Federal Way Eagles

2016 record: 20-5

Key losses: Christian Jones, Ben Koler, Dillion Weber

Key Returners: Calvin Turchin (P, OF), Gabe Togia (C, 1B), Tyler Praven (SS, P)

Coach: Arlo Evasick (second year)

Two full tables in the Federal Way cafeteria were taken by baseball players.

Some traded winter ball stories, while others discussed the outcome of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians. Then Eagles coach Arlo Evasick rolled in with a big grin on his face as he surveyed the turnout of the first baseball meeting of 2017.

The second-year coach had come off a season that saw a nearly-perfect regular season, reached the state tournament and coached Christian Jones, the 2015-16 Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year.

But as Evasick looked out at the sea of current and prospective players, he liked what he saw.

“Look at all these scrubs,” Evasick joked.

The Eagles’ coach then spent the next 10 minutes personally greeting or cracking a pre-existing joke with each player before turning back into the leader of the program.

It is Evasick’s position that successful teams, such as his, can’t produce results if players and coaches aren’t having any fun.

“I love these guys,” Evasick said. “This is a special group of guys. These guys put in so much, and when you watch them do that, you have to let them know you appreciate them for all they do.”

Evasick is carrying over an upbeat personality into the new season in spite of how his first season as Federal Way’s manager concluded.

After its 20-win season a year ago, the Eagles were ousted in the first round of state tournament, a 3-2 loss to Woodinville.

Evasick said it was hard to watch his club get so close to the goal of a state championship only to watch it fade away.

Eagles senior captain Calvin Turchin remembers that feeling, too, but he said he and his fellow seniors are turning the heartbreak into motivation for the 2017 season.

“I think just being a senior and having a bunch of seniors who grew up playing together has produced a lot of growth,” Turchin said. “I think the results are going to be really exciting.”

If losing five of its top seniors isn’t enough, the Eagles’ first four games of the season are potentially their most important. They play Sumner, March 10, before taking on Emerald Ridge, Puyallup and Beamer on the road.

Both Puyallup and Emerald Ridge accompanied Federal Way to the 16-team state tournament a year ago.

“It’s going to be really difficult,” Evasick said. “The guys are going to get a good taste of big situations with really good teams. I think it’ll help guys stay hungry for their spot.”

The strength of Federal Way will be its pitching and defense this season. The pitching staff starts with Turchin, after staff ace Kyle Williams graduated. The two combined last year to throw approximately 74 innings, with Turchin expected to throw another season of 37-plus innings as the team’s No. 1 starter.

Evasick said the Eagles should throw eight to 10 pitchers in 2017, with the expectations of the Eagles’ runs against average will decrease this year.

“We have a lot of pitching, and I’m known for using a lot of pitchers,” Evasick said. “I like to throw guys and give guys opportunities.”

The other advantage the Eagles have is their 2017 coaching staff.

Each member of Evasick’s staff has professional baseball experience. Ron Sherwin returns to serve as the team’s hitting instructor.

In addition to playing professionally, Sherwin previously served as a professional scout for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays.

“Ron’s a really good hitting coach,” Evasick said. “He takes all the hitters, forms a bond with them, is really patient with them and really knows what they each need to do to improve. He and I share philosophies, so it’ll be good all around.”

Federal Way coaches and players agree that last season’s loss in the final 16 still lingers. Evasick went as far as to say his coaches and players couldn’t be human if it still wasn’t on their minds.

Leaders like Turchin and Togia have held on to the blue print that helped get them so far a season ago.

As team captains, the two are in charge of helping the new faces adopt and perfect the winning formula.

With a little over a month to go before their first game, the captains are ready to embark on avenging the disappointing end to the Eagles’ remarkable season.

“The guys that we play with know what we have to do,” Turchin said. “The coaches have a plan, and we’re excited to see how that plan develops with the guys we’ll have once the season gets started.”