GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Clay High got an early jump on area baseball teams with an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday that got coach Josh Persinger's boys a chance to flex their baseball muscles.
"Any type of competitive play is better than practice and the boys showed a good amount of spirit tonight," said Persinger, who finished as a region finalist last year with a 2-0 loss to Tallahassee Lincoln finishing off an 18-10 season. "We got a lot of faces back and we are looking to get a little further this year."
On the field for Persinger were stalwarts Cole Carnell, Florida-commit Rylan McMahan, Florida Gulf Coast committ Merrick Rapoza and Easton McMahan as the leaders on a team full of talent.
Clay opens with a road game at rival Keystone Heights of February 11 with Orange Park and a special match with Lincoln on February 14.
"We scored a bunch in the playoffs before the Lincoln game; 11-7 over Ponte Vedra, 12-0 over Beachside, but they shut us down, 2-0," said Persinger. "That one hurt."
On the other side of the Clay High grounds, softball coach Matt Lewis had an ear-to-ear smile on his face as he will open up with 14 new faces on his squad and just one senior, four juniors.
"I tell you, as a coach, I'm rejuvenated by the fact that I get fresh, new faces to work with for a few more years that they also seem to be excited about the upcoming season," said Lewis, who finished as district runnerup to Fleming Island last year, 8-1 loss that snapped a three game win streak through districts, and a non-invite into the region playoffs. "Remind about this conversation in four years and I've been rejuvenated to coach again."
Lewis noted his incoming players have some connection to the Lewis brand with daughter Syndey Lewis heading up the Lake Asbury Junior High softball.
"I'm so proud of her," said Lewis, who loses long time assistant coach Crystal Rice, but keeps another long time coach, Charles Propper. "She still comes here to sit in our dugout when she can. That's pretty good for me."
Clay opens with two road games; at Bradford and at Baldwin before returning home against Ponte Vedra on February 25.

District lineups

Softball District 4-4A
Clay, Menendez, St. Augustine, Westside

Baseball District 3-4A
Clay, Baker County, Ed White, Riverside, Westside