By Matt Browning
The end of the 2025 season left a bitter taste in the mouth of Wichita Heights pitcher Clayton Rittel.
“One thing we want to accomplish is going back to the state tournament,” Rittel said. “After a tough loss in the Regional championship last year, we have been looking for a bounce back this year.”
In starts last season, Rittel went 4-2 with 18 strikeouts. So far in 2026, he has recorded eight strikeouts in a little over 10 innings.
“A strength I believe I have would be using my off-speed pitches to help set up my fastball,” Rittel said. “By tunneling some of my pitches it helps worry less about velocity and also helps me get the job done at the same time.”
Overall Rittel was pleased with his individual results from the 2025 season. But he also understands he can improve, so he focused on nurturing his arm in the offseason.
“I really took time this off season to work on keeping my arm in shape and healthy,” Rittel said. “Working with pitches in bullpens and flat grounds over the winter I believe was a success as I feel more comfortable with certain pitches when I get to 0-2, 1-2 and even 2-2 counts.”
Rittel thinks that if the Falcons can have success, it will lay a foundation for future teams.
“A successful season for us would be winning ball games, yes, but playing for something like our school and representing the legacy of our culture is more important,” Rittel said. “Playing to prove something is what we’re for, playing the Heights way and winning the day are some of our key motos we like to keep in mind as it shows who we are and what we’re here to do at Heights.”
