The long time Blue Devil (2-0) coach has a strong core of veterans joined by some younger players ready to contribute at the varsity level. Bremen won its season opener 11-0 against Rockmart and defeated Mt. Zion in it's home opener on Thursday 10-4. Between the two was the first ever game in Region 5-AA at Manchester that was suspended due to darkness with Bremen leading 10-7 in the bottom of the sixth.
So far in those three games all the aspects of the Blue Devils game is firing on all cylinders.
"I've been pleased with the way we've swung the bat and put the ball in play and made the defense field the ball and throw it. We've scored double digits in all three of our first games. I've been pleased with the way we've run the bases and all that," Clark said. "Gregory [Gerard] pitched against Rockmart the other day and struck out 11 then J.D. Brown came in and in one inning struck out two. We've done good ... I think our pitching will be good. We've got a lot of depth at pitching."
Four seniors lead the group in Dylan Nappi, Jonah Stephens, Colby Houser and Gerard. That leadership after only losing three seniors from last year's group to graduation sets the foundation for a veteran squad.
"Really we only had three seniors last year, two of them that played, so it's good experience for us. We've got four seniors and all of them are contributing and playing well. We've got our middle infield back and, pretty much, everybody from last year," Clark said. "Colby Houser is hitting real well for us, Jonah is hitting real well and Dylan Nappi."
The Bremen coach also noted a pair of sophomores that are already stepping up early in the season.
"Chase Trader, he's a sophomore starting in the outfield for us. He's probably already got about four RBI so far and he's hitting the ball well. Trent Jarrell, he's a sophomore and he pitched real well for us the other day. Those are the big ones that are young kids. The rest of them are all returning from last year," Clark said.
The move to Region 5-AA will bring some new faces for the Blue Devils. They will still face rival Bowdon, but every other team is a new addition to the region slate in a higher classification. Bremen has already gotten a taste of region play against Manchester last Wednesday.
"It's going to be tough. Just after the first game it was tied after five innings. You can't take any of these people lightly. Bowdon is going to be good, Heard County, Temple, all of them. We've got to come ready to play every time we go out there. There's nobody that you can just go out there and think you can beat," Clark said.
Not only are the Blue Devils facing a different crop of region opponents, they are also starting the region schedule earlier in the season. In 2012, Bremen played its first region game on March 12, this year it was on Feb. 20. That change has to do with the distance between some of the teams forcing there to be region games that have to be played on Friday due to GHSA travel restrictions.
No matter when the region games come, they have to be played and they have to be won.
"That's a little different. You've got to be ready to play. They had one kid that wasn't with them because of basketball. That's tough having to play region games right off the bat, but you've got to be ready to do it," Clark said.
Last season the Blue Devils just missed out on a playoff spot finishing fifth in Region 6-A. The goal is the same every year at Bremen and they are already off to a good start.
"We want to win. We want to win every year and we want to win the region if we can. That's the way we approach it every year. Our guys know we're going to work, that's the only thing we know how to do is work hard. Then if it happens it happens. That's what our dreams are and our goals are, to win the region. These guys know the expectations," Clark said.
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