By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor

Preston Howey made a very wise decision as he contemplated his junior year at Arcadia High School.

Howey acknowledged Monday night that after a sophomore season on the JV level last year, where he spent most of his time at shortstop, there was a fleeting moment where he actually considered not coming out his junior year.

He was somewhere near the 5-foot-5 and 120-pound range.

Howey was also cognizant of the fact that Arcadia coach Nick Lemas has built one of the most elite baseball programs in the San Gabriel Valley, and that it seems the Apaches always find a way to reload each and every season.

And when Howey decided he was going to compete for a job in the Apaches’ lineup, he initially thought about playing second base, without giving pitching too much thought.

But as December of 2018 rolled into the new year, he was having a lot of success on the mound and knew that he was going to get a chance to pitch for the Apaches.

Howey himself, and in all humility, admitted he could have never forecasted the type of run that’s he’d go on to start his varsity baseball career.

In his first start to open the 2019 season, though, he planted the seed that greatness might lay ahead.

Howey threw a two-hit shutout to help Arcadia claim a 1-0 victory over Rancho Cucamonga.

He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 12.

Fast forward 58 days and he’s still going strong.

The fact that he’s put on 20 pounds and grown five inches in height has helped him take his game to another level.

Howey has a San Gabriel Valley area-best 9-0 record.

He has a 0.47 ERA over 45 innings of work.

Howey has surrendered just three earned runs all season, walked eight and fanned 68.

Howey uses a fastball and change up, but the pitch he’s used with the most success is his slider.

He’s usually between 83-87 miles per hour on the radar gun and considering that his father, Don, is 6-foot-2, Preston Howey still has some growing to do, and his velocity will continue to rise.

When asking Lemas why Howey wasn’t part of the varsity squad in 2018, the 13-year Arcadia skipper said, “He had pitched as a freshman and was pretty decent for them, but nothing that stood out. And honestly, Preston wasn’t really even on our radar.”

What makes this story so special is that Howey began the season on February 9 without his teammates and coaches knowing for sure what they were going to get.

Preseason and winter games don’t have nearly the urgency or importance, so until he got on the mound in a regular season game that counted, it was going to be a wait-and-see type scenario for all those around the Arcadia program.

But through hard work on and off the field, he’s gone from a guy that no one outside of the Arcadia program knew for his baseball prowess to someone that has set the bar for excellence in 2019.

“What surprised me most was his ability to step right in and be the No. 1 on a team that returned all-CIF pitcher Chris Wilson and another talented pitcher in Dustin Allen, who’d committed to Long Beach State as an outfielder,” Lemas said. “He’s basically just taken the ball whenever we’ve asked him to, and given a consistent effort. You could see his confidence rise, and he also continues to grow as a pitcher by making the necessary adjustments.”

Preston Howey’s most harsh critic is Preston Howey.

He didn’t allow a run until well into the season and his teammates described him as irate when he got back in the dugout.

Some might have seen that as being all about himself, but the truth was that he felt like he let his teammates down in a scenario that he described as having a momentary loss of focus.

Howey also feels his 3.2 GPA is far too low, and that he intends to pick that up big time.

The people he relies on and appreciates most are his parents, Hong and Don Howey.

“My parents have been there for me throughout my life and guided me to become a good person and to work hard for everything I hoped to achieve,” Howey said. “I am so grateful to have them in my life and thankful for the love and all they do for me.”

Howey credits his good fortune on the diamond to being able to mix his pitches and locations and to be able to do so in any count or situation.

As much as he’s dominated throughout and given the Apaches so much on the mound, it was very important to Howey that his coaches and teammates knew how much he appreciated their support, that he is just one of many reasons why Arcadia is 17-1 and that his defense has been incredible each time he gets the ball.

Jeffrey Castillo (.373 average, 25 hits, 15 runs. 11 RBIs, 7 doubles), Mikey Easter (.440, 22 hits, 27 RBIs, 14 runs, 6 doubles, 3 triples), Dustin Allen (.351, 20 hits, 19 runs, 9 RBIs, 2 doubles), Tyler Quintero (.362, 17 hits, 7 runs, 8 RBIs, 5 doubles), Brandon Nguyen (.372, 16 hits, 14 runs, 14 RBIs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs), Dominick Tello (.317, 19 hits, 20 runs, 10 RBIs, 6 doubles) and Jacob Lopez (.289, 13 hits, 13 runs, 12 RBI, 2 doubles, 2 home runs) are just some of Arcadia’s biggest contributors.

The entire pitching staff, but primarily made up of Howey, Wilson and Allen, have combined for a 0.88 team ERA through 18 games.

Wilson, who would be considered the No. 2 starter, is 7-1 with a 1.46 ERA.

Wilson has walked seven and fanned 39 batters in 38 1/3 innings into his junior season.

Allen has gone 20 1/3 innings and hasn’t allowed an earned run.

Allen has walked seven and struck out 21, all while registering three saves.

Arcadia will open a two-game, Pacific League series today (Tuesday) with Burroughs (6-2 in league) at 3:30.

The Apaches will host Tuesday’s game and then on Friday, Arcadia will drive out to Burbank to finish the two-game set with the Indians.

Howey will attempt to win his tenth consecutive game today.

Arcadia obviously hopes to win out the next four games so they can focus solely on winning the Pacific League title when they face off twice with Crescenta Valley in the final week of the regular season.

The Falcons and Apaches are both 7-1 heading into Tuesday’s games.

Quotable:

Arcadia pitcher Preston Howey: “I don’t get as nervous as I used to. The nerves went down because of the success I’ve had on the mound, but also, the more preparation I put in, the better I feel heading into a game. I don’t focus on stats, I focus on being a better pitcher. It felt great to be accepted by my teammates, and I am lucky to have such talented guys around me.”

Arcadia coach Nick Lemas: “I think our trip to Las Vegas right before Thanksgiving was the point we all knew he was going to be special. I think he’s having so much success because he’s not trying to do too much. He’s trusting himself, his teammates and his coaches, so he knows he’s not alone.”

Muir coach Adonis Harrison: “I think he’s one of the hardest throwing pitchers that we’ve faced all year. He has an excellent slider and he’s a bulldog up on the mound. Preston is definitely a next-level pitcher.”

Arcadia senior Jeffrey Castillo: “I am not that surprised at all that he’s having that much success. He came into his own and worked hard in the weight room. He has good velocity, and even in games he doesn’t have his best stuff, Preston always competes. When his slider is on, he is a very tough guy to hit.”

Arcadia senior Jacob Lopez: “Preston is a great guy, and he’s someone that I think many people overlooked when he first started to get time on the mound. With a guy like that as your ace, when he’s on the mound, you know it’s going to be one to watch. His impact on our club this year has been phenomenal. I’d describe him as a sleeper. He really developed in the summer and coming into the spring season, he just shocked all of us by his greatness and how talented he really is.”

Arcadia junior Chris Wilson: “Preston has been huge for us this year. He has dominated all season. He works really hard and that is why he’s one of the best pitchers in the entire area.”

Getting to know Preston Howey:

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant

Favorite sports team: LA Dodgers

Favorite movie: The Sandlot

Favorite musical artist: Thomas Rhett

Musical artist I like that might surprise people: Bon Jovi

Famous person, alive or dead, I’d most want to talk to: Martin Luther King

Pacific League Standings:

Arcadia (17-1, 7-1)

Crescenta Valley (13-6, 7-1)

Burroughs (9-13, 6-2)

Burbank (5-10-1, 5-3)

Muir (12-5, 4-4)

Pasadena (8-11, 3-5)

Glendale (6-11, 0-8)

Hoover (1-17-1, 0-8)

Arcadia’s Remaining Schedule:

April 9 Burroughs at Arcadia at 3:30

April 12: Arcadia at Burroughs at 3:30

April 16: Hoover at Arcadia at 3:30

April 19: Arcadia at Hoover at 3:30

April 23: Arcadia at Crescenta Valley at 7

April 26: Crescenta Valley at Arcadia at 7