The Raiders enter the 2011 season with high expectations after posting their 5^th consecutive 20 win season in 2010.  BHS says good-bye to 2010 ALL BIG I2 performers Dylan Johnson (Heartland Community College), Alex Ludwig (Heartland Community College), Derek Gliwa, and Ryne Dicken (IWU football), but return a very solid nucleus to build on in 2011.  Leading the way is 2010 ALL BIG 12 honorable mention Tyler Dicken.  Tyler had a fantastic junior season hitting .340 with 1 HR and 29 RBI.  TD slugged 10 doubles, drew 20 walks, scored 24 runs, and swiped 7 stolen bases.  He also picked up two victories on the bump in 2010.  The Raiders will look to Tyler to eat up big innings on the mound and provide a player who can play all four positions on the infield.    Tyler is also the starting quarterback for the BHS football team.  Rejoining Tyler on the infield is fellow senior Donny Kirk.  Kirk saw extensive action at third base and behind the plate for the Raiders in 2010.  Donny hit .299 with 20 hits and 11 RBI.  The Raiders will look for Kirk to again see action behind the plate and at the hot corner.  Donny was a member of the Bloomington GOLD 17U this past summer.  Junior Ky Newbill looks poised to take over at first base for the Raiders in 2011.  Ky is a very powerful hitter who flat out knocks the cover off the baseball.  Ky is a young man who has worked very hard in the offseason and the results are undeniable.  It's just a different sound coming off his bat.  He can be as good as he wants to be.  The Raiders are very excited in their upcoming middle infield crop.  Juniors Matt Mardis and Curtis Wiese, and sophomores Jayden Thompson and Kent Frantz will provide BHS plenty of options in 2011.  Mardis and Thompson both gained valuable experience at the varsity level in 2010 and look to establish themselves as all time Raider greats.  Mardis started the season at second base in his sophomore campaign before missing most of the season to injury.  He hit .286 in limited action.  Matt has the potential to play at the collegiate level.  Matty is a tireless worker, who can play all four infield positions, and can really swing it.  The Raiders look for Mardis to be among the area leaders in several offensive categories.  Matt is also a member of the BHS basketball program.  Jayden Thompson will move into a full-time starting role in 2011 after starting several games at both shortstop and second base as a freshmen.   He has a very sound understanding of hitting for a young player and has shown signs of being very special defensively.  With the proper work ethic, the sky is the limit for this young man. The Raiders will look for big production out of the sophomore in 2011.  Thompson is also a member of the BHS basketball program.  Junior Curtis Wiese and sophomore Kent Frantz also look to work their way into the '11 infield equation.  Wiese is a kid who can really swing it.  He has proven at every level to be a very reliable hitter.  Kent Frantz is another young player in the program who has special written all over him.  Kent has a great work ethic with the skill to go with it, as he did not have a strike out at the plate for the entire spring and summer 2010 baseball seasons.  This kid loves the game and is a diamond rat.  A plus defender, hitter, and pitcher; Frantz could find himself in a varsity role in 2011.  Kent needs to continue to get stronger but promises to be a very good player for years to come.  BHS is very excited to have junior Kyle Johnson moving to the varsity in 2011.  Johnson, the younger brother of BHS standout Dylan Johnson (2008-2010 ALL BIG 12), looks to compete for time both on the bump and behind the plate.  Kyle is a big, strong kid who has shows signs of really swinging it.  Kyle hits from the right side but if you watch closely, you see some of Dylan's characteristics in him.  Kyle could provide a lot of added punch to the middle of the BHS attack.   Other candidates to see infield action in ’10 are seniors Trevor Curry and Matt Phipps and juniors Sam Parsons, Max Wackenhut, and Philip Gregory.  With the proper work ethic, all five of these guys have the capability of being impact guys this season. 

     BHS loses all three starting outfielders from 2010 but welcome several very good looking prospects in 2011.  With the abundance of good players competing for infield spots, one or more could easily be moved to the outfield in 2011.  Senior Tyler Dicken, juniors Matt Mardis and Curtis Wiese, and sophomores Jaden Thompson and Kent Frantz, could all see innings in the outfield in ’11.  The Raiders return senior outfielders Zach Jensen, Caleb Cannon, and Scott Dillman.  Zach is a player who could find himself captaining the outfield in '11.  He is a very high energy player who can really go get it.  He has the ability to take balls in the gap away.  He could be a prototypical lead off hitter, if he proves he can consistently get on base he could be a player that could be really disruptive on the base paths.  Caleb is a great looking athlete.  This a young man with good size and speed and he loves to compete.  Senior Scott Dillman’s primary role in 2011 will be to log big innings for the Raiders on the mound.  Scott will add valuable depth to the Raider outfield.  The Raiders have an abundance of talent in the 2012 outfield class.  Juniors Michael Mardis (Matt's twin brother), Chance Leathers, and Andrew Padin could all find themselves in the hunt for playing time.  Michael Mardis is a very versatile player who can play all nine positions on the field.  He makes consistent contact, is a fantastic defender, and maybe the most coachable kid in the program.  BHS is also very excited in its 2013 outfield class.  Sophomores Brandon Edwards and Roman Visintine could also work their way into the varsity mix.  The two left handed hitting sophs are both blessed with exceptional defensive ability, great speed, and have really been working hard at the plate.

     The Raider rotation will be the cornerstone of its potential ’11 success.  BHS loses the majority of its 2010 innings but welcomes many prospects for 2011.  The pitching depth at the varsity level may be deeper than ever.  Leading the way will be seniors Tyler Dicken, Scott Dillman, and Zach Jensen.  TD was consistently in the low to mid 80's last season.  With graduated seniors Dylan Johnson, Derek Gliwa, Alex Ludwig, Ryne Dicken, and Derek Floyd gone, the Raiders will rely heavily on the strong arm of Dicken in 2011.  The Raiders may look to no one more than Dillman.  Scott appeared in 13 games as a junior, throwing 28 innings and striking out 21.  Scott has a great feel for pitching.  He's a kid that just keeps you in the game.  He throws strikes and allows his defense to work.  He has a number one mentality.  The Raiders are very excited in the potential of the hard throwing southpaw Jensen.  Zach can really get it up there for his size.  He has an above average fastball and a big league slider.    Junior Jack Cerny could easily find himself climbing to the top of the varsity rotation.  Jack is a 6'3 righty who has a very good arm, great command, and really wants the ball in his hands in big games. The Raiders will look for JC to establish himself as one of the best big game pitchers in the area and the "Big 12" in 2011.    Sophomore Kent Frantz also looks poised to log big innings in 2011.  Kent had a fantastic summer for the BNBA 15U GOLD this summer.  He has a very good feel on the bump and shows signs of being a really good one.  The junior crop also includes southpaws Sam Parsons and Chance Leathers, as well as hard throwing righty Max Wackenhut.  All three of these guys have thrown several innings at the lower levels and done a fantastic job.  They throw strikes, hold runners, and keep you in ballgames.   BHS will also look to talented position players Johnson, Thompson, Matt Mardis,  and Donny Kirk to log innings on the bump.   Others candidates to see pitching duties are juniors Michael Mardis, Andrew Padin, and sophomore Brandon Edwards. 

     The Raiders finished the 2010 season with 21 wins marking its fifth consecutive season with 20+ wins.  BHS lost a heartbreaking 8-6 defeat in the regional championship game.  BHS' 2011 schedule has been put together to get the Raiders ready for the 2011 postseason.  The Raiders schedule features matchups against 2010 4A runner ups Chicago St. Rita, 4A sectional finalist Rock Island, 3A state champs Chatham Glenwood, 3A power Lakes High School and 2A perennial powerhouse Olympia.  BHS will play games at IWU's Jack Horenberger Field, the Lentz Complex in Jacksonville, and Bloomington-Normal's CornCrib during the 2011 campaign.   BHS is looking for big things in 2011.  GO RAIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!