McNutt-coached team to play in Australia

It's not a rebirth of the Capitols, but Ron McNutt coaching again in the summer should rekindle some memories.

McNutt, the retired Carson High baseball coach and athletic director who also coached the high caliber Capitols summer team until the team's last season in 2001, will be taking an 18-and-under team to Australia next week.

The name of the team is the Nevada Capitols, but McNutt said don't confuse this team with his Capitol teams of the past. "Not really," said McNutt when asked if this could be considered something of a rebirth of the Capitols.

But McNutt admitted he thought it would be appropriate to call the team he's coaching this summer the Capitols. "That name has been with me for a long time," he said.

The team will travel to the Gold Coast of Brisbane, Australia to compete in the Redlands Friendship Series Tournament. The team will prepare for the trip with a series of games beginning today with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. against McQueen at McNutt Field.

The Capitols will also play South Tahoe in a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday at McNutt Field. The Capitols will then play at Manogue at noon Monday and then will play the Nevada Bighorns at 7 p.m. Tuesday at McNutt Field before heading to Australia. Admission for all the games at McNutt Field is free.

Fourteen of the 17 players on the team are either current CHS players who have been playing with the Carson Cardinals this summer or recently graduated from Carson. The team also has two all-High Desert League first team picks from this past season in Manogue graduates Ray Barrett and Matt Aboumrad and Damonte Ranch's Cody Stevens.

McNutt is hoping to coach similar teams in the coming summers and to make an international trip an annual event. "I'm hoping this is something we will do for several summers," McNutt said.

The team will leave for Australia on July 6 and will practice at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney on July 8. "That will be a big thrill for the kids," McNutt said.

The Capitols will have two exhibition games with North Southwest Institute of Sports on July 10 and July 12. The team will then fly to Brisbane where it will begin play in the Redlands Friendship Series event on July 13 against South Brisbane. Also in the tournament will be West Brisbane and Metro Brisbane.

On July 14 and July 15, the Capitols will play three games on each day. The tournament will be a round-robin event where all the teams play each other twice. The third place game and the championship game will be played on July 15.

There's a chance the Capitols could play another game or two after the tournament, McNutt said.

"Part of this thing is going to be a little educational for the kids, too," McNutt said. "I think it's going to be an interesting trip.

"I think I've got an exciting bunch of kids. They're pretty excited about going on this trip. This is a lifetime opportunity for these kids. I think it's great."

Many Northern Nevada businesses are helping out with the trip, McNutt said.

McNutt's assistant coach will be Carson assistant John Valley. Rounding out the roster are:

Brett Valley, Kyle Stone, Kyle Mandokie, Matt Rutledge, Brooks Greenlee, Tyler Smith, Joe Skates, Tony Fagan, David Leid, Bryt Lewis, Stephen Sawyers, Nick Smallman, Rob Valerius and Paul Cagle.