Can Providence High repeat as NCHSAA state baseball champs? Star Luke Wolff thinks so
Providence steamrolled its way to the 4A state baseball championship last year with a 34-0 record, several heavily recruited pitchers, and a team that was ranked among the nation’s best.
This year, the Panthers enter the state playoffs with five losses, a second-place finish in their conference, and a No. 11 seed in the Western Region.
So will Providence be able to sneak up on opponents this year?
“I don’t think so,” senior catcher Luke Wolff said. “We still have a target painted on our backs.”
The Panthers (22-5) open playoff action Tuesday night at home against Porter Ridge (14-12).
It’s opening night of the state playoffs in both baseball and softball for the state’s public schools – and also for the private schools in baseball, softball, girls’ soccer and team tennis.
Strong again
The 4A West playoff field is headed by powerhouses like top seed T.C. Roberson and East Forsyth, but Providence also seems primed for a deep run into the postseason.
The Panthers finished second to Butler in the Southwestern 4A conference race but have won 19 of their past 20 games, including a win in last week’s conference championship team.
“This is a good team,” coach Danny Hignight said of the Panthers.
A big part of the 2023 Providence team is Wolff, a catcher-outfielder who was co-conference player of the year a year ago and is a favorite for the award this spring.
He has batted over .400 the last two seasons, can hit for power or to advance runners, and is rated strong defensively. His exit velocity, or the speed at which the ball leaves his bat, is ranked in the 90th percentile of his age group.
That’s all pretty good for someone who started in soccer and only became a catcher because his youth league team needed someone to fill the position.
“It was in Steele Creek (Little League), and they asked for a volunteer,” Wolff said. “I volunteered. I was around 9 or 10 at the time.”
He asked a lot of questions, watched other catchers, and progressed. By the time he reached fifth grade, Wolff was playing on travel baseball teams.
“Baseball became my favorite sport,” he said.
A tough position
Wolff said catching is a bit more of a mission than a job.
“It’s definitely not easy,” he said. “It takes a toll on the body. There’s a lot of wear and tear. To catch, you need to do a lot of stretching and take a lot of ice baths.”
By late spring, the weather begins to do what it’s doing this week in the Charlotte area, and the heat also takes a toll.
“I drink a lot of water and liquids with electrolytes,” he said. “I have a fan in the dugout. I’ve learned ways of dealing with May, June and beyond that.”
Wolff said catching last year for a pitching staff that included Eli Jerzembeck and Michael Forret was a dream.
“There was so much talent,” he said.
But, Wolff added, the 2023 Panthers also are strong.
“We had some guys last year who were our 3 and 4 starters, and they would’ve been 1’s on other teams,” he said. “This year, they’ve gotten a chance.”
Hignight said this year’s pitching staff might not be getting the publicity of last year but are plenty strong.
“We’ve have five one-hitters,” he said. “And outside of strikeouts, our pitching stats have been about the same as last year.”
Team has grown
Wolff said the 2023 Panthers got off to a slow start. They were 3-4 before the big turnaround in late March.
“We had high aspirations for this season, but we had to grow into it,” he said. “We figured a few things out, and now everyone has bought in.”
“I think we might have the most talented team in the state,” he added.
Hignight said the turnaround came in early April, in a Charleston-area tournament.
“Now we’re close,” he said. “We’re not totally there yet, but we’re close.”
Wolff said there are always behind-the-scene issues that fans aren’t aware of.
“Last year, for example, half the team got the flu on the week of the state finals,” he said. Two of our guys needed IV’s. There was a lot of medicine being taken.”
This year, Wolff said, the Panthers are an especially tight-knit group.
“We hang out together, and that’s a factor ibn how we play as a team,” he said. “It’s all about family and teamwork.”
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
Playoffs begin
NCHSAA, NCISAA baseball playoffs begin Tuesday. Here are games involving area teams. For the full schedule visit charlotteobserver.com/sports/high-school
NCHSAA 4A
Lake Norman (11-15) at T.C. Roberson (18-6)
Glenn (14-10) at Hopewell (20-6)
South Caldwell (16-8) at Butler (14-11)
Mooresville (13-11) at Weddington (20-6)
Hough (16-7) at Myers Park (20-5)
Cuthbertson (15-11) at Watauga (18-6)
Southwest Guilford (14-11) at Hickory Ridge (21-4)
Marvin Ridge (11-14) at Northwest Guilford (22-5)
Charlotte Catholic (17-6) at West Forsyth (18-8)
Porter Ridge (14-12) at Providence (22-5)
Sun Valley (14-11) at Ardrey Kell (18-7)
South Mecklenburg (17-9) at Reagan (18-6)
Olympic (14-12) at East Forsyth (20-4)
NCHSAA 3A
West Charlotte (2-14) at Ledford (18-4)
Tuscola (15-7) at North Gaston (15-8)
Northwest Cabarrus (13-9) at Ashe County (12-10)
North Iredell (12-11) at Parkwood (11-14)
Dudley (12-8) at South Point (16-6)
East Lincoln (13-9) at Oak Grove (14-9)
North Lincoln (13-9) at Hickory (16-6)
Stuart Cramer (17-7) at Kings Mountain (17-5)
Lake Norman Charter (13-9) at East Rowan (20-5)
NCHSAA 2A
East Gaston (13-9) at Trinity (15-10)
North Surry (13-10) at Lincoln Charter (18-5)
West Lincoln (12-13) at West Stanly (22-3)
NCHSAA 1A
Mountain Island Charter (4-14) at Cherryville (21-4)
Gray Stone Day (7-12) at Corvian Community (13-7)
Elkin (7-13) at Union Academy (11-11)
Mountain Heritage (10-8) at Highland Tech (11-12)
Bessemer City (6-19) at South Stokes (14-7)
Piedmont Community Charter (10-8) at Christ the King (12-7)
Queen’s Grant Charter (8-10) at Uwharrie Charter (14-10)
NCISAA
Cannon School (8-12) at Charlotte Latin (4-15)
SouthLake Christian (7-12) at North Raleigh Christian (10-10)
Carmel Christian (6-16) at Charlotte Country Day (12-10)
Concord Academy (6-15) at Calvary Day (10-8)
Asheville School (7-9) at Gaston Christian (9-10)
Hickory Christian (6-6) at Gaston Day (5-11)
Cresset Christian (2-7) at North Hills Christian (8-7)
