but wasn't over half of these teams from a single team?

Are these teams not a contender in CenTex without the other pickups? Do they still have players in high school playoffs?

[HighVoltage]

It is evident that your post is based purely on opinion rather on facts.

The '94 Bombers have been struggling playing central Texas teams this spring. They are not as strong as the past Bomber teams have been. They have some 1st places but look at the teams that they played and compare the level of competition. They are not competing in tournaments with strong competition.

Texas Stix Myrick has and will continue to be a strong team. And to point out to you........the Stix BEAT the Wildfire just recently and took 1st place in the tournament . So you are incorrect in your observation that the 94 Bombers are the only team with W/L against the Wildfire. Stix Myrick doesn't just play a tournament so they can win a trophy, they look at the teams, the competition, the level of play first. The wins obtained by this team have been well won and deserved. No they didn't do well at the area qualifier but that doesn't take away from their level of play. They have some powerful hitters, some great defensive players and look for them to continue on through the summer.

Wildfire is a good team but not unbeatable or in a "league of their own" in central Texas.

Prinzo Blaze team should not be a topic since they played only the early tournaments waiting for players from high school to return. As a 14U team, they were strong but not unbeatable (I believe the Stix Myrick team had a win against them as well). They should have been a strong team since those players had been playing up in 16U/18U through out the fall.

[slapper]

It is evident that your post is based purely on opinion rather on facts.

The '94 Bombers have been struggling playing central Texas teams this spring. They are not as strong as the past Bomber teams have been. They have some 1st places but look at the teams that they played and compare the level of competition. They are not competing in tournaments with strong competition.

Texas Stix Myrick has and will continue to be a strong team. And to point out to you........the Stix BEAT the Wildfire just recently and took 1st place in the tournament . So you are incorrect in your observation that the 94 Bombers are the only team with W/L against the Wildfire. Stix Myrick doesn't just play a tournament so they can win a trophy, they look at the teams, the competition, the level of play first. The wins obtained by this team have been well won and deserved. No they didn't do well at the area qualifier but that doesn't take away from their level of play. They have some powerful hitters, some great defensive players and look for them to continue on through the summer.

Wildfire is a good team but not unbeatable or in a "league of their own" in central Texas.

Prinzo Blaze team should not be a topic since they played only the early tournaments waiting for players from high school to return. As a 14U team, they were strong but not unbeatable (I believe the Stix Myrick team had a win against them as well). They should have been a strong team since those players had been playing up in 16U/18U through out the fall.

Wow sounds like someone made a Stix parent mad. By the way how are the Stix doing at the HOF?

To be fair the Stix Myrick hasn't beat consistantly anybody tough. Maybe they need to get out of the Austin area more.

I will agree that the Wildfire isn't unbeatable but then again 14U in cent tex just aint been really tough. We will see now that highschool is over.

[Fasterpitch]

The poster is right about the Prinzo team. They should not be a topic in the 14U division. But just so you do not get the facts wrong. I have it from a very reliable source, that every girl on the Prinzo team was and can still play 14U. Most for atleast, one year or more.

I was working the tournament that the Stix beat the Prnzo team. If I have it right the Stix beat them, then the Prinzo team came back and won by atleast 10.

These Prinzo girls have made a choice to play 16U and 18U, just like the South Texas 8's. Do not make these two teams mad. We want a fighting chance at 14U.

[375_comp __47_core]

HV read it again...the whole point was none of these teams are unbeatable. A W/L advantage for the season means the season...not one game. WF was 5-2 against that Stix team on the year. Bombers had a similar advantage over the WF...and I'm sure one of these others had some other team's number.

Agreed Blaze Prinzo and 8's all played with legal 14U players...but the best parts from several teams. Combine the best parts from Stix and WF or any of these others listed and you have another strong club.

[HighVoltage]

You made no one mad, I was just making statements in regards to your opinions. Also not taking any thing away from the Wildfire or the Blaze (Prinzo) 14U Spring team, both these teams were solid, strong teams. The Prinzo girls were never questioned about eligibility to play 14U, the statement was that they had been playing 16U/18U in the fall...which should make them a little stronger playing down. When I stated they shouldn't be a consideration it is merely for the fact that they are not a 14U Season team but rather a 14U early Spring team just as the ST8's and are no longer playing as a team or in the 14U division, no other reason. You are right that the Stix Myrick should be playing teams outside our area, trying to compete with some of the Dallas/Houston teams that are showing strong records. My point on the Stix team was just to point out that we all have our own opinions and that every team is beatable. Yes, the Stix beat the Blaze prinzo team and then came back and lost to them in the championship game. The Stix Myrick team has to be solid through the complete tournament not just on/off each game. The RR Crush is a solid team, the 94 Blaze is a solid team, the Stix Myrick is a solid team but can any of the Central Texas teams be seriously considered a TOP team? Can they compete with the Splash, the Glory, the Elite, the Fusion? With the ASA State tournament coming up in a few weeks it may shed a little more light on where the Central Texas teams stand.

[Fasterpitch]

I do not think there are any CenTex teams this year that can be considered a Top team in 14U. The Austin Stars 92 last year were good, but I can not remember a top notch CenTex 14U teams in past that people were scared of playing.

It would have been nice to see if the St8's and the Blaze (prinzo) would have stacked up against these Top Texas teams.

Oh well, It is sad to say, but more often them not, we (Texas Teams) go into nationals with hopes of finishing high, then come back tied for 23 with 10 other teams. We have to be doing something wrong. Maybe we just have to many marginal teams and not enough top teams.

[DonnieS]

>> would have been nice to see if the St8's and <<

As you can imagine, dont think we haven't thought about it. Specially last weekend, when my 8th grader is pitching against SK Impact Gold, a team that is as full of class as it is talent, facing a batting order like UT, UT, UTENN, TA&M, TA&M, UT, UH, UT, etc etc etc. As a parent, you just hope you are doing the right thing, raising the bar.

[18'sdad]

Wow sounds like someone made a Stix parent mad. By the way how are the Stix doing at the HOF?

I am a Stix parent and you did not make me mad, but silly me thought that the best team was decided at Nationals not the HOF. To be quit honest the HOF tourney did not fit in our budget. We have already commited to play at state in Longview along with atleast 1 18U tourney this month. Our dues only stretch so far.

Maybe they need to get out of the Austin area more

Lets see by the time you figure in atleast $100 a night for a hotel stays, $300 for a tournament entry fee for a 7 game guarentee, Coaches travel expenses and rooms, and $3.80 a gallon gas. We would spend close to $2,000 as a team to come play in Dallas or Houston. We came up to the metroplex in the Fall. We finished 3 and 4. Of the 4 loses we had 3 were by 1 run. I am sure we will go back to the metroplex sometime after state and nationals.