Key West Baseball, Softball Getting Ready For Season With New Coaches

By Ralph Morrow

The Key West High School baseball and softball teams are in fast mode as they prepare for seasons that start within two weeks and both with new coaches.

 

 

The baseball team has a new coach who is also a previous coach, Ralph Henriquez Jr., while the softball team has former player Ashley James stepping up for her first season as a coach.

 

 

Henriquez has coached Conch baseball teams to three state championships, the last in 2005. He resigned after that season and was succeeded by Miguel Menendez, who coached the past eight years, including last year’s team that won 12 and lost 12. Since that 2005 season, Henriquez has coached at Belen Jesuit High School in Miami, as well as serving as KWHS athletic director.

 

 

The baseball Conchs play preseason games at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, against Somerset Academy and the following night against Southridge at Rex Weech Field.

 

 

Chris Valdez, again serving as an assistant coach to Henriquez, has been diligently putting together the varsity and 20-game junior varsity schedules. The preseason tournament will probably have but the three teams, Valdez said.

 

 

The regular season of 24 games begins the following weekend with Rockledge visiting Rex Weech for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday games. The Conchs go on the road for but seven games, including playing three games during Spring Break at a Chattanooga, Tenn. Tournament. Both baseball and softball play in District 16-4A. The baseball team’s district foes are Gulliver Prep, Keys Gate, Ransom Everglades and Coral Shores.

 

 

In softball, the Lady Conchs oppose Gulliver Prep, Keys Gate, Ransom Everglades and Carrollton. The softball team plays preseason away games against American and Taravella on Saturday, Feb. 1, then opens its season of 13 games plus two tournaments at 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6, against Keys Gate at the high school Back Yard softball field. The Lady Conchs are playing at the Slam Fest Tournament at Miami and its own Conch Classic March 28 and 29.

 

 

BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Fri., Feb. 7, Somerset Academy, 7:30 p.m. (preseason); Sat., Feb. 8, Southridge, 7:30 p.m. (preseason); Fri., Feb. 14, Rockledge, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 15, Rockledge, 7:30 p.m.; Tues., Feb. 18, Canterbury School, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., Feb. 19, Canterbury School, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m.; Keys Gate, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., Feb. 26, at Gulliver Prep, 3:30 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 28, Stoneman Douglas, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 1, Stoneman Douglas, 7:30 p.m.; Tues., March 4, at Ransom Everglades, 6 p.m.; Sat., March 8, at Keys Gate, 4 p.m.; Tues., March 11, Carrollwood Day, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., March 14, Mater Academy, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 15, Mater Academy, 7 :30 p.m.; Tues., March 18, Coral Shores, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., March 21, Merritt Island, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., March 22, Merritt Island, 7:30 p.m.; Thurs., Fri., Sat., March 27-29, at Chattanooga, Tenn., Tournament; Fri., April 4, at Westminster Christian, 4 p.m.; Fri., April 11, Champagnat, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., April 12, Champagnat, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., April 16, Pinecrest, 7:30 p.m.; Thu., April 17, 7:30 p.m.

 

 

SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Sat., Feb. 1, at American, 11 a.m. , at Taravella, 12:30 p.m.(preseason); Thu., Feb. 6, Keys Gate, 3 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 14, Chaminade Madonna, 7 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 15, Chaminade Madonna, 10:30 a.m.; Sat., Feb. 22, South Dade, 11 a.m., Marathon, 1 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 28, Jupiter, 5 p.m.; Sat., March 1, Jupiter, 11 a.m.; Tues., March 4, at Gulliver Prep, 4:15 p.m.; Fri., March 7, Ransom Everglades, 4 p.m.; Fri., March 14, Sat., March 15, at Slam Fest Tournament; Tues., March 18, Ponte Vedra, 6 p.m.; Wed., March 19, Ponte Vedra, 6 p.m.; Fri., March 21, Carrollton, 3 p.m.; Fri., March 28, Sat., March 29, Conch Classic Tournament; Wed., April 2, at Marathon, 5:30 p.m.

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