Baseball may be all about pitching, but a team's backbone is behind the plate.

High school teams in the Butler County area feature three of the top catchers in their respective districts this season.

Seneca Valley's Kevan Smith, Union's Adam Milanovich and Moniteau's Garth Kohlmeyer hope to lead their squads to success on the diamond

Smith, a junior, hit .460 last year, primarily as a designated hitter as senior Dan Reale caught a lot of games for the Raiders. Reale walked on and made the University of Kentucky's team this year.

"Kevan was our starting catcher as a freshman and batted .500 for us," Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega said. "That kid can flat out hit.

"He's extremely quick behind the plate and can block everything. He's one of the best catchers in the WPIAL, if not the state."

Smith has become Seneca Valley's leader since three-year starting shortstop Chris Tremblay, who hit a school-record .551 last spring, has transferred to Boardman (Ohio).

Also the Raiders' quarterback in football, Smith is already getting college looks in both sports.

It might not matter.

"He may get drafted right out of high school," Semega said, referring to Major League Baseball's amateur draft.

Milanovich, a senior, batted .438 with six homers and 28 RBI for Union as a shortstop and pitcher last year. He remains one of the Golden Knights' top hurlers, but is now the team's top catcher.

Milanovich hopes to play for John Carroll University next year.

"He's an outstanding player who helps us in so many ways," Union coach Alan Carmichael said.

The same can be said about Moniteau's Kohlmeyer, a junior who batted .449 for the Warriors a year ago.

"We had no seniors on the roster last year," Moniteau coach Arnie Trufley said. "These kids have a lot of experience now. I know we're good on paper."

Here is a look at Butler County area high school baseball this spring:

Coach:Jamie Hillwig, second yearAssistants:Chad Funfer, David EtzelLast year:0-14Key players lost:P-SS Tyler Williams (Robert Morris), OF-Justin Casey, INF-Corey ClawsonProspective lineup:P-Andy Smith (senior), John Sallee (soph)C-Trevor Miller (senior) or Ryan Austin (freshman), 1B-Jesse Mangel (freshman) or Blaine Confer (junior), 2B-John Stumpner (freshman) or Miller, SS-John Kaufman (junior) or Stumpner; 3B-Casey McBride (soph), LF-Mark Hart (junior), CF-Smith .300, RF-Shawn Courson (soph) or Wesley Forsythe (senior)Hillwig says:"With only three seniors, we have a young team, but we have a wide array of talent and a lot of depth. If our young kids can get past the intimidation of playing varsity baseball for the first time, we can be a competitive team."

Coach:Ron Zawrotuk, seventh yearAssistants:Nick Scialabba, Mickey Uram, Don Kildoo, Gene ZawrotukLast year:3-16 (1-11 in section)Key players lost:Todd Walker (Butler County Community College), Josh EdwardsProspective lineup:P-Mike Woodward (senior), Brian Bell (senior), Kevin Krause (senior)C-Clayton Smith (senior), 1B-Trevor Dunkle (senior) or Brandon Johnston (junior), 2B-Anthony Pinto (junior), Aaron Ordy (junior) or Andy Onufrak (senior), SS-Ordy, Adam Miller (junior) .363 or Steve Scott (senior), 3B-Onufrak, Miller or Ordy, OF-Miller, Scott, Joe Black (junior) or Anthony Slater (junior)Zawrotuk says: "We've got a lot of versatility. Some infielders may have to swallow their pride and go to the outfield or vice versa. We have to throw strikes and make plays for our pitchers. This is the best junior group of kids I've had. It's been (13) years since we've had a winning season. Should we be satisfied with a .500 season? In a way, yes, but in a way, no. Everybody has their eyes on the playoffs."

Coach:Chris Graczyk, fifth yearAssistant:Josh RiggleLast year:6-12Key players lost:Luke Westerman, Ben Smith (St. Vincent), Ben Cataldi (Pitt-Johnstown)Prospective lineup:P-Nathan Kurtz (senior), Mike Barch (senior)C-Jake Lassinger (senior), 1B-Barch, 2B-Randy Bollinger (junior), SS-Kory Micholas (senior) .350, 3B-Sean Mientus (junior), OF-Kurtz, Cody Betush (senior), Luke Turner (senior), Tom Ferrante (junior)Graczyk says:"The strength of our team is experience. Most of these kids got to play a lot last year. They know what it takes to play at the varsity level now and our goal is to win the section."

Coach:Pat Forese, 18th yearAssistants:Shawn Sowers, Bill Limberg, Jim Anderson, Pat DevineLast year:18-4Key players lost:C-Dustin Caylor, P-OF-Joe Ennis, OF-Eric DayProspective lineup:P-Jesse Alfreno (junior) 6 wins, Andy Geibel (junior), Bob Revesz (soph), Jim Jaskowak (senior) 3 wins, 3 savesC-Mike Young (junior) or Scott Moore (soph), 1B-Geibel, 2B-Derek Maybee (senior), SS-Beau Fisher (junior), 3B-Bill Herman (senior) .480, LF-Brandon Jones (junior), Jesse Alfreno (junior), RF-Dan Sonntag (junior)Forese says:"We have a solid pitching staff and our entire infield is back. We only have three seniors again this year, but we're much more experienced. We've been to the playoffs six years in a row and 12 times in the 17-year history of the program and we'd like to keep that going."

Coach:Rocky Brown, first yearAssistants:Chris Bellis, Dave SummervilleLast year:17-3Key players lost:C-Josh Smith (Mercyhurst College), 3B-Mike Stimac, SS-P-Scott Jordan, 2B-Shayne Bell, 1B-Dave Slagle, CF-Mike StittProspective lineup:P-Tyler Callihan (senior), Coty McGregor (junior), Matt Ealy (senior), Jon Pennington (senior), Kyle Texter (senior)C-Matt Allen (junior), 1B-Nathan Knox (senior) or Kory Kusick (junior), 2B-Chad Bell (senior) or Mike Lopresti (junior), SS-Callihan, 3B-Josh Behrens (senior), LF-Ryan Earley (senior), CF-Texter, RF-Pennington, McGregor or Jon Geibel (senior)Brown says:"We'll be playing a lot of small ball this year. We have a lot of singles and doubles hitters, we'll be bunting runners over, trying to score a run an inning. Pitching and defense will keep us in games. All five of our pitchers can throw strikes and I'm comfortable with any of them out there. We've won three of the past four KSAC titles and there's no reason we can't do it again."

Coach:Curt Schnur, sixth yearAssistant:Steve HallLast year:10-9Key player losses:Zach Toth (Pitt-Johnstown), Todd Kennedy (La Roche), Jeff FosterProspective lineup:P-John Lefevre (senior) 2-3, Joe Arndt (senior), C-Justin Demek (junior), 1B-Austin Leffler (soph) .500, 2B-Dan Pickard (soph), SS-Josh Sasse (senior), 3B-Bill Elliott (junior), OF-Bob Kruth (senior), Justin Thompson (soph), Eric Christensen (freshman)Schnur says:"We can have a good year if our starting pitching holds together. Year in and year out, our goals are no different. We want to win our section and make the playoffs. Four teams make the playoffs out of our section this yea,r and that helps. Three years ago, we finished 14-3 and didn't make it."

Coach:Andy Bednar, seventh yearAssistants:Brian Hobaugh, Jeff KlineLast year:5-14 (3-9)Key player lost:SS-P Mike Skurko .352Prospective lineup:P-D.J. Cannon (soph), Dan Pierre (senior), Charlie Jaicks (junior), David Hay (senior), Mike Brinson (senior)C-Andy Slibowsky (senior), 1B-Pierre, Hay or Brinson, 2B-Jaicks or Ryan Lynch (junior) .450, SS-3B-Cannon, Zach Zollner (soph) or Adam Fleming (junior) .375, OF-Adam Spithaler (junior), Lynch, Pierre, Calvin Brooks (senior) .290Bednar says:"This year will be another challenge because we're moving up to Class AAA. If our pitchers throw strikes and we play good defense, we'll stay in games. Our goal is to be more competitive than last year and make the playoffs."

Coach:Arnie Trufley, 10th yearAssistants:Red Slater, Preston Joswiak, Travis TrufleyLast year:6-12Key player losses:Clay Kohlmeyer, Matt Vinca, Dustin BerryProspective lineup:P-Nathan Markle (senior) 2.88 ERA, 62 Ks in 49 IP, Ryan Eberlein (junior), Cruz Eshenbaugh (soph)C-Garth Kohlmeyer (junior) .449, 1B-Mike Benson (senior) or Cody Campbell (junior), 2B-Greg Kepple (senior), SS-Markle .431, 3B-Josh Howlan (soph) or Eshenbaugh, OF-Eberlein, Josh Warburton (senior) .262, 13 SB, Travis Shaffer (soph)Trufley says:"Josh Warburton is a four-year starter and a catalyst for us. Nathan Markle will win a lot of games if we can get him some runs, something we didn't do last year. The strength of our team is experience and pitching."

Coach:Eric Semega, fifth yearAssistant:Tom Magill, Marty Pegher, Greg HaywardLast year:19-4Key players lost:P-Ryan Page (Liberty), P-Scott Carney (Westminster), SS-Chris Tremblay (transfer to Boardman, Ohio), C-Dan Reale (Kentucky), OF-Adam Ranalli, OF-Joe SklarskyProspective lineup:P-John Sklarsky (senior), Jason Davis (senior), Dave Monteleone (junior), Nick Hull (senior)C-Kevan Smith (junior) .460, 1B-Derek Andrekovich (junior) or Kevin Binder (senior), 2B-Mike Leonta (freshman) or Todd Purvis (senior), SS-Shane Patsilevus (freshman) or Sklarsky, 3B-Hull, LF-Kyle Petrucci (senior), CF-Monteleone or Zach Duggan (junior), RF-Ryan Roble (senior)Semega says:"This is a young team with a lot of physical ability. Kyle Petrucci missed all of last year with a shoulder injury and getting him back will help us. We will be competitive and we want to put ourselves in position for a playoff berth."

Coach:Cory Hake, fourth yearAssistants:John Hicks, Darren Shulz, Matt LongLast year:7-12Key players lost:1B-Bill Dillon (Butler County Community College), C-Ross Ketzel (Butler County Community College)Prospective lineup:P-Josh Cress (junior), Brandon Ray (soph), Mark Doerr (senior), Tom DeCola (senior)C-Ryan Hays (junior) or Gary Wray (senior), 1B-Wray or Doerr; 2B-Sean Ray (junior) .350 or Sean Lefebvre (soph), SS-Billy Messer (junior) .400 or Mark White (soph), 3B-Billy Stoughton (junior) or John Bennett (junior), OF-Cress, David Hewitt (junior), Brandon Ray, White, Adam Brydon (soph) or DeColaHake says:"We started six guys last year who are returning, so that's a positive for us. Four teams (Franklin, Oil City, Titusville, Meadville) join our league in the restructured District 10 and we're already in with Grove City, Hickory and Commodore Perry, so this will be a challenging season."

Coach:Alan Carmichael, fourth yearAssistants:Jeff Miller, Dan George, Jerry Hawk, Doug KriebleLast year:10-7Key player lost:OF-Derek Carmichael (Butler County Community College)Prospective lineup:P-Adam Milanovich (senior) 2-6, 58 K's in 32.2 IP, Kyle Hilliard (junior) 6-1, 3.33 ERA, Billy Burns (junior) 2-0 1.97 ERA, Kara McCall (senior)C-Milanovich, 1B-Devin Davis (senior), 2B-Cody Mortimer (senior) or McCall, SS-Hilliard .345, 3B-Casey Krieble (freshman) or Lance Fancher (junior), OF-Chad Carmichael (junior), Burns, Nate Carmichael (senior) .291Carmichael says:"I'm very positive and optimistic about this team. I'll let the kids perform as best they can and see where it takes us. The goal is the same as it is every year, to win the KSAC title."