The NOC Enid Jets open the 2021 season Tuesday against Hutchinson (KS) at 1 p.m. at David Allen Memorial Ballpark.
The Jets won the NJCAA National Championship in 2019 and were 8-10 in an abbreviated schedule due to Covid-19 under head coach Scott Mansfield in 2020.
NOC Enid is ranked 8th in the pre-season NJCAA Division 2 poll.
"Overall, I feel really good about where we are at this point in the year," Mansfield said. "As is the goal every year, we're looking to compete at an extremely high level and hopefully put ourselves in position to win some hardware at years end."
Mansfield said the Jets' strengths are a sophomore laden lineup and a talented young pitching staff.
Returning are infielders Ambren Voitik, Cale Savage, Kyle Bass, Brandon Lees, Gage Ninness, and catcher Jordan Coffey. Returning in the outfield are Connor Thaxton and Merek Hawthorne.
"I feel as our sophomore heavy offense and defense will be a big asset for us but we're also excited about our pitching staff that has youth but good tools and talent to give us a chance to win daily," Mansfield said. "The biggest strength though is our chemistry, this alone will take us a long way to achieve our goals."
"It has been nearly a year since we were able to suit up together and compete in the same dugout so the excitement that we are going through is comparable to little league players going to play their first ever game," Mansfield said. "We cannot wait to get going and see what the future has in store."
An area of concern is the Jets' youth on the mound. The Jets do return Alex Smith, Brandon Eropkin, Justin Raines, Alex Walton, and Thomas Little.
"The youth on the mound will always be an area of concern because of lack of experience but I think the lack of outside competition and a long gap between game experience will be a little bit of concern early on," he said.
Like every sport, Covid-19 has made it a day to day challenge.
"We've had to experience quarantine on multiple occasions with multiple people and have changed plans each time, this was a negative obviously," he said. "But at the same point, it has taught all of us, myself included, to be more adaptive and accepting of change to maximize each opportunity we get to be out on the field and do what we love."
Most importantly, Mansfield said the Jets are excited to be on the field.
"It has been nearly a year since we were able to suit up together and compete in the same dugout so the excitement that we are going through is comparable to little league players going to play their first ever game," he added. "We cannot wait to get going and see what the future has in store."