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Dennis Semrau

Wissports.net



"Dugout Chatter" is a behind the scenes look at your favorite prep baseball player.



Name: Josh Slaney

School: Barneveld

Year: Senior

GPA: 3.866

Favorite subject: mathematics

Position: Catcher

Other sports: football, basketball

I got my start in sports: wrestling in the first grade. I started playing baseball in fifth grade but I was practicing with my dad in the backyard before that. I started playing football and basketball in fourth grade.

Baseball highlights: three-time letterwinner and three-year starter at catcher … earned two-time All-Six Rivers East Conference first-team honors … earned all-district honorable mention honors as a utility player and Academic all-state and all-district honors as a junior … drove in game-winning runs in both 2009 sectional games with triples … Barneveld won the Six Rivers East Conference title his sophomore year and a regional title his sophomore season.

2009 stats: batted . 410 (34-for-83) with 28 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples and two home runs and 40 RBI … also had one hit-by-pitch, five sacrifices, 10 walks and a .449 on-base percentage and .687 slugging percentage.

Career stats: hitting .413 with 13 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 25 stolen bases and 55 RBI with a .463 on-base percentage ... Barneveld has a 53-15 record during his prep varsity career.

2009 team highlights: Eagles was second in Six Rivers East Conference with a 9-3 record to finish 22-4 overall … won regional and sectional titles and lost in WIAA Division 4 state semifinals.

Other sports honors: three-time letterwinner in football … co-captain as a senior … earned Northern Badger Conference second-team honors as a wide receiver with 38 catches for 515 yards and five touchdowns and honorable mention honors at defensive back with 48 tackles, seven pass breakups and three interceptions as a senior … two-time letterwinner in basketball as a guard … earned All-Six Rivers East Conference honorable mention honors as a junior.

This and that: Class president as a junior and senior … National Honor Society … ranks fourth in senior class … Prom King … volunteer work includes coaching Tri-county seventh grade boys basketball team.

I like playing baseball because: I like my teammates and coaches and it s a nice team sport. I like the camaraderie with everybody.

Team bonding moments: We went to Pizza Hut after some of our games and played at the La Crosse Loggers Stadium against Kickapoo.

Favorite athlete: Brett Favre

Favorite teams: Badgers, Packers, Brewers

Favorite Brewer: Prince Fielder

Favorite movie: Remember the Titans

Favorite baseball movie: The Rookie

Favorite TV show: Friday Night Lights

Favorite fast food: Subway; Taco Bell

Favorite opponent: Pecatonica

Favorite web site: wissports.net

Favorite place to visit: Virginia Beach

I want to visit: The Bahamas

Baseball Stadium to visit: Busch Stadium in St. Louis

One word to describe me: hard-working

I can t live without: my friends and family

I want to meet: Brett Favre

Dream date: Carrie Underwood

Role model: my dad, Patrick Slaney

My family also includes: my step mom, Nancy Sutter, mom, Liz Field, brother, Jacob, sisters, Anne and Rachel, and step sisters, Katie and Erin Sutter.

Nickname: Slane Train

I drive: a 2002 Ford F-150 truck

Dream ride: a Mustang or Harley

I like Barneveld High School because: it is a small-community environment and everybody knows everybody which works out really well.

On my iPod: lots of country, some rock, Nickelback, Montgomery Gentry

I get my news: TV

Fantasy: I wish I could play water polo.

My perfect day: go to the Super Bowl or Final four with my friends

Hobbies: playing cards with my friends, swimming at Birch Lake, hunting

Post-high school plans: attend college to major in Agricultural Engineering and possibly play baseball.

Colleges already accept to: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Iowa State and University of Wisconsin-Madison

Career goal: design equipment

Outlook on life: "Hard work can beat talent if talent isn t willing to work hard."

Did you know? I was in our school s drama play.

 

If you have a prep baseball player you would like to read about, send your nomination to Dennis Semrau at: [email=dsemrau@madison.com]dsemrau@madison.com[/email] or (608) 513-5550.