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Horizon West Magazine

Blog Post

Baseball Preview for Horizon West's High Schools

February 17, 2023

Baseball Season is Back for High School Athletes in HW!

Baseball Talent on the Rise

Central Florida has been a hotbed for baseball talent over the past several decades. There is a list of talented local players who are recruited to play for top college programs and a sizable number that have played (or currently play) in Major League Baseball. The growth of Horizon West has resulted in an even larger pool of baseball talent. Since 2017, Horizon West has opened two new high schools – Windermere (2017) and Horizon (2021). In a short time, both schools have enjoyed considerable success in athletics.  The 2023 Spring season opens up a new chapter in both schools' baseball programs. 

Horizon Hawks Baseball

In 2022, Horizon Hawks baseball team went 5-21 in their inaugural season.  This year will be the first Hawks team featuring a senior class.  Head Coach Dane Wisneski has brought a wealth of experience at both the high school and college level to the program.  His coaching tenure at University High School, Tavares High School and Florida Gulf Coast University has prepared him well to assemble this young program. 


The Hawks are set to face strong competition from around the OCPS Metro Conference, but will also face schools from Lake, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties.  As the Horizon baseball program looks to make a significant impact in their second season, keep an eye on Tanner Krammer and Luke Helms, who both hit for an over .400 batting average in 2022. 


“Day by day we get opportunities to grow and get better, and as a new program we need to take each of those opportunities. This year, we should have more understanding and confidence within the program. Players have a better understanding of what it takes to have a chance at daily success, and we should see improvement in the quality in play and our overall record at the end of year 2 for Horizon Baseball.” - Dane Wisneski, Head Coach 

Coaching Staff

  • Dane Wisneski, Head Coach 
  • Ashton Watts, Associate Head Coach
  • Brian Henkel, JV Head Coach
  • Jerry Simmerly, Assistant Coach

Roster

  • 1   Jesse Hunt Jr. - SR 
  • 2  Dever Patton  - FR
  • 3  Tanner Kramer - SR 
  • 4  Jose Massenet - SO
  • 5  Rich Ruby - SR 
  • 7  Jaden Blanco - SO 
  • 9  Max Hurd - SR 
  • 10 Brandon Cruz - JR
  • 12  Casey Simmerly - JR
  • 19  Luke Helms - JR
  • 21  Luis Arroyo - JR
  • 22 Nick Colimodio - JR
  • 23 Miguel Camarillo - SO 
  • 24 Ben Rothfeld - JR
  • 26 Nick Midili - JR
  • 27 Ron Butkus - SO

Varsity Schedule*

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT
Tue 2/21 6:00 pm @ East Ridge
Thu 2/23 7:00 pm vs South Lake
Fri 2/24 6:00 pm @ Wekiva
Mon 2/27 4:00 pm @ Olympia
Tue 2/28 7:00 pm @ Umatilla
Thu 3/2 7:00 pm vs Tohopekaliga
Mon 3/7 7:00 pm @ Haines City
Mon 3/13 1:00 pm @ DeLand
Mon 3/13 1:00 pm vs Foundation Academy
Wed 3/22 6:30 pm vs Freedom
Fri 3/24 7:00 pm vs Timber Creek
Mon 3/27 7:00 pm vs Colonial
Wed 3/29 7:00 pm @ East River
Thu 3/30 6:00 pm vs Wekiva
Fri 3/31 7:00 pm vs Windermere
Tue 4/4 6:00 pm @ Evans
Wed 4/5 6:00 pm vs Lake Brantley
Thu 4/6 6:00 pm @ Lyman
Mon 4/10 7:00 pm vs Lake Buena Vista
Wed 4/12 7:00 pm @ West Orange
Fri 4/14 7:00 pm @ Apopka
Mon 4/17 7:00 pm vs Ocoee
Tue 4/25 7:00 pm @ Mount Dora
Thu 4/27 7:00 pm vs Mount Dora

JV Schedule*

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT
Mon 2/20 6:00 pm vs Lyman
Thu 2/23 4:30 pm vs South Lake
Tue 2/28 6:00 pm vs Olympia
Thu 3/2 4:30 pm vs Tohopekaliga
Fri 3/3 6:00 pm vs Celebration
Wed 3/8 6:00 pm vs Apopka
Mon 3/20 4:30 pm vs Umatilla
Tue 3/21 4:00 pm @ Apopka
Fri 3/24 4:30 pm @ Montverde Academy
Mon 3/27 6:30 pm @ Umatilla
Tue 3/28 6:00 pm vs Lake Nona
Mon 4/3 5:30 pm vs Montverde Academy
Fri 4/14 6:30 pm @ Celebration

*Schedules are shown as posted at the time of publishing. Please review the official Varsity and JV schedules to confirm game details in the event of a schedule change.

Follow the Horizon Hawks baseball season on Instagram @Horizon.Baseball

Windermere Wolverines Baseball

The Windermere Wolverines finished the 2022 season 25-4, winning the Metro and District Championship and going deep into the playoffs.  The “Windy Boys” are set for another run this season. Heading into the schools sixth baseball season, they have gained  a reputation as one of the most formidable programs statewide. Head Coach Eric Lassiter earned his 200th career win last season and racked up two Coach of the Year awards as well. As the Wolverines start their season ranked #18 overall statewide according to Prep Baseball Report.   


The Wolverines roster is packed full of players who already have major college commitments. Holden Brauner (Tennessee), Ty Head (NC State), Gueillermo Yepes (Albany State), Jack Waddingham (Stetson), Cruz Warp (USF), Jack Sanchez (Keiser University), Cannon Feazell (Clemson), Justin Grant (College of Central Florida), Juan Lopez (Dayton), Osjun Rivas (Dayton), and uncommitted standouts like Blayke Rabens and Connor Fink have all brought statewide attention to this Windermere team. 


“Our goal is to win a district title and have a chance to compete for the regional championship.  We look to continue to grow our young program and hope to make it deep into the state playoffs.  We have a lot of guys returning this year who got a taste of that regional championship game and would love the opportunity to get back there again.”  - Eric Lassiter, Head Coach


Coaching Staff

  • Eric Lassiter, Head Coach
  • Brian Adkins, Assistant Coach
  • Terry Bellah, Assistant Coach
  • Ray Evans, Assistant Coach 
  • Ron Davis, JV Head Coach
  • Bill Chambers, JV Assistant Coach

Roster

  • 1  Gueillermo Yepes - SR
  • 2  Tyler Hershiser - JR
  • 3  Nico Mujica - JR
  • 4  Blayke Raybens - JR
  • 5  Ty Head - JR
  • 6  Dillon Ostendorf - SR
  • 7  Dominic Debellis - JR
  • 8  Jack Sanchez - SR
  • 9  Aiden Reyes - JR
  • 10  Holden Brauner - SR
  • 11  Osjun Rivas - JR
  • 12  Cannon Feazell - JR
  • 13  Declan Brown - SR
  • 15  Connor Fink - SO
  • 16  Jack Margelos - JR
  • 17  Cruz Warp - JR
  • 18  Gabriel Rodriguez - JR
  • 19  Mason Mojica - JR
  • 20  Juan Lopez - JR
  • 21  Justin Grant - SR 
  • 22  Randy Ruiz - FR
  • 23  Caden Simpson - SR
  • 24  Brayden Badua - SR
  • 25  Jack Waddingham - JR

Varsity Schedule*

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT
Mon 2/20 3:00 PM @ Seminole High School / Big Blue Bonanza
Tue 2/28 4:00 PM vs Bishop Moore High School
Fri 3/3 5:30 PM @ Mt. Dora High School
Wed 3/8 6:30 PM @ Cypress Creek High School
Tue 3/21 4:30 PM vs New Smyrna High School
Wed 3/22 4:30 PM vs Spruce Creek High School
Fri 3/24 6:30 PM @ Forest High School (Ocala)
Wed 3/29 7:00 PM @ Deland High School
Fri 3/31 7:00 PM @ Horizon High School
Tue 4/4 6:00 PM @ Bishop Moore High School
Fri 4/7 4:30 PM vs Cypress Creek High School
Mon 4/10 4:30 PM vs Olympia High School
Wed 4/12 7:00 PM @ Dr. Phillips High School
Fri 4/14 4:30 PM vs Weikiva High School
Mon 4/17 6:00 PM @ Evans High School
Fri 4/21 TBA TBA
Tue 4/25 4:30 PM vs Taveras High School
Wed 4/26 4:30 PM @ Edgewater High School

JV Schedule*

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT
Tue 2/21 4:00 pm @ Edgewater
Wed 2/22 5:00 pm @ Apopka
Fri 2/24 4:00 pm Apopka
Wed 3/1 4:00 pm @ Edgewater
Thu 3/2 4:00 pm vs Bishop Moore
Mon 3/6 4:00 pm vs West Orange
Wed 3/8 4:00 pm @ Cypress Creek
Fri 3/10 4:00 pm vs Ocoee
Mon 3/20 4:30 pm vs Boone
Wed 3/22 6:00 pm @ Bishop Moore
Fri 3/24 4:30 pm vs Bishop Moore
Tue 3/28 6:00 pm @ Bishop Moore
Mon 4/3 6:00 pm @ West Orange
Tue 4/4 6:00 pm @ University
Wed 4/5 5:00 pm @ Boone
Mon 4/10 4:30 pm @ Olympia
Wed 4/12 4:30 pm vs Winter Park
Thu 4/13 4:00 pm vs Saratoga Catholic (Wide World of Sports)

*Schedules are shown as posted at the time of publishing. Please review the official Varsity and JV schedules to confirm game details in the event of a schedule change.

Follow the Windermere Wolverines baseball season on Instagram @wdugoutclub and the Windermere Dugout Club website.

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