by Jamie Mercer

Pitching and defense are the by-words of the 2008 Team Collierville (Tenn.) Dragons. Boasting a record of 41-12, the Dragons are holding opponents to an average of three runs per game and are averaging a lowly 1.3 errors per outing.

Based just outside of Memphis, the team took second on July 4 in the 10U finals of the NABF World Classic in Southaven, Miss. The Dragons, coached by Rob Bullough (head), Matt Burns and Matt Schildmeier (assistants), have won six of the 12 events they’ve entered this year, including the West Tennessee State Tournament crown.

Leading Team Collierville are:

outfielder Justin Ammons, a lefthander who hits in the No. 4 hole. Blessed with a lot of power, Ammons leads the team in extra-base hits;

first baseman/centerfielder Cooper Bullough, the team’s No. 2 hitter who paces the Dragons in on-base percentage and runs. The coaches also praised Bullough’s outstanding defensive play;

Parker Cathey, a second/third baseman who also can hold down the mound. He has pitched the team to eight wins and is one of the team leaders in RBI’s;

Peyton Cathey, a shortstop/pitcher and twin brother of Parker, is an anchor on defense. After a sluggish start Cathey found his stride at the state tournament and is currently batting .390;

centerfielder/first baseman Justin Fowlkes is a solid hitter who plays "tremendous" defense from his centerfield spot, according to the coaches;

catcher/second baseman Matt Loeffler, is a formidable player behind the plate. "I’d put his blocking against anybody," the coaches observed;

Conrad Ray, a catcher/third baseman, is also the Dragons’ No. 1 pitcher. A solid infielder, Ray proved his worth during the NABF World Classic by defeating the DeSoto (Miss.) Cardinals en route to an All-Tournament nod;

Ayrton Schafer, the five-hole hitter, also earned NABF World Classic All-Tournament honors. A power hitter, Schafer leads the Dragons in extra-base hits;

Outfielder Evan Schmidt, earned Team Collierville’s Most Improved Player award this season. A team player, Schmidt is cited by the coaches as the hardest working player on the squad;

Ryan Tow, another outfielder, is a rock on defense. He is especially valuable in throwing out batters as he boasts the second-strongest arm on the Dragons’ roster; and

Ty Wooton, a second baseman/shortstop whose on-base percentage ranks high on Team Collierville. Wooton and teammate Peyton Cathey make up one of the strongest double-play combination in the Mid-South.

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