WATERTOWN, S.D. — Following a historic season that saw Watertown host the state tournament for the first time in over three decades, Post 17 head coach Ryan Neale is navigating a “fresh look” for the program as the high school spring season kicks into gear.
The transition comes after the departure of eight seniors, including seven regular starters who anchored the lineup for several years. Despite the heavy turnover, Neale remains optimistic about a roster that blends veteran leadership with eager newcomers.
“It’s just how the world of sports work and how growing up goes,” Neale said in a recent interview with WTN Sports. “We’ve got a bunch of new faces waiting at the bit for their opportunity to play varsity because they have been behind a group that was very successful.”
The 2026 squad features nine seniors, a number bolstered by a junior Legion “birthday rule” change implemented two years ago. The move was designed to keep players on the field at the JV level rather than sitting on a varsity bench, creating a pipeline of experienced upperclassmen like Kooper Heiser, Hunter Halajian, and Jackson Falak.
Early Season Success
Watertown opened the spring season last week in Sioux Falls, earning a split against Fargo Shanley and Sioux Falls Lincoln. Despite not having an outdoor practice prior to the games, Neale was pleasantly surprised by the offensive output.
“With those two games, the offense was the surprise — and a good surprise to have,” Neale said, noting that hitters consistently barreled the ball despite the transition from indoor cages to live pitching.
While the bats were a question mark entering the year, the pitching staff appears to be a position of strength. The rotation is led by Jackson McClemans, a Southwest Minnesota State commit, and lefty Halajian. Neale described the duo as a “one-two punch” that hasn’t missed a beat.
Building for July
While some programs treat the spring high school season as their “World Series,” Neale views the next two months as a marathon. Post 17 is currently utilizing a “pitching by committee” approach to build arm strength and manage pitch counts in the cooler spring air.
“We want to be the best at the end of July,” Neale said. “We’ll continue to take our time with that.”
Following the opening road trip, Neale and assistant coach Alex Gauer have focused practice on “simple” tactical fixes, such as base running and hand signals. Neale noted that while the roster has many seniors, many are still learning the nuances of the varsity game.
Home Opener
Watertown returns to the friendly confines of Watertown Stadium on Thursday night to host Tea Area. It marks the first varsity home game on a surface that underwent significant maintenance for last year’s state tournament.
“That’s the nicest I’ve seen that field on opening night in a long time,” Neale said. “It’s nice to have a place called home where you don’t have to do a whole lot of fixing up anymore.”
As for the opponent, Tea Area represents a relatively unknown factor as they transition into Class AA and the Eastern South Dakota (ESD) Conference. However, Neale remains focused on internal progression.
“For us, we don’t really have to worry about Tea,” Neale said. “We just want to make sure we get 1% better tomorrow night and fix some of those smaller things. We’ll take advantage of the opportunity outside and look to get a couple wins on our home opener.
Watch the games Thursday night with WTNSports.com Brent Nathaniel on Post 17 TV.
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