GUYTON — Coach Johnny Dering will be the first to say that South Effingham’s baseball team doesn’t rebuild. It simply reloads — and that starts on the mound.
Despite losing star pitcher JT Townsend to graduation last year, Dering is confident his squad will remain one of the top teams in Region 2-AAAAA. Townsend, who was the region co-pitcher of the year, went undefeated in 2-AAAAA but South Effingham has another formidable hurler.
Junior Jakob Valleroy will be the Mustangs’ ace in 2018, according to Dering.
“I am looking for big things out of him this year,” Dering said. “He’s our pitcher and he stepped up last year as a sophomore. He was just as good as JT. He didn’t have the same record to show for it but he got through the learning curve to play varsity baseball.
“We also have our catcher, Doug Williams, returning. When you’re good in those two spots, you feel much better.”

See the Feb. 7 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.