HENDERSON – Prairie View’s baseball team’s spring road trip for 2010 includes warm weather, an abundant supply of peaches and a three-game stint in the Bill Fanning Baseball Tournament in Grand Junction.

    The tournament is March 4 to 6, the first full weekend for high school baseball in the state. The other anticipated tournament teams represent Fruita-Monument, Grand Junction Central, Grand Junction, Palisade, Greeley West and Elizabeth high schools.

    “You have to play the best to be the best,” ThunderHawks coach Matt Nylund said. “It’s a good, competitive tournament. All of those teams are pretty solid. We will see a lot of pitching, and the pitchers will see a lot of hitting.”

    The fundraising process is under way. Players and members of the booster club have been manning concession stands at some of the home sporting events this fall. There was a garage sale earlier this fall, and there is some talk of repeating a bus trip to Black Hawk and Central City.

    “Our booster club has taken off in the right direction,” Nylund said. “More of our parents are involved. It’s getting stronger and stronger. They are a big help. They are donating money to our trip. I feel good about it.”

    The team contacted area businesses for last year’s trip and was met with success.

    “We sent letters to just about every business,” Nylund said. “We had quite a few responses. The community should be proud, especially with the economy the way it is. I was really impressed.”

    A year ago, the ThunderHawks played in a tournament in Florida. Nylund said that trip would be every other year.

    “It’s worth it,” he said. “But it can be taxing on people, especially with people fighting for jobs.”

    The target date to complete the fundraising is the end of February. Nylund would love to hear about fundraising ideas. Call him at 303-655-8836.

    “I’m happy with and proud of the community,” Nylund said. “The trip (last year) was unbelievable. It was a neat experience. The kids loved it, and they’ll like this one, too. Grand Junction is a great place. They are big on baseball.”

Contact Sports Editor Steve Smith at sports@metrowestnewspapers.com or at 303-659-2522, ext. 224.