Cardinal Newman Set To Defend District 12-4A Without Legendary Jack Kokinda

Legendary Cardinal Newman coach Jack Kokinda has more than 700 career wins.

Lincoln Park Academy is the new kid on the block in District 12-4A.

This is a positive and a negative because it means they know nothing about their opponents and their opponents know nothing about them.

Cardinal Newman, Glades Central and St. Andrew’s have competed against one another for years now, and even as the Scots had a very successful season last year, it was ultimately the Crusaders who advanced with the district crown.

“We beat Cardinal Newman once last year, but we sure haven’t beaten them much,” Scots coach George Sands said.

The Scots went 21-5 last year but now must replace two stud pitchers in brothers Tim and Dan Stoops in a district that gets better with the addition of the Greyhounds.

“Lincoln Park is young but still a strong team, and we have to make a point to get the job done in these district games.”

The Crusaders know that Lincoln Park is a good team, but they know they have won the last few district titles. They play a tough schedule and it gets them ready for the playoffs when it matters most. They understand that St. Andrew’s is coming for them, and they view it as though it is their crown to defend.

A big motivating factor for the Crusaders is that coach Jack Kokinda, who has more than 700 career victories and would be in his 42nd season this year, has taken a leave of absence.

“St. Andrew’s is a talented team, and they had a good season last year,” Cardinal Newman interim coach Daniel Prieto said. “But we’ve won this district for a while now, and we intend to be ready again this year.”

Cardinal Newman
Head coach: Daniel Prieto
2011 record: 10-18
Returners: Bruce Steel (SS); Kyle Cunningham (C); Anthony Zaleski (LHP/1B); Daniel Cole (C/UT)
Newcomers: Alec Duboy (LHP); Zach Barrett (3B)
Strengths: Pitching and defense

“We are growing together, and the faster we do that, the better it will show for it,” Cardinal Newman coach Daniel Preito said.

It’s a different feel for the Cardinal Newman baseball team, even if most of the players don’t realize it. This is a younger team with many freshmen and no seniors. So many don’t recognize the difference, but the rest can see that their legendary coach Jack Kokinda is not there.

The team is in familiar hands with interim coach Daniel Prieto, who has been coaching with the program for four years. After Newman graduated seven starters this past year, Prieto is glad that he gets all of the current players for more than one season.

“It’s good for me as a first-time coach,” Prieto said. “We are very talented, but we are very young and inexperienced. We are growing together, and the faster we do that, the better it will show for it.”

Leading this team is junior catcher Kyle Cunningham, its seasoned and intellectual number-two hitter. Cunningham was named a USSSA All American for Baseball after being recognized for his performance at the 2011 USSA All-American Games in Kissimmee, where he competed against High School All Stars from across the country.

The USSSA All-American Games serves as the selection for the 2012 USSSA All-American Teams and the 2013 USSSA National Teams who will compete in International competition. The games will begin with an Amateur Baseball Report evaluated workout conducted by college coaches, Major League Baseball scouts and former Major League Baseball Players. The All-American Games will follow.

The Crusaders have six pitchers in the bullpen, with junior Anthony Zaleski leading the rotation. The big lefty can throw and hit big, and last year as a sophomore, he was third on the team in RBI. Zaleski also will anchor first base when he is not pitching, and he will bat in the cleanup spot.

Fellow lefty Alec Duboy is expected to fit into the number-two spot in the rotation. The junior was the leading pitcher for the junior varsity team last year and got some playing time late last season.

“He will be a nice addition to the team this season,” Prieto said. “He pitched well for us this fall, and we expect good things from him.”

The crucial piece to the offense and defense comes in sophomore Bruce Steel, who is very fundamental and fills the important three-hole in the lineup. As a freshman who started every game last season, Steel committed only three errors in 84 plays.

Shoring up the left side of the infield is newcomer Zach Barrett, a transfer from Pennsylvania who has settled in at third base.

“He has a good arm and is a good corner guy,” Preito said.

Another important piece for the Crusaders is sophomore Daniel Cole, who shares time at catcher and also will be used almost everywhere else on the field. Although he may not have one set position, he always will be in the lineup.

“It will be important to play fundamental, and not have any blowouts,” Prieto said. “We need to be smart on the base paths and make sure we don’t throw the ball around the field.”

Lincoln Park Academy
Head Coach: Chuck Stewart
2011 record: 16-10
Returners: Bryce McCune (SS); Marc Stewart (RHP); Tanner Rutherford (C); Matt Frederyck (C/3B)
Strengths: Pitching

“I’m not sure how good any of them are, but we have a lot of them to throw,” Lincoln Park coach Chuck Stewart said.

The Greyhounds have had successful seasons in recent years but had difficulty with eventual state champion Archbishop McCarthy.

Things are a lot different for the team this year, in a whole new district.

“We have a long way to go to get to Archbishop McCarthy,” Lincoln Park coach Chuck Stewart joked. “It will be a good year for us.”

Lincoln Park returns eight players who logged varsity playing time last season, and they are nine deep in the pitching staff.

“I’m not sure how good any of them are, but we have a lot of them to throw,” Stewart said. “We don’t want people getting used to seeing the same pitcher. That can hurt you in districts.”

Leading the Greyhounds will be junior shortstop Bryce McCune, sophomore right-handed pitcher Marc Stewart, junior catcher Tanner Rutherford and sophomore catcher and third baseman Matt Frederyck.

The St. Andrew’s Scots in their season-opening 18-7 victory over Boca Christian.

St. Andrew’s
Head Coach: George Sands
2011 record: 21-5
Returners: Danny Young (LHP); Justin Valenta (RHP); Zach Zehring (LF)
Newcomers: Ronnie Rocca (SS); David Lundberg (OF)
Strengths: Pitching and defense

“We are coming off of two big seasons and we know what has to be done,” St. Andrew’s coach George Sands said.

The St. Andrew’s baseball team has some big shoes to fill in replacing pitchers Dan and Tim Stoops from last year’s team, which was 21-5. But what the brothers have helped to leave behind is a winning attitude, a culture of success and confidence and work ethic. This year’s Scots team wants to get past the regional quarterfinals, where it has fallen to American Heritage-Plantation the past three seasons.

“We are coming off of two big seasons, and we know what has to be done,” St. Andrew’s coach George Sands said. “We have some young unproven guys, but we’ll see how they do.”

Leading the returning players is senior left-hander Danny Young, who has an academic scholarship to the University of Florida but is also going to play for the Gator’s. But that’s if he is not drafted in the Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft, which would make him the first baseball player from the school ever drafted. Young also led the county in almost every offensive category last season, batting over .600 with 12 home runs while throwing in the high 80s on the mound and mixing in a curveball and a change-up with his fastball.

Filling the second slot in the rotation is righty Justin Valenta, and Zach Zehring moves from shortstop to left field while remaining in the cleanup slot in the lineup.

The Scots have enjoyed the addition of a few transfers, such as junior Ronnie Rocca, who has transferred in from Pine Crest. He adds a capable bat and solid defense, taking over at shortstop this year. Another promising newcomer is David Lundberg, a right-hander who transferred in from California. Lundberg is a big, imposing pitcher who has a chance to do something big this year, and he will also play in the outfield.

The Scots play another tough out-of-district schedule this year, including teams such as Outdoor Bible and Nease. But that is what gets them ready for the end of the year, and that is their big goal this season.

“Everything will come down to our pitching and defense,” Sands said. “The pitchers have got to throw strikes, and the players have got to back them up with solid defense.”

Also in District:

Glades Central
2011 record: 0-12

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