Skip to content

Dawgs getting ready for 2017

Time heals all wounds. A week after the Okotoks Dawgs were eliminated from the WMBL playoffs, team executive director John Ircandia — who dislikes losing more than taxes — is reflecting back on a positive season.

Time heals all wounds.

A week after the Okotoks Dawgs were eliminated from the WMBL playoffs, team executive director John Ircandia — who dislikes losing more than taxes — is reflecting back on a positive season.

“Overall, it was very positive,” Ircandia said. “We had a lot of academy grads on the roster, we won the league regular season championship which hasn’t happened around here for a few years.

“I was really impressed with the coaching staff — very professional in pregame in getting the players ready and the management.”

The most positive aspect is how the Okotoks community continued to embrace its hometown Dawgs and enjoy the festivities at Seaman Stadium.

Okotoks set yet-another attendance record when 76,571 fans went through the turnstiles for their 23 regular season home game — an average of 3,329. Okotoks’ average was the fourth highest among summer collegiate level teams in North America.

The Edmonton Prospects, the team that cut short the Dawgs season with a stunning first-round playoff upset, were second in the WMBL, averaging 1,820 fans.

“The ongoing support of the fans, both with our fundraisers just the pure enjoyment of the game has been unreal — just phenomenal,” Ircandia said. “We are humbled by it, honestly.”

The fans got to see the best Dawgs in recent history as they finished with a league-best 33-14 record and had six WMBL all-stars in pitchers CJ Lewington and relievers Anthony Balderas and Taylor Davis. Infielders Kellen Marruffo and Michael Gretler along with outfielder Brendan Rose were also recognized as all-stars. However, that was as meaningless as a Corner Gas rerun when the Dawgs were ousted by the Prospects.

“Losing in the playoffs is huge and that doesn’t sit well,” Ircandia said. “I think the coaching staff now has a better idea what to expect and the type of player we need to win.

“I think Tyler (head coach Tyler Graham) seeing it for the first-time will help him for next year.”

Graham has been given the green light for next year. Full details of what his capacity will be will depend on the coach’s commitments at baseball powerhouse Oregon State University.

“Next year, I think Tyler is taking more of a recruiting role for Oregon State, so he won’t be necessarily on the field as long,” Ircandia said.

He said if Graham has to return to Corvallis before the end of the season — and Ircandia wants the Dawgs to play until mid August every year — veteran David Robb can step in if need be.

Ircandia said pitching coach Jesse English and infield coach Andy Peterson have indicated they will be back next season.

He was impressed with the staff and their work with players.

“A guy like (Liam) Stroud came in as our no. 5 pitcher and by the end of the year he might have been our no. 1 or no. 2,” Ircandia said. “That was due to the work he did here and the confidence he gained working with Jesse.”

As for which players will be back next year, it’s hard to tell.

The recruiting will be in Graham’s hands.

“Everything is subject to what happens, but Balderas, Gretler, Rose, Stroud and Lewington all expressed interested in coming back,” Ircandia said.

He added Dawgs Academy graduate Peter Hutzal, who started for the College Dawgs before suffering a season-ending injury, has expressed an interest to come back.

The Prospects proved beating the Dawgs wasn’t just an aberration. They went on to knock off the Medicine Hat Mavericks in five games to claim the Western division title.

However, then it struck midnight for the Cinderella Prospects. The Swift Current Indians, who finished with the second-best record in the league just a -game back of Okotoks, swept Edmonton 3-0 to claim their first WMBL title since 2010.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks