Sunset Looks to Shine Again In 2014

Fresh off of the best season in school history, the Sunset Knights have shown no signs of letting off the gas pedal. The Knights won their first district title and were one game away from states but they are approaching this season like they have something to prove.

Manager Armando “Mandy” Pelaez is literally making every minute of practice count. If the players aren’t ready to start practice on time, the team has to run a mile for each minute they’re behind schedule. Despite their successful season, Pelaez has refused to let his team become complacent.

“If nothing else we’ll be the best conditioned teams in Miami-Dade county,” Pelaez joked, as his players sprinted around the track during a spring practice.

The Knights are coming off a historic 20-8 season in which they defeated Southwest for the 8A-15 title and advanced all the way to the regional finals, before falling to American 4-3. However, Sunset will have to replace 12 seniors from the 2013 roster as they transition to play in the stacked District 16-8A this season. The Knights will battle Coral Reef, Varela, Palmetto, Southridge, South Dade and defending district champion Killian this season. Each team has plenty of talent on the roster and Sunset has spent the offseason figuring out how to remake their depth chart.

“As of right now there are a lot of question marks, but we do have the talent and the ability,” said Pelaez, who enters his 15 season as manager. “Its just a matter of putting it together and playing as a unit.”

One thing this team will have to work on is team chemistry. Last season, the Knights lineup had players that had played with each other since little league and middle school. This season, there are a few new additions that have to find a way to bond with one another.

“That’s one of the most important things we have to work on is team chemistry,” Pelaez admitted. “Last year those guys loved each other they had been playing together since they were 10 years old. This group we have a lot of different players from different areas, so team chemistry is important. They have to gel together.”

Pelaez will have to solve the puzzle of his pitching staff which has lost five players that pitched at least eight innings last season. The biggest losses include Austin Comesanas (6-2, 67.1 IP, 2.81 ERA), Michael Paez (6 SV’s, 1.62 ERA), and Caleb Horvat (2-1, 3.20 ERA, 19.2 IP).

Junior Danny Diaz will alleviate some of the concerns as he returns to build off of his dominating sophomore season. The right-handed pitcher led Miami-Dade county with nine wins and pitched 62 innings while registering a 2.37 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Pelaez expects Diaz to improve after a stellar offseason.

“He led the county in wins, now he’s gained some weight, got a little stronger, and he’s throwing a little harder,” Pelaez said.

The soft-spoken hurler never gets too rattled and will try to lead the young staff by example on the mound.

“There’s a lot of new pitchers and they’re young, but I think they will do well,” Diaz said.

When needed, Pelaez will use talented center fielder Danilo De Armas as another lefty arm in the rotation.

As players compete to earn playing time, the club is still finalizing the starting lineup.

“We’re still competing and there’s a lot of positions still up for grabs, but we’re optimistic that we’re going to peak at the right time toward the end of the season,” Pelaez said.

On offense, Sunset will look to hit the ball just as well as they did last spring. The Knights had a team average around .346 and smacked a total of 18 home runs. They were even more deadly on opposing teams fields, finishing 10-1 in road games in 2013. They have also lost a wealth of talent at the plate.

De Armas (.343 BA, 19 R) is the team’s returning leader in runs scored and he will hit near the top of the order. Senior outfielders Jorge Lopez, (.359 BA, 16 RBI, 7 2B) who hit a huge double with the bases loaded to beat Killian in the regionals, and Alfredo Iser (.367 BA, 23 RBI, 2 HR) will add two more quality bats in the heart of the lineup. The team is also excited about the potential Alfredo’s younger brother, 6-foot-3 sophomore Herbert Iser. The young catcher was thrown into action as a true freshman and more than held his own. Pelaez says scouts are already keeping an eye on him towards the future.

“He got projected as one of the top catchers in Florida in the class of 2016,” said Pelaez. “He’s a big guy that hits from the left side and he’s got the tools to be a five-tool guy.”

With the success the team enjoyed after last season, Pelaez has demanded more of his team, instead of loosening the reins.

“We don’t want to be complacent. I’m very disciplined because I believe it brings out the best in every athlete,” said Pelaez. “So we want to try and work on the little things. We’ve got a lot of young kids here so we want to teach them the right way and create good, positive habits.”

Teams will be gunning for the Knights as defending district champions for the first time in the school’s 34 year history. Its a new feeling around Raul Ibanez Field at Sunset High, but one the team is embracing.

“We like that, we want to play the best and if you want to be the best you have to beat the best,” Pelaez stated. “If they come after us, we’ll be ready to compete.”

After a breakthrough 2013 season, Sunset is trying to make going deep playoff runs a normal exercise around campus.

“They’ve got big shoes to fill but we’re looking forward to the challenge. Its our goal to win district and hopefully advance further than we did last year,” said Pelaez.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!