In 2014, the Templiers de Sénart sought out talent from a neighboring club to achieve their goals. Three of the Lions’ best players, Lemestre, Peyrichou, and Martinez, donned the black jersey, and a few months later, Sénart won its first – and only, so far – French championship title by sweeping the PUC. Eleven years later, Sénart is once again turning to a neighboring Île-de-France team, Montigny in this case, for reinforcements: Lopez, one of the best pitchers in the league for six years, the solid catcher Do Carmo, the experienced Monbeig, and the warrior D. Mayeux. He was actually part of the 2014 squad.
Will this common thread be enough to make Sénart a favorite? Not necessarily, especially since the Templiers have suffered a major exodus during the offseason. The departures have been numerous. And not just any players. Bouniol, a key infielder, returned to Montpellier with Doat. Hrytishvili, one of last season’s top hitters, also left. T. Meurant, absent from the line-up, as well as Zoia. Four very promising young players, Ouanyou, Laufenbuchler, Chevet, Tshibambe, have also moved on. We must pause for a moment on these four departures, which certainly hurt a club that seemed to be on an interesting rebuilding path and betting big on youth. We don’t know what explains this exodus, but it raises questions about Sénart’s strategy. And to top it off, the three Japanese players Kurima, Ogawa, and Nakamura.
In short, 12 players to replace, more than an entire team, not to mention coach Boutagra. One can understand the Templiers’ urgent need to find fresh talent. They have also looked to Japan, with a new manager, an infielder, and to Venezuela, with a very young pitcher. There’s still the veteran Felix Brown, still a force at the plate last season, Émile Brelle who showed promising progress in pitching last year, and a strong group of players mostly from the lower divisions. Meanwhile, the talented Mathis Nayral is also expected to return.
All this still seems a bit fragile. Certainly, Lopez can win games on his own, and Do Carmo and Mayeux can bounce back after a tough season. But Sénart still looks fragile, with a line-up lacking power. If the ambition of reaching the top four is achieved, it will be a real success for the Templiers. But we wouldn’t bet much on seeing them in the semifinals.
F.C.
