Lake View baseball still with high expectations
By David Shelton
Senior Writer
Lake View – When only nine players can take the field, a baseball team that loses four or five starters from one year to the next can find the road to success pretty difficult.
At larger high schools in the state, losing players to graduation is not as impactful as it is at smaller Class A schools. The difference in sheer numbers of potential players can be astounding. Some AAAAA schools will cut 50 to 75 players in a given spring. Most Class A schools don’t have enough interest to even make cuts. If you come out, you make the team.
Lake View head baseball coach Kip Herlong is beginning his 32nd season at the helm. He has won eight state titles and more than 600 games as the mentor of the Wild Gators. You can bet that over 32 years he has faced losing quality players from year to year.
This spring, Herlong has only a handful of returning starters from last year’s 20-5 team that lost to Latta in the finals of the Lower State series. The coach entered this season needing to replace his entire outfield, some productive bats, and other key personnel. Not a problem. Herlong has stated many times that the key to his program’s success is the work ethic of his players. Young players grow up in the system and enter their time to play with the same expectations as the veteran players.
Herlong has never been one to worry about how many games his team will win. The focus always has been on attitude and effort. He has long believed that if his team’s put in the work and play the game the right way, the wins will take care of themselves.
“We have great kids here at Lake View and they work really hard. We always have a chance with these kids. Baseball is really important to them.”
The 2025 season has begun with Lake View winning seven of their first nine games, losing to Fairmont (NC) and AAA Aynor. Herlong has seen some good and some bad early on but likes the team’s potential to compete.
“It’s kind of hard to tell right now what we are,” he said. “I think we can be a competitive team but I don’t know how competitive we are with the better teams that we will play. Time will tell as we go along. I think our pitching and infield defense are the strengths. We have some new guys in the outfield and we have to improve offensively.”
The key returners to this year’s team are senior first baseman Chris McGill and senior shortstop Kason Herlong. Both also are the top two pitchers. McGill hit .483 with 10 homers and 38 RBI’s last season while Herlong hit .526 with three homers and 22 RBI’s in 2024.
Aiding on the mound are returning junior Chase Price and a mixture of arms that will develop into their roles as the season progresses.
Returning at catcher is senior three-year starters Braden Borders while senior Ian Capps is a fourth-year starter in the middle. Bryce King returns at third base. Price and McGill will share duties at first base.
Junior Landon King has been a solid surprise as the new centerfielder. Holden Lee, Tadd Lovett and Seth Deese also are working in the corner outfield spots.
Softball off to 3-0 start
The Lake View softball team opened 2025 with three wins as they look to build into another state championship contender this spring.
The Wild Gators out-scored their first three opponents, 37-8, and look to continue that explosive offense as they face tough competition in the region.
Coach Brandy Huggins has four main players returning to this year’s team. Senior Hollie Scott is back at first base but is the team’s No. 1 pitcher this spring. Scott also is one of the top returning hitters.
Sophomore Chloe Cox returns as a starter and is working at shortstop. She hit .365 last year.
Back at third base is Kaleigh Blackmon, now a three-year starter. Moving from the middle infield to catcher is Hanna Coburn, a freshman.
While Scott is the primary pitcher, Haley Miller also has seen some action early while playing first base.
Other players seeing time on the infield include Sophia Rogers, Callie Smith, Paisley Alford, Brilee Schirra, Maddison Strickland, and Madi Hunt.
Outfielders include Kaylnn Turner, Katima Genwright, Sarah Price and Carlie Matthews. Rounding out the squad this spring are Summer Hilburn, Emmalee Miller and Lilly Hatcher.
