Thousand Oaks Lancers turn the page on fairy tale finish
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A new era begins for Thousand Oaks High School baseball this spring. The Lancers turn the page and start anew following a fairy tale finish in 2021.
Last year, manager Jack Wilson led them to a record of 29-1. Thousand Oaks topped the Marmonte League and claimed a California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS) Division II title. They smashed the school record and finished with 42 home runs.
“A championship [of] CIF Southern Section in the top division is really difficult to win,” Wilson said. “With all the great teams and players in TO’s 59-year history, it’s only been captured twice.”
To cap things off, Wilson won a Coach of the Year award.
But the former major league all-star called time after five years in charge.
“I’ve put in a lot of time and effort for the program, and it really does have my heart,” he said. “I’ll always be a proud alum and I’ll always want them to do well.”
By all accounts, they are in good hands.
Ex-coach Rod Stillwell steps up to lead the Lancers once again. Coach Stillwell served as an assistant on Wilson’s staff and guided them to a 2003 Southern Section crown.
What’s more, the Lancers will have a much different look this season.
Numerous top players from 2021 moved on to play at the next level. Lancers’ catcher Charlie Saum signed with Stanford. Power hitter Roc Riggio joined the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Infielder Justin Abercrombie departed for California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Star shortstop Max Muncy is the most noteworthy. The Los Angeles Times 2021 Baseball Player of the Year was picked 25th overall by Oakland in July’s MLB draft.
On a brighter note, a number of Lancers are back in the lineup.
That includes several seniors who return to the roster. Among them are slugger Dylan Jackson, leadoff man Easton Rulli and Pacific baseball commit Peyton Miller. Juniors Brady Francisco and Grant Rodriguez are expected to see extra action on the field.
Beyond that, Thousand Oaks gets a great deal of support from the community.
The program is backed by a range of businesses both in and around the city. More than three dozen sponsors are listed on the team’s website. In addition, they offer online advertising for all games, which are streamed live. Evidently, a lot of people are watching.
The Lancers open the season on Feb. 12 at Saugus. in the Easton Tournament.
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