District 5A-15 Preview: Tigers Ready To Pounce

Boynton Beach is looking to have potentially its best season in years as hitting and pitching will be areas where the Tigers excel.

Boynton will have to get past top dogs Jensen Beach to reach the top of the district mountain.

Here is a preview of what to expect from the district competitors this season.

BOYNTON BEACH TIGERS
2012 Record: 6-15
Head Coach: Evan DeAngelo
Key Returners: Jake Lutzen (P), Marquis English (OF), Alex Rivera (1B, C), Kyle Tedesco (P), Victor Hughes (C)
Newcomers to Watch: Jacob Perez, Derek Lewandowski (UTL)
Team Strengths: Pitching and hitting

Since Evan D’Angelo became the head coach for the Tigers in 2009, they have progressed each year. His mission is to improve the culture of baseball within the school and community, and begin a winning tradition.

“We definitely have a much stronger team than we’ve had in the past,” D’Angelo said.

Luis Cepeda shows some power during batting practice.

D’Angelo has brought a lot of energy, knowledge and enthusiasm to a once-struggling program. The Tigers have three starting seniors returning: pitcher Jake Lutzen, outfielder Marquis English, and first baseman catcher Alex Rivera. Pitcher Jake Lutzen will be leading a very solid rotation that consists of juniors Kyle Tedesco, Victor Hughes and a newcomer from Chicago, Jacob Perez.

Along with solid pitching, the Tigers have more talented hitters this year. Providing the power will be Victor Hughes, returning from a strong hitting effort last year, and he’ll be receiving help from Luis Cepeda and Perez. A player to watch is freshman Derek Lewandowski, who is showing a lot of promise and will be playing a key role as a utility player.

The Tigers have the opportunity to score plenty of runs and contain the opposing team with pitching. D’Angelo is excited at the potential his Tigers will have this year and is looking to help them make a strong push to double digits in wins and take down rival Jensen Beach.

“Definitely looking forward to having a better season, maybe even our best season since I’ve been coaching,” D’Angelo said.

SUNCOAST CHARGERS
2012 Record: 8-18
Head Coach: Brooks Kaplan
Key Returners: Troy Hoecker
Team Strengths: Team chemistry
Team Weaknesses: Offensive production

A new era begins this year with the Suncoast Chargers as first year varsity head coach Brooks Kaplan takes over for departed head coach B.J. Gilbert. Kaplan inherits a team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the regional tournament before getting eliminated.

Suncoast players take infield practice as they prepare for the season.

Filled with upperclassman and a team full of varsity experience Kaplan sees no reason why this team can’t get back to regionals and advance even further.

“I don’t see any limit to how far we can go,” Kaplan said. “I fully expect to win districts and then from there anything can happen.”

The Chargers only lost four players off their varsity roster, something coach Kaplan says will definitely be an advantage once district play rolls around.

“They know what to expect, they know what its all about, and they know what they have to do to win,” Kaplan said.

Suncoast will be lead on the field by senior captain catcher Troy Hoecker who said it’s an added advantage that the team has been playing together at the varsity level for several years.

“The team is real close,” Hoecker said. “We got a tight nit group of guys. We’ve got 12 guys who have been playing together since freshman year so we are real close.”

ALSO IN THE DISTRICT: Jensen Beach and Fort Pierce Westwood.

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