Tooele baseball player Garrett Palmer
Tooele baseball player Jayson Shubert
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Loading...The 2021-22 season got off to a rocky start for the Tooele High Buffaloes baseball team. So much so that it took nearly a month to be competitive, according to head coach Chris Taylor.
“To say we started off slow would be an understatement,” Taylor said. “It took us the better part of a month to get the ship righted, but when we did we went on an absolute tear.”
Taylor attributed this turnaround to some growing pains that came along with learning a new playing style and getting accustomed to their first season with him as coach. As things eventually settled down, Tooele saw their stock rise and they climbed 44 spots in the state baseball rankings en route to falling just short of taking the 5A Region 7 title.
Ahead of the 2022-23 season the Buffaloes saw the departure of seven seniors, but are returning seven juniors in their place.
“We feel this group of seniors is as equally talented as the previous group and — with the experience of last season under their belts — will be able to contend for a region title,” Taylor said.
Overall, the team is made up of much younger players than previous years, but despite this Taylor does not view the changes as a sign of a seismic shift.
“I don’t really view this as a rebuild at all,” he said. “The players we brought up are very talented and will push our older group to retain their spots.
“We are very excited to get this season underway and are anticipating doing some really great things.”
Tooele’s season began Tuesday, with a road game against the Juab Wasps, and the team is back in action on Friday against the Timpanogos Timberwolves. The team’s first home game will take place March 17, when the Timpview Thunderbirds come to town.
