HELENA — The Helena Senators will soon begin the 2024 American Legion baseball season looking to defend their Class AA state championship from a year ago.
After defeating the Billings Scarlets for the title, the Senators come into this season with a bit of a target on their backs. The downside for the other teams around the state? The Senators have plenty of experience and leadership returning.
"I think we have five or six all-state, all-conference guys coming back, so we are excited about the mix and ready to get out there and play," coach Jon Burnett said.
One of those guys is third-year outfielder Sam Ark. He looks forward to getting back on the field with his teammates, many of whom are his best friends.
"This group of guys, we have been playing together for a long time, so we are all just really good best friends," Ark said. "I think it's going to be really fun to come together and do what we love and put it on the field."
Burnett has been involved with the Helena Legion program for 21 years. This will be his sixth year at the helm of the Senators, and led the team to titles in two of the past three seasons.
Though another championship is among the team's goals, it has bigger plans in mind, as well.
"We also made a goal at the start of the year to make it further than we did last year — do better at regionals, win regionals and make it to (the World Series), said catcher Cole Graham. "Strive to be better than how we did last year."
"We don't want to put an expectation of we are going to be right back where we have been," Burnett said. "But we are going to compete and give it everything we've got."
The Senators are scheduled to begin the 2024 season with a doubleheader against the Gallatin Valley Outlaws on April 21 at Kindrick Legion Field.
