By Mike London

Salisbury Post

SALISBURY — Rowan County American Legion baseball has announced a schedule, a roster and a coaching staff for a 2025 season that will be here in a little over a month.

Only 19 candidates appeared at Rowan’s sign-up session, although new head coach Seth Graham, a Legion Hall of Famer, is an optimistic sort who sees every glass as half-full, not half-empty. He says it’s a stout 19, 19 he can get excited about, 19 that can entertain crowds at Newman Park with hustling, winning baseball.

There were a few pleasant surprises on sign-up day, some players who have been on various showcase teams who are going to try American Legion baseball for the first time. There are also seniors who have made their college commitments who will be making Legion debuts.

Without Graham’s West Rowan Falcons, there wouldn’t be a Legion team this summer. Eleven of the 19 who signed up wear the blue of the Falcons.

Rowan only got three players from East Rowan, and there’s a chance you may never have heard of any of them, although they hopefully will become household names this summer.

Fortunately, Rowan got three very good players from Carson and two more from South Rowan, so there’s a chance Rowan can compete with all the other Legion teams that are sailing in the same boat, fighting for players and for survival in a changing world.

Rowan got no players from North Rowan or Salisbury and there are no homeschoolers like the Stallions crew that boosted Rowan for a World Series run a while back. There are no college players like the Surry Community College crew that helped Rowan be competitive and finish 16-13 last 2024. There are no secret weapons like JT Taylor was when Rowan went 40-7 in 2023.

The players from West are Gaige Scruggs, Brice Knox, Eli Graham, Chase Fisher, Ben Koontz, Brant Graham, Cole Blevins, Carter Durant, Luke Ponczka, Cole Ludwick and Dylan Carter.

West has a really strong and deep team, one of the best in 3A and Rowan Legion will have most of the Falcons, although two West stars — undefeated pitcher and leadoff man Maddox Moore and slugging catcher Brody Pope, who hit for the cycle on Tuesday, are missing from the sign-up list.

Blevins, a junior, will be making his Legion debut and is one of the county’s most talented players. He’s an outfielder/pitcher and he may be a .450 hitter in Legion.

Ponczka is a potentially powerful slugger who also is a solid first baseman, while Durant has been this a breakout phenom as a clutch-hitting second baseman. Batting behind Moore, Blevins and Pope in a potent West lineup, Durant has had plenty of men on base and he’s come through often. He’s been one of the state’s RBI leaders.

Ponczka and Durant haven’t pitched a lot of innings for West, but they are capable hurlers and will be needed on the mound with the Legion squad playing much more often than high school teams. That also holds true for Pfeiffer recruit Chase Fisher, who hasn’t had a lot of chances to get on the mound for the Falcons, who have had a strong 1-2-3 punch with Moore, Brant Graham and Blevins.

Brant Graham, West’s quarterback during football season, is a Legion veteran who can help in a lot of ways. He could get at-bats at first base, third base or left field when he’s not pitching. He’s not overpowering, but he’s a strike-thrower who is 4-1 this high school season.

Scruggs, who probably will be Rowan’s main catcher, and Knox, an infielder, are Surry Community College signees. Knox had four hits on Tuesday and drove in five runs. He’s been a four-year varsity starter, although he will be making his Legion debut.

Eli Graham, an infielder/pitcher who is a Rowan Legion veteran, is another junior college signee. He’ll be following his brother, Luke, to Surry Community College.

The West contingent includes players like Koontz, an outfielder who could thrive with more at-bats. Koontz had a two-homer game recently for the Falcons. Ludwick is an infielder/pitcher, while Carter is an outfielder/pitcher.

Marshal Faw and Drew Pegram are two of South Rowan’s top players.

Faw is a Catawba recruit who is expected to be one of the Legion team’s main pitchers. He’s also a talented hitter who can run and a strong right fielder.

Pegram is a first baseman/outfielder who also could help on the mound.

Coach Graham was excited that Carson right-hander Kendal Sifford signed up. He’s been a tremendous pitcher this season, one of the county’s best. After losing early decisions against East Rowan and West Rowan, he’s won seven in a row, and he’s been a guy who can go seven innings every time he takes the ball.

Carson’s Cameron Williamson is a line-drive hitter and a solid second baseman. Carson senior Corbin Hales is a Methodist recruit. He’s a pitcher/third baseman and is batting over .400 this season for the Cougars.

East Rowan sophomore Zeke Stewart has made an impact for the Mustangs since being promoted from the jayvees at midseason. The infielder has gotten on base at a high rate (.543) for the Mustangs.

East’s Isaiah Osterhus, a junior pitcher/infielder, has been sidelined with an injury, so he’s a wild card for the Legion team. He had a pitching win for the 2024 state champs. East coach Brett Hatley is really high on him.

The other East player will be Braxton Earnhardt. The sophomore is a catcher, so the Rowan Legion team definitely will need him.

Seth Graham will be assisted by Adam Patterson, Curtis Owen and former Rowan Legion players Jackson Deal and Cole Hales (Corbin’s brother). Deal is playing for Methodist now, while Hales plays for Catawba.

Jim Fulton will serve as the team manager, while Richard Dillon is the athletic officer.

The season is scheduled to start May 19 at Davidson County, with the first home game at Newman Park against Cherryville on May 20.

Rowan home games start at 7 p.m.

Area III will have 17 teams and four divisions. Rowan is in a four-team group with Kannapolis, Concord and Mooresville and will play four division games against each of those teams.