The West Plains Zizzers opened their season March 20 with a roster that looks different on
paper but still leans heavily on experience, coming off a 17-13 season that ended in the Class 5
District 6 championship game — the program’s first appearance there since 2008.
Graduation took a large group, but Head Coach James Sharp said the senior presence in the
dugout remains nearly the same.
“We had 11 seniors last year,” Sharp said. “This year we have 10 on the roster.”
Several players rotated into games last spring, while seven held everyday roles, giving West
Plains a core that has already handled a full schedule at the highest level the school plays.
One of the biggest changes could come from within that group. Sophomore Camden Bryant saw
limited action as a freshman but now moves into a larger role after a year adjusting to varsity
pitching and pace.
“Camden Bryant, he’s a sophomore, I think he should have a really good year for us,” Sharp
said. “He played a little bit of varsity time as a freshman, but usually, from freshman to
sophomore year is a big jump.”
The lineup also returns its most consistent bat from last season.
“There’s also Josiah Long, who was our best hitter last year — he’s returning,” Sharp said.
The coach said he expects his defense to remain steady as well, pointing to the number of
experienced players still in the field.
“Defensively, I think we’ll be really good,” he said. “All of our returners do a really good job.”
As for the overall outlook, Sharp said the team’s identity remains built around pitching, clean
For more Zizzer baseball news, visit the Quill online at westplainsdailyquill.net/sports.
2026 ZIZZER BASEBALL SENIORS
The senior class for the 2026 West Plains Zizzers baseball team:
• Dominic Hale
• Landon Montgomery
• Ethan Miller
• Zeke Cunningham
• Keenan Holloway
• Jesse Contreras
• Josiah Long
• Johnny Sutherland
• Drew Melvin
• Liam Gray
