Chargers and Tigers Ready To Turn Heads In District 15-5A

The Boynton Beach Tigers will have a four-man rotation this season.

It’s a different sort of challenge for student-athletes at Suncoast High. The esteemed academic school has a demanding workload as it is, and balancing time for studies and baseball practices and games can become overwhelming. Most students also engage in a multitude of extra-curricular activities.

These factors have always hurt the Chargers’ overall numbers and made it difficult to maintain consistency from season to season as oftentimes players do not return each season.
This season the Chargers return a veteran team hungry to make its impact on this new district and contend with rival Jensen Beach for the District 15-5A crown.

“To compete is business,” Chargers coach B.J. Gilbert said. “The academics and athletics workload is intense, but this group has shown they can handle it.”

However, the hungriest team in this district is Boynton Beach.

The Tigers are coming off their most successful season in years, and for the first time in many seasons, the majority of the players who contributed to last year’s success return this year. No longer will this season be about lopsided losses and helping players simply learn the game. It will be about taking this team to the next level and proving it can compete.

“This team wants to play,” Tigers coach Evan D’Angelo said. D’Angelo is a young and passionate coach who is in his third season at the helm, and his enthusiasm is contagious among the players.

With Fort Pierce Westwood still in a rebuilding process, it is clear the team to beat is Jensen Beach. Both Suncoast and Boynton Beach know this, as both coaches are quick to note who their biggest district rival will be.

If things go according to their plans, it could be one another as they battle for the district title.

The Tigers

Boynton Beach

Coach: Evan D’Angelo
2011 Record: 8-17
Key Returners: Ryan Tedesco (P); Kyle Tedesco (SS/P); Chris Escobar (CF); Shawn Isaac (IF)
Newcomer: Abrels Jimenez (P)
Team Strengths: Pitching and team unity

“This is a thinking man’s game, and we need to be thinkers and to be talkers,” Boynton Beach coach Evan D’Angelo said.

The Tigers will feature a four-man rotation this season, something that has been almost unheard of in recent years. Although the team lost some key positions this year, overall the talent is better well-rounded. The players are eager to play and improve and the majority of the players were on the squad last year.

Anchoring the pitching staff is right-hander Ryan Tedesco, who has incredible movement and throws in the low 80s. His younger brother, Kyle, is also one of the Tigers starters and also plays at shortstop.

Another arm for the Tigers comes from Abrel Jimenez, who transferred this year from New York.

“He’s got good velocity and great baseball awareness,” D’Angelo said.

Two-year captain and leadoff hitter Chris Escobar returns to pace the offense, setting the tone by getting on base and leading the team in stolen bases.

“He always goes that extra mile and leads by example,” D’Angelo said of Escobar. “He’ll do it first before he’ll ever ask someone else to do something.”

The guy who sets the example and leads the team by demanding respect and dedication is slugger Shawn Isaac. When he speaks his teammates listen to him and the players trust that his experience and leadership is invaluable to their success.

“This is a thinking man’s game, and we need to be thinkers and to be talkers,” D’Angelo said. “We have worked hard on our communication, and they are starting to understand how it works.”

Suncoast's offense takes swings against Coach Gilbert during practice.

Suncoast

Coach: B.J. Gilbert
2011 Record: 9-17
Key Returners: Shane Quo (LF); Troy Hoecker (C); Carson Morris (1B/C); Justin Walker (3B); Jack Granger (P); David Corn (P); Will Engel (2B); Bradon Hartigan (2B)
Newcomers: Ben Marotta (LF)
Team Strengths: Unity and experience together

“No surprises this year,” Suncoast coach B.J. Gilbert said.

This year’s Suncoast baseball team is full of returning players armed with lots of experience. It is a talented group that is willing to work hard and leave a legacy this season by making a deep run. The Chargers have all the right tools of a championship team but lack the postseason experience that is also very important. Leadership and composure will be an important aspect of their game if they are to make team history.

“We have great unity. The guys have all been together for years, and it is like a brotherhood,” Suncoast coach B.J. Gilbert said. “These guys spend a lot of time together even off the field, and it shows that they trust each other on the field.”

The Chargers’ strength is in their aggressive lineup, led by Shane Quo, Troy Hoecker, Carson Morris and Justin Walker. Second baseman Will Engel provides switch-hitting, and Suncoast is also aggressive on the basepaths, led by the speedy Shane Gamonez.

“No surprises this year,” Coach Gilbert said. “We know what we can do. Now we just got to go out and do it.”

Also in District:

Fort Pierce Westwood
Coach: James Sloan
2011 Record: 3-20

Jensen Beach
Coach: Christopher Vaccaro
2011 Record: 14-11

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