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Credit the Grand Island baseball team for a save even before the season begins.
With this week's spring-like weather forecasted to come to an abrupt end on Friday, the Islanders moved up their season opener 24 hours.
They will now face Millard North in a doubleheader at Ryder Park today starting at 3 p.m.
The schedule change preserves the traditional season opener against a perennial state power. Last year marked the first time in 19 years that Millard North didn't qualify for the state tournament.
It also prevents Grand Island from going two weeks without a home appearance, as the Islanders don't have another home contest until a March 27 doubleheader with Lincoln East.
When the Islanders do take to the field today, they'll sport a much different lineup. Six position starters graduated from last year's 23-5 team that picked up a state tournament win for the first time in the program's history.
But a pair of key players return to lead the team. All-stater Kash Kalkowski is back to provide the Islanders with a standout pitcher / shortstop / hitter.
Senior Slade Bolles is also back at catcher. Along with a solid bat, Bolles is a workhorse behind the plate. He caught every inning for Home Federal during last summer's Legion season.
"We expect to improve as the spring moves along, building chemistry in hopes of making a run at state in '08," said coach Rick Kissack, who is two wins away from his and the program's 100th.
Grand Island won't be full strength for a few weeks. Senior pitcher Eric Schwieger is close to returning from a shoulder injury and will take on the closer role at that time.
Second baseman Pete Kropp will miss the first three weeks with a broken foot suffered during the basketball season. Junior Dylan Meier and senior Trevor Morris will fill in for him.
Some of the new faces in the lineup aren't inexperienced.
"Lincoln High transfer Luke Farrar is expected to take on a leading role in the line-up and the outfield," Kissack said.
Senior Dalton Ryba, who served as the team's designated hitter last year, will have an expanded role and could see time at third or first base.
Senior Kirby Wells and junior Nathan Zook move into the pitching rotation. Senior first baseman Jimmy Reed should provide some power in the lineup.
The postseason will include some uncertainty. For the first time, the Islanders don't know who is in their district. Teams will be seeded by wild card points 10 days prior to the end of the season and divided up into six districts.
In another change in Nebraska high school baseball, this season is the first with two classes. Grand Island and 25 other teams make up Class A, while the smallest 16 teams are in Class B.
Schedule
March 13, Millard North; 20, at Lincoln Southeast; 22, at Lincoln Southwest triangular with Omaha Gross; 24, at Columbus; 27, Lincoln East; 29, Omaha Creighton Prep.
April 1, at Norfolk; 5, at Papillion-LaVista South; 8, Lincoln North Star; 10-12, HAC Tournament in Lincoln; 15, at Lincoln Pius X; 17, Lincoln High; 19, at Norfolk Invite; 22, Seward; 26, at Lincoln North Star; 28, Millard West; 29, at Lincoln Southwest; 30, Columbus.
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