Catcher Ricky Nolan is the only holdover from Seminole's 2001 national champions, though few probably remember his efforts from that season.
Even he laughs when revealing his major contribution: warming up pitchers in the bullpen.
Playing behind Bobby Wilson, the Times Player of the Year, meant no action for Nolan, but the year was far from a waste. This season he is one of the Warhawks' best players, and he has his limited role in 2001 to thank.
"I learned a lot that year," Nolan said. "I was catching this great pitching staff in the bullpen, I got to watch (current major-leaguer) Casey Kotchman go through his hitting routines ... it was a great learning experience."
Tonight, then, will be like a final exam. At 7:30 in Venice, Nolan will try to lead the Warhawks (26-4) back to Legends Field against the No. 2-ranked Braves in the Class 5A region final.
Though just a bit player on the last Seminole team to get this far, Nolan has been one of the stars this year. He has been remarkably steady behind the plate, is praised for his ability to call a game and boasts one of the county's best throwing arms.
Pitchers Phil Weylie, Shawn Keill and Adam Chappie bring big arms to the mound, but it has been Nolan's smooth handling that keeps them sharp, coach Scott Miller said. For the first time, Nolan is calling all the pitches after telling Miller in the preseason he was ready to take over the role.
Nolan's rapport with Weylie has been especially important. Friends off the field, the pair have emerged in recent weeks as the county's most formidable battery.
"We're normally right on the same page," said Weylie, who is 10-1 and starts tonight. "When I think of what I want to throw out there, it's almost always the same pitch he calls for."
Nolan's arm also gets credit for bailing out the pitching staff when it needs it most. Weylie said he has lost count how many times Nolan has picked runners off but says there is no questioning the impact.
"It's huge when he does that, huge," Weylie said. "He just kills the other team's momentum. And he makes it easier for us to pitch, with no runner on base."
Nolan's arm will help against an aggressive Venice team that likes to run and bunt, and his clutch bat will, too. He is batting .370, and his 24 RBIs lead the team.
Nolan isn't ready to compare this Seminole team to the one that won the title. Almost half that team was drafted, and Kotchman already has made his big-league debut with Anaheim.
But the 2004 version ain't so bad, either, he says. It is coming off a 15-0 rout of Estero, has played its best ball since the playoffs began and is teeming with confidence.
"We've peaked at the right time," Nolan said. "This is exactly what you want to do. The way we've been hitting the ball lately, we're going to be tough to stop."
CLASS 5A REGION FINAL
WHO/WHERE: Seminole at Venice.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
OUTLOOK: Seminole (26-4) won the Class 5A state title in 2001, its only trip to the final four, and was named by Baseball America as the mythical national champions. Venice (26-3) has been to the final four four times and the state final once but never captured a championship. Eckerd signee Phil Weylie (10-1, 0.89 ERA, 94 strikeouts) will pitch for the Warhawks tonight against Western Carolina signee Steve Strausbaugh, who is 11-0 and the team's leading hitter.
THE WINNER: Will face the Jacksonville Wolfson-Palm Bay winner May 28 at Legends Field.
