Despite a down year in 2025, a veteran Central High School baseball team is primed to make noise in Southwestern League play this season.

The Warriors only won six games last season, their lowest win total in a non-Covid shortened season since 2010. But early in 2026, things are looking up for the Warriors, who hope to return to the top half of the SWL after a fifth-place finish last year.

“We definitely have high expectations coming into the year,” said Central senior Dayton Timbreza. “We are trying to set the standard higher this season, and keep pushing through to try and get some wins.”

One bright spot for the Warriors early this season is that their roster did not graduate a huge amount of production last year. Trevor Ziek, who finished second on the team with a .352 batting average last season, was Central’s only everyday starter that was also a senior in 2025, meaning the majority of the returning players already have at least one year of varsity service time under their belt.

Current seniors Parker Shahan and Timbreza figure to be the Warriors’ top players on alternating sides of the field once again this year. Shahan led the team with a .377 batting average in 69 at-bats in his junior campaign; Timbreza, meanwhile, pitched a team-high 45 1/3 innings as a junior, sporting a 3.55 ERA in the process. Both players will reprise their roles in 2026, and will need to be at the top of their game if Central is to return to the postseason.

This year, though, Shahan and Timbreza have a stronger supporting cast than in previous seasons. Among those already emerging early in the year for the Warriors is junior Omar Atchley. The outfielder struggled in his sophomore campaign, sporting only a .170 batting average in 21 games played. But that year of varsity experience appears to be paying dividends for Atchley, who entered Thursday’s contest leading the Warriors with a .400 batting average.

Octavio Gallegos, another junior, has been a factor two ways for the Warriors early this season. Alongside sporting a .285 batting average, Gallegos has been one of Central’s top arms on the mound. The junior pitched six innings in Thursday’s 8-5 loss to Horizon, bringing his season total to a team-leading 11 1/3 innings.

“The team just feels different,” Shahan said. “A lot of our younger guys have put in a ton of work in the offseason, and they’ve gotten a lot better. My guys ’Tavio (Gallegos) and Omar, younger guys like Aldo (Calvillo-Martinez, a sophomore) have been working hard, and are now getting a spot, trying to help us out.”

Things are already looking up for the Warriors this season. Through three weeks of play, Central has already banked a pair of wins, putting them one third of the way to their win total from the 2025 season. If they can continue to compile wins, this season could be the start of a major turnaround for the Warrior program.

“As a team, we’re looking to make playoff this year,” Timbreza said. “Hopefully catch a win in playoffs and see what we can do. We’re trying to make a push that Central hasn’t made in many years.”