Bite-size previews: Baseball and softball

Jonathan Yolles makes his head coaching debut this week with the Falcons.

The endless winter of 2014-15 looks to be in the rear view mirror with the opening of the 2015 spring scholastic sports campaign on Wednesday.

Several Avon and Canton squads are looking to defend league championships captured last spring. For Avon, this will be the final season in the North Central Connecticut Conference after more 30 years in the league. In the next few days, we’ll be providing some bite-size previews about the Warriors and Falcons.

BASEBALL: Jonathan Yolles is just third man to coach the Avon High baseball team since 1972 as he takes over for long-time coach Marty deLivron. Yolles, who played baseball under deLivron at Avon before graduating in 1992, played collegiate baseball at Hartwick. He has served as an assistant coach for the past eight years under deLivron. The Falcons (15-8, 11-5 NCCC) hope to be in the hunt for their first league title since 2011 when they won a share with Windsor Locks. … Canton (3-17, 2-14) was riddled with injuries a year ago and had the fewest wins in a single season since 1971. Second-year coach Greg Brisco is looking for sunnier days this spring at Bowdoin Field. 

SOFTBALL: Canton (10-11) has a young squad with just three seniors but the Warriors look to return to the Class S tournament for the ninth straight year under head coach Charley Baton. The Warriors will be led by senior pitcher Jillian Petraitis, catcher Katherine Hill and shortstop Katharine Walker. …  In Avon, Meg Godwin takes over for the Falcons (2-18, 2-14 NCCC). It’s been a struggle for the Falcons, who haven’t qualified for the CIAC tournament since 2001. Teaching is a priority in year one. “I want to see where my players are now, and help them develop and improve from there,” Godwin said. “Also, I want to start preparing for the big challenges of the CCC in 2016.”