Jefferson High School baseball team's last state championship came in 2016, when the Cougars tamed Nitro, 11-2. Courtesy photo

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — Daquon Shipe and Riley Morgan should provide Coach John Lowery with some reliable pitching this spring when another baseball season takes control at venerable Sager Field.

Ryan Hefner, JJ Polvinale and Josh Cienfuegos are the most experienced hitters coming back from last season.

But this is a young and mostly unseasoned group of players the long-time and ultra successful coach has welcomed to the pristine grounds where the Cougars play their home games.

There are only nine home dates on this year’s usually lengthy 32 game schedule.

After seeing Spring Mills at Sager Field on April 4, the Cougars will be away from home for 12 straight games before playing county rival Washington on April 26.

There will be the four-game stint in Myrtle Beach, S.C. using the Easter vacation dates to play McClancy (N.Y.), Waccamaw (S.C.), Hi Point (N.C.) and a last-day opponent to be determined by how the Cougars fare at the warmer weather site.

The Cougars will also be playing at out-of-the-area sites in Moorefield, Lewisburg at Greenbrier East, Short Gap against Frankfort, Franklin against Pendleton County, Oakland (Md.) against Southern, Bridgeport against the Indians and Woodrow Wilson, Warrenton (Va.) against Highland and Smithsburg (Md.) against the Leopards.

Just two home games will be played between April 4 and the opening of the Class AAA Sectional tournament on May 8.

Beginning with the 1977 season, the Cougars have won at least 20 games in every season since that long ago time. In that time span have been 12 state championships. That time frame has also seen 20 seasons with at least 30 wins.

Jefferson’s last state championship came in 2016, when the Cougars tamed Nitro, 11-2.

In Jefferson’s Section are both Washington and Hampshire with the rest of the Region being composed of Martinsburg, Hedgesville, Musselman and Spring Mills.

Will “youth be served” this season? At any rate, youth will be on nightly display as the Cougars chase after another 20-win season with their roster of mostly untested players.

Shipe is likely to be used as a hitter, when not pitching, and Ryan Hefner and Polvinale could emerge as useful pitchers.

Dylan Mabe has some game experience with his left-handed relief pitching. Catcher Colton Smith and infielder Ty Durkin will be given their opportunities to break into the every-day lineup.

However, beyond pitchers Shipe and Morgan and infielders Polvinale and Josh Cienfuegos and utility player Ryan Hefner, there is little certainty and even less background varsity success from the rest of the list of candidates.