After an amazing 2010 campaign that saw the Pirates claim the ACCC Southern Division and hold a #2 national ranking in the final NJCAA regular season poll, the Pirates are getting ready to welcome a large and talent laden incoming class for next fall. This class will have the task of replacing 17 players from the 2010 season, almost all of whom were major contributors.

Dustin Dunagan(RHP), Trace McDaniel(IF/RHP), and Taylor Hinshaw(1B/OF) are the three latest products out of Winder-Barrow for the Pirates, and they are looking to continue the “double G Bulldoggs” history of success at Chatt Valley by following W-B and CV standout Matt Black into the pinstripes. Hinshaw, an honor graduate at W-B, a pre season All-American, and 3 time All State-Northeast Georgia selection, was named to the All-Region 8AAAA squad after batting .472 with 8 homers and 39 RBI’s. McDaniel was equally as instrumental for the Bulldoggs, pounding out a .410 average with 4 home runs and 25 RBI’s while going 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 28 K’s on the bump. Dunagan’s 2010 stats were unavailable for this article, but Dunagan holds the all time single season strikeout record at Winder-Barrow with an amazing 121 K’s in 2009, and the Pirates are looking for the big man to be a huge presence on the mound in 2011.

Matt Nettles(LHP/OF) and Jordan Couillard(SS) come to Chatt Valley from Northside High School in Warner Robins. Nettles was a 2 time 1st team All Region 1AAAAA pick, and the athletic lefty posted a fantastic senior season hitting .371 with 5 dingers, 26 RBI’s and 31 runs scored. He also had a solid performance on the mound, striking out 31 batters in 24 and 2/3’s innings of work. Couillard was a force for NWR this year leading the team in batting average (.420) and home runs (6) while committing just 5 errors at shortstop.

Russell County sends a pair of players to CV in 2010-2011 with Austin Jamieson(1B) and John Mark Ramsey(LHP) joining the squad. Jamieson had an outstanding career at RCHS blasting 19 long balls in his final two seasons as a warrior with an incredible 92 RBI’s. In addition, the slugging first baseman was a Louisville Slugger All American selection and made the All State and All Bi-City squads. Ramsey’s stats were unavailable, but the lefty looks poised to make a big impact at Chatt Valley as he was a leader on the mound for Russell County for the last 3 seasons and he features a nasty repertoire from the left side.

Gwinnett County continues to be a hotbed for recruiting for the Pirates, as they add RHP Daniel Szathmary from North Gwinnett High School and Matthew Vollenwieder, another righty, from Shiloh High School. Vollenwieder looks to follow former Pirate standouts J.J. Woodard, Antonio Callaway, and Drew Freeman as the next of a steady stream of impact players from Shiloh. He was the ace of his staff this year, whiffing 50 hitters in 47 innings en route to an All Region 8AAAAA selection. Szathmary pulled double duty for NGHS this season working as both a starter and a closer all year. The workhorse appeared in 16 games this season with a 3-1 record and 4 saves.

Dustin Averett(C, Shaw High School), Michael O’Neal(LHP, Pacelli), Brad Barto(3B, Columbus High School), Zach Helewski(RHP, Smiths Station High School), and Georgia Southern transfer Bryce Dial(OF, Columbus High School) round out the local additions to next year’s club. Averett looks to help fill the void left by Tom Richardson after a senior season in which he hammered opposing pitchers for a .444 batting average, 9 homers, and 43 RBI’s. Averett slugged over .800 this season and should be a lock for several post season awards. O’Neal, who has been a 3 time All region, 2 time preseason All State, and 2 time All Bi-City performer, turned in another dominant performance going 6-3 with 2 saves and a 2.89 ERA this year, while fanning 78 batters in 55 and 2/3’s innings of work. Barto was a big time presence in the order for the CHS, as the 4 time varsity letterman hit .339 with 3 dingers and 31 RBI’s en route to yet another region championship and state tournament appearance for the Blue Devils. Helewski’s numbers weren’t provided, but the big righty has a very strong arm and was one of the top pitchers in the region this year for the Panthers. He will be looked at to compete for a major role in the upcoming year. Dial, a transfer from Georgia Southern, was one of the top players in the state of Georgia his senior year, leading the CHS Blue Devils to a State Runners up finish in ’09. Dial torched opposing pitchers with a .490 batting average, and he belted out a city record 19 home runs.

Monte Reese, a RHP/OF, is the first product from Miller Grove to don a Pirate uniform. The hard throwing right hander was a 1st team All County selection this season as he went 4-4 with a 2.26 ERA. More impressively, Reese struck out 93 opposing batter in just 65 innings and also posted a .362 batting average with 19 RBI’s.

The Pirates will be adding 2 players from Fulton County powerhouse Milton High School in ’10-’11, with OF/LHP Tyler Abbott and RHP Zach Mays coming aboard. Abbott dominated Region 6AAAAA pitchers this year with a .448 batting average, 5 home runs, and an on-base percentage well over .600. For his effort, he was named to the All Area Dugout Club Team, the All State-East Georgia squad, and was a 1st Team All Region 6AAAAA selection. Mays was a big time contributor for Milton this year as well, serving in a dual role as a starter and a reliever for the Eagles. His record for the year was 3-0, and he recorded a save and 25 strikeouts while helping Milton to a region championship.

Patrick Olvaney(OF/LHP, South Forsyth High School), Jared Kahn(2B, Woodward Academy), and Martin Castro(UTIL/RHP, Chapel Hill High School) are the remaining Pirate signees from the Metro Atlanta area. Olvaney, a 2 time All County and Dugout Club Top 100 pick, mashed 9 homers and drove in 60 runs over the last two seasons while batting a steady .341. Kahn, who ran a 6.4 60 yard dash at his Pirate workout, stroked pitchers for a team leading .503 batting average this year. He also led his team in hits and triples while finishing second in stolen bases, and he committed only 2 errors on the year. For his effort, he was named to the All Region Team this year and collected a region championship. Castro’s stats were unavailable, but the versatile standout from Chapel Hill can literally handle any position on the field and was a force on the mound this season. Expect Martin to compete for a job at virtually any position next year, as well as being a contributor on the hill.

Finishing up the current list of Pirate additions are Dacen Cash(SS, Stevens County High School) and Drew Bowers(C, Oconee County High School/Young Harris). Cash is an explosive player that has been named to the All Region Team at Stevens County for 4 consecutive years. He currently holds the all time career steals record at SCHS and is number 4 all time for the entire state of Georgia in swipes. He was a preseason all state selection and will compete for a job on the Pirate infield next year. Bowers is a transfer from Young Harris College and the brother of Pirate workhorse Derek Varnadore. Bowers red-shirted last season at YHC, but he was a 1st team All Region and All County pick his senior year and will look to contend for a spot behind the dish this fall.

The coaching staff at Chatt Valley is excited to be bringing in such a talented group for next fall, and they are eager to start preparing for a run at another ACCC Southern Division title.

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