High School Baseball Previews: Barbe Buccaneers

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - 2023, as head coach of the Barbe Buccaneers baseball team Glenn Cecchini put it, is a year of redemption for his team.

Last season the Buccaneers went (32-2) in the regular season, but then fell short in the quarter-final round of the LHSAA State Playoffs to Saint Amant.

Losing that quarter-final series to the Gators motivated the Buccaneers heavily, and Coach Cecchini made it clear that he used the off-season to push his team as hard as possible. In his 37 years coaching baseball, Cecchini feels like this years team could be one of the most special groups he has ever had.

“I mean we have a lot of experience coming back. We lost some players but every year we lose players every year and I think we have a lot of ways that we can beat you. We’re extremely fast, we have dominant pitching, we’re deep, we play good defense, and I think we can hit. I just think I think it’s going to be on another level. I think we’re going to be really battle tested,” Coach Cecchini said.

Leadership is typically one of the key factors that makes up a great team, and Barbe seems to have an abundance of it this season. One of those key leaders is team captain Ashton Quiller, who thinks this team has been giving their all while preparing for the upcoming season.

“Guys are coming out every day bringing their all and having fun while doing it has just been an amazing thing to watch. It’s been amazing, just the competitiveness throughout the offseason. We’ve been going to 5:00 a.m. workouts, things like that, I’m just glad that I can be one of the guys that represents the entire team,” Quiller said.

As the new season grows closer, Cecchini is just trying to enjoy the process with the kids that he loves to coach.

“You know, I just, I’m really excited about our team every year, and that’s what makes it fun. You know you have the off-season, and then you have the pre-season, and then you have the season, and you have the playoffs. It’s just different seasons of the year and this is my 37th year coaching and it never gets old. I love it, you know, and I love these guys.”

The Buccaneers are reigning 5A District 3 champions, and will look to hold on to the district this season when their regular season gets going on Feb. 20, at home against South Beauregard.

Copyright 2023 KPLC. All rights reserved.