By Greg Perkins Joseph City was slated to open the new baseball season on Tuesday with a home field matchup against rival Mogollon. Head Wildcat Coach Shawn Layden returns to the field after time off as head coach in Holbrook. “It’s been five years since I have been a head baseball coach, and I am enjoying being with the student athletes at Joseph City High School. I am looking forward to the upcoming season,” stated Layden. The coach has three seniors on the roster, Sam Johnstun, Tristan Richard and Jack Willbanks, and he expects to play prominent roles in the team’s success. Joining them on the roster will be juniors Bryndon Buckley, Kolton McCormick, Troy Poudrier, Dylan Romero, Kota Smith and Ben Spurlock, sophomores Rance Haddox, and Jesse Hulsey, and freshmen K.J. Kinlicheenie, Kaden Moss, Carlos Sanchez and Cameron Baldwin. Buckley will lead the pitching staff, with Johnstun, Willbanks, McCormick, Poudrier, Haddox, Hulsey, Baldwin and Kinlicheenie expected to round it out. Sanchez and Moss could also figure into the rotation. Following Tuesday’s home game, the Wildcats will play in the Phoenix Country Day School Desert Classic this weekend. On Friday they face Tonopah Valley and Parker. Saturday’s games will be against Scottsdale Prep and Bourgade Catholic. On Friday, March 11, the Wildcats travel south for two games, the first at Pima and the second just up the road at Ft. Thomas.