Last season taught the Whitehall baseball team that anything can happen once a team makes the postseason, and that’s always been the philosophy of manager Shaun O’Boyle as he prepares his squad for the upcoming season.

O’Boyle piloted the Zephyrs to their first state championship appearance last spring, and throughout a season in which they’d endured many ups and downs, he remained steadfast in his belief that all they needed to do was get into the playoffs

They qualified by winning their last game of the season, and then proceeded to go on a historic playoff run that saw them playing for the 5A title.

District champs. PIAA runners-up. Yep, all they had to do was get there.

It’s the same mentality that drives them this year.

“In the 5A [classification], somehow we have to wind up in the top four,” said O’Boyle who’s heading into his eighth season as the skipper. “Our concentration is that you got to get in, and the only way is to win now and that starts on Saturday with our first game.”

As history has proved, once that arrive in the playoffs, anything can happen.

While they lost seven seniors to graduation, they still retain a number of players with varsity experience, many of whom were instrumental in last year’s postseason success. That list includes Robbie Lamm, Jake Lisicky, Ben Antonchak, John Kaintz, Jake Passhaus, Andrew Snyder and Adin Hoderewski, all of whom played in the championship game.

“They put in a lot of innings at the end of the year,” said O’Boyle.

Additionally, they return Ryan Pavone who played a big role early in the season, as well as Matt Ziminsky who was sidelined with an early injury that impacted his appearances. Rounding out that returning group is Joe Lisicky, giving the Zephyrs a large roster of experienced players heading into the 2018 season.

Their roster will also include juniors Ben Hudak, Kyle Saylor, Chris Perez, Kyle Kralick, Juan Sanchez and Ryan Schmidt.

The Zephs offense will be an area of strength this season. Jake Lisicky batted .339 last year, while Lamm hit .267. Additionally, Kaintz hit .250, and Passhaus finished at 212. Lamm (11) and Jake Lisicky (10) return as the team’s leading run producers.

“I like the offense we bring back,” said O’Boyle.

Senior Robbie Lamm heads that list. He spent much of last year as the team’s leadoff hitter. Lamm will be remain at the top of the lineup for the Zephs and patrol center for them as well.

The catching position looks to be in the firm grasp of Hoderewski, a junior.

A number of players are vying for a spot at first, including Kaintz, a senior, who logged a lot of innings there last season. Also in the mix are Passhaus, a junior and the newcomer Hudak.

Their middle infielders are set with Antonchak back at second, while Snyder and Ziminsky will split time at shortstop depending on which of the two is pitching.

Third base also has a number of possibilities with senior Jake Lisicky set to handle most of the duties. William Allen transfer Sanchez is also competing for some innings, while Joe Lisicky will get an opportunity at the hot corner and the outfield.

The corner outfield spots also have a lot of players looking to break through, including Pavone, Schmidt, Joe Lisicky, Saylor, Perez and Kralick. O’Boyle said that Kaintz could also see some time in the outfield as well.

“There’s really a lot of competition this year,” said O’Boyle

O’Boyle said that everyone brings something to the table, noting that Schmidt possesses excellent speed and plays good defense.

O’Boyle said that the final decisions won’t be made until they complete some scrimmages that will make the starting positions more clear.

As for the pitchers, O’Boyle said that he’ll lean on Snyder and Ziminsky for the bulk of the pitching duties. That pair will be aided by Passhaaus, Jake Lisicky, Lamm, and Kaintz.

He foresees any one of them being 1-2 inning guys throughout the season.

The Zephyrs’ season gets underway this Saturday when they play Thomas Jefferson High School as part of the Ripken Experience at Myrtle Beach, S.C.