Quyon fastball team looks to break through in GOFL play

Article courtesy of Wilbur McLean, Pontiac Equity.

An online subscription to The Equity is available for $20 a year, which includes access to a searchable archive for all your Pontiac fastball news. The Equity regularly covers the Quyon Flyers and Shawville Snappers fastball teams. The Equity's website is www.theequity.ca.

WILBUR MCLEAN - Equity Editor
PONTIAC • It was heartbreak for the Quyon Flyers as the fastball team’s 2008 season ended in a deciding game five, extra-inning thriller to eventual league champion, the Stittsville 56ers last year.

But it’s with renewed enthusiasm the team looks ahead to the 2009 season, which began this week. The Flyers remain one of the youngest teams in the league with their oldest player checking in at just 27 years old and the majority of the team in their early-to mid 20s.

The team adds no new players for 2009, but does suffer from a significant blow to its lineup with the loss of Canadian junior national team member, Joran Graham. Graham will be playing for a team in Napanee instead of the Flyers, for whom he has played the last two seasons.

Summer employment led the 19-year-old Cobden resident away from Quyon for the league season, though he will still be on the team’s roster for tournaments.

Graham was a stalwart in the heart of the Flyers batting lineup and also one of their best infielders and a strong starter.

The Flyers’ pitching staff is one of the best in the league, boasting Fort Coulonge resident Drew Hathway and Shawville’s Matt Greer. The two provide a one-two punch enjoyed by few other fastball teams.

Defensively, the Flyers should be solid once again. Infield stalwarts Nick Armitage, Luke Young and Greer are all above average defensively and Armitage provides one of the best arms in the league.

Catcher Joe McCleary will use his veteran leadership and inside-out knowledge of the rest of the league’s hitters to benefit the Flyer pitching staff.

Steve McCord will again likely captain the outfield from centre field with Jordan Kearns, Dennis McCleary, and Shawn Laframboise also playing regularly. Laframboise is the team’s top utility player capable of playing just about any position on the field.

Offense wound up being the biggest hurdle for the Flyers last year, as the team suffered from inconsistency at the plate in the latter part of the season. Their ability to generate runs in close games will likely determine Quyon’s ability to compete at the top of the league.

The defending champion Stittsville 56ers, longtime champion Ottawa Team Easton and resurgent Carp Victory will likely be the most significant threats to Quyon seeking their first league title.

Stittsville finished second in the league regular season standings for three consecutive years and made the playoff championship in three of the previous four years before breaking through in 2008 and winning the championship.

Carp, meanwhile, finished fifth last year just one season after leading the league’s regular season standings. However, the Victory made the most significant free agent signing of the offseason by acquiring pitcher Dan Konkle from Ottawa Team Easton. Konkle had been Team Easton’s primary starter during the team’s five consecutive league championship run from 2003 to 2007.

Team Easton will face a significant test without Konkle in their lineup, though the veteran squad added pitcher Brad Porter from Fitzroy Harbour and can again be expected to finish near the top of the standings.

The Flyers opened their season Monday night on the road at Greely, crushing the sophomore team, 10-1. Greer pitched the complete game while also slamming a home run for the visitors. The Flyers were scheduled to play cross-river rivals Fitzroy Harbour in their home opener Tuesday evening.

The GOFL has a 20-game schedule for each of its nine teams, followed by a playoff schedule that involves each of the league’s squads.