Staff file photo / Preston Byers. South Range head coach Jim Hanek (right) high-fives Andrew Brian during a game against Poland last season in Beaver Township.

South Range’s baseball team, much like the rest of the Mahoning Valley, has made the most of the unusually pleasant weather recently.

The Raiders, annually one of the best programs in the area, participated in their third scrimmage of the preseason Wednesday, which head coach Jim Hanek says is an anomaly.

“Some years, we’re lucky to get one in,” Hanek said. “We’ve had years where we’re opening up and we’ve been on our field maybe once, but we’ve been able to get out on our field multiple times for practice, so it’s definitely helpful.”

Hanek said getting on the diamond is especially great for improving team defense, which he believes should be a strength for the Raiders in 2025.

Rain or shine though, Hanek expects another solid team after a fourth consecutive district championship and trip to regionals a year ago.

This season’s team will be particularly senior-laden, with the likes of Dylan Smesko, Gaven Nagy, Andrew Brian, Shaun Updegraff and Jake Schumate expected to contribute on the field, as well as in the dugout.

“This is a group that’s been together here for a while. They’re a great group of kids, great group of hard workers,” Hanek said. “There’s a lot of leaders within that senior class. We have three captains, all of which are from that senior class, but the nine seniors that I have, there’s more leaders in that group than just those three captains.”

While there is a great deal of optimism among the Raiders in the preseason, the team may have to make a big adjustment behind the plate.

Hanek said Will Gehring, the team’s returning catcher, has been “struggling” with an injury that could force a change at one of the most important positions.

“We’re hoping to get him back at some point,” Hanek said of Gehring. “Great kid, great family, great leader. So we’re kind of up in the air there right now. But we’re also ready to roll with the guys that we have.”

Hanek said freshman Nico Papuga has been “doing a great job” in Gehring’s absence, but he admitted that not having Gehring catching is an example of early adversity facing the Raiders.

Fortunately, Hanek says his older, more experienced team is used to the adversity that competing often brings.

“Success breeds success,” Hanek said. “A lot of my guys play other sports; some play two sports, play three sports. They’ve had a high level of success on the football field, a level of success on the basketball court, and I think that helps — that winning mentality, learning to win, learning to compete. I think we’ve got a competitive group of players. There’s no questioning their competitive drive. They’re great character kids.”

South Range will certainly have its sights set this season on yet another district title and, hopefully, getting past the regional tournament for the first time since winning the Division III state championship in 2018.

But the long-time Raiders coach knows his team cannot be thinking about May or June anytime soon. Instead, they should be focused on refining themselves daily in hopes that it results in hardware and maybe even a trip to Akron.

“A lot of kids, their team goals are district title, league title, and we talk about it — I mean, that’s obviously the end goal, that’s the prize at the end, so to speak,” Hanek said. “But then again, you want to look ahead, but you just can’t stare off into the future. Winning a league title, winning a district title, that comes about by day-in and day-out doing the right thing. Winning the day, so to speak.”

The Raiders begin their season March 28 at Austintown Fitch and are scheduled to host LaBrae in their home opener on April 2.