Slaney takes diamond Dragons reins

Sonoma opens Sonoma County League play March 30.|

When the Sonoma Valley High baseball Dragons take the field today to face Eureka in their season opener, there will be a new face in the dugout.

Ian Slaney is replacing the late Don Lyons as the Dragons’ head coach. Lyons, who was the Dragons beloved skipper for almost two decades, passed away last fall.

Slaney knows he’s got some big shoes to fill.

“I feel it’s a great privilege and responsibility. There’s no way I’ll be able to fill Don’s shoes (Converse of course) but I’ll do my best to represent this great baseball community and his legacy here,” he said. “Being able to help Don out the last couple of years, I’ve seen just a glimpse of what he has built here and I only hope to continue the great tradition of Dragons baseball.”

Slaney, a SoCal native, played for Whittier College. He coached at Westminster High in Orange County for four years – a year as JV head coach, a year as assistant varsity and two years as head varsity coach and coached summer camps at Cal State Fullerton. He coached at Tigard High in Tigard, Oregon, for a couple of years before joining the staff at Sonoma State as an assistant coach.

He’s in his third year at Sonoma Valley High as an RSP science teacher. And he helped Lyons the past two years.

In preparation for today’s opener, the Dragons scrimmaged Rancho Cotate Tuesday, and Slaney said that while there were things he saw that needed improvement, he saw plenty of good things.

The Dragons have some experienced players returning from last year, and some who got called up to the varsity near the end of the year.

Slaney is counting on his pitchers and his defense to steer the Dragon ship.

“We’re going to ride the leadership of our pitchers,” he said. “And we’ll play small ball and create offense. While you can create offense, you can’t create defense.”

Right now, Dragon pitchers include seniors Jeremy Mackling, Dom Chiotti and Patrick Schneider and junior Brendan Hogan.

Senior Cole Morgan, who didn’t play last year, will be handling the catching. Juniors Max Handron and Jack Boydell will be handling middle infield duties and senior Dylan Samaniego will be patrolling center field. Handron and Samaniego were starters last year, while Boydell was a late-season callup.

Junior Tyler Garrett and sophomore Anthony Tommasi will be splitting duties at first base. Other returners include outfielders juniors Tucker Pierce, Logan Mak, and seniors Carsten Cuda and Anthony Costanzo. Newcomers juniors Tuck Williams, Austin Arrington, Matt Norrbom and Josef Marenec will also be called on to contribute.

“These guys have been playing together since they were 8 years old,” he said. “They’ve moved from field-to-field-to field.”

Slaney has loaded up the non-conference schedule with teams including American Canyon, Vintage and Justin-Siena to get a look at who the Dragons will be facing next year when they’re in a new conference with those teams along with Napa, Petaluma and Casa. Other non-conference opponents include San Rafael, Novato, San Marin, Tamalpais and Maria Carrillo

Slaney said it’s not difficult to get teams to come to Arnold Field – especially when he promises them a night game. Arnold Field is one of the few lighted baseball fields in the North Bay.

He doesn’t have a handle on the SCL this year, although he knows that Analy. Healdsburg and Petaluma are traditionally tough.

“I’m excited about the season,” he said. “We have to do the little things … and play catch.”

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