District 3A-12 Preview: A Fight To The Finish

Benjamin and King’s Academy played some spirited games last year, and this year again look like the two teams that could emerge from this small district.

But that’s not to count out Jupiter Christian, whose heart and coachability have been noted as team strengths.

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

BENJAMIN BUCCANEERS
2012 Record: 20-9
Head Coach: Brian Kaplan
Key Returners: Matt Harris, D.J. Paone, Kody Ruedisili, Brian Dolan, Bennett Sousa, Chad Swift
Newcomers to Watch: Baylen Sparks, Kyle Ruedisili, Shane Searson, J.T. True, Matt Ellmyer, Logan Taplett
Team Strengths: Pitching, veteran offense
Team Weaknesses: Depth
Something people not around your program need to know about your team….

“Benjamin is trying to win its first district in 19 years and win a
state title for the first time in program history. The players and coaches are 100 percent committed to reaching the goals and continuing to
make Bucs Baseball a competitive program.”

The Benjamin Buccaneers enter the 2013 season coming off an impressive showing in 2012. Posting a 20-9 record including a very impressive 5-1 in district play, the Bucs advanced to the regional semifinals before being eliminated from postseason play.

This year, the goal for Manager Brian Kaplan is to get his team its first state championship in the programs history.

“Our goal for this team is to win a district title and then to go on and win Benjamin’s first state title,” Kaplan said. “It’s something that’s been in the works for a couple of years as these kids have progressed along.”

Benjamin players run situational drills.

This year might just be the year for the Buccaneers as they return several upperclassman and varsity players in key positions. Pitching is the biggest strength for Benjamin this year. Behind the solid 1-2 punch of Bennett Sousa (6-3 with a 1.1 ERA) and Matt Harris (4-2 with a 2.19 ERA), Kaplan will look to his pitching to win games this year.

“We have a very good pitching staff all around,” Kaplan said. “If we can throw strikes, it’s going to be difficult for teams to score more than a couple runs against us. In high school baseball, if you can hold teams to two or three runs, you have a good chance of winning any game.”

Outside of pitching, the team returns several other key players on offense and defense that will be big contributors this year. Harris, along with outfielders, Elon commit D.J. Paone, and Kody Ruedisili all look to be major offensive contributors for a team that collectively hit .333 last year.

Harris, to go along with his stellar pitching, lead the team in batting average (.424) and was second in RBIs (22). Paone and Ruedisili were both top five in hitting last year as well.

Benjamin faces a tough schedule this year that they hope will get them ready to make a deep run in the post season. They open their season at home against Jensen Beach.

JUPITER CHRISTIAN EAGLES
2012 Record: 10-15
Head Coach: Dave Loud
Key Returners: Clay Walker (Jr. SS/RHP), Jon Shuba (Jr. RHP/CF), Sean Farmer (Fr. 3B/RHP), Garrett Shook (Jr. RHP/1B), Will Roorda (Jr. OF/2B)
Newcomers to Watch: Nik Constantakos (Fr. RHP/OF), Alex Gomez (So. C), Dean Kellington (Jr. UTL), Dante Serino (Fr. LHP/OF), Luke Sellers (So. LHP/OF)
Team Strengths: Heart, coachability
Team Weaknesses: Inexperience, physical strength
Something people not around your program need to know about your team….

“The only five guys with varsity experience are the returning players, and this team will not be dominant in one specific area but
collectively they have all the right pieces needed to win a bunch of
ballgames.”

Jupiter Christian looks to rebound from a 2012 season that ended in the first round of the district tournament. With a young and inexperienced team at the varsity level, Manager Dave Loud knows that fundamentals are going to be the key if this team wants to make it out of the district.

“If they play well and execute the fundamentals, I expect them to go to regionals,” Loud said.

Jupiter Christian looks to turn it around in 2013.

Fundamentals will be the key for the Eagles this year as they go up against more experienced teams both in and out of the district.

“The group of guys that we have have potential, they have talent,” Loud said. “It’s just a matter of getting them to execute fundamentals every day.

The Eagles will rely heavily on their two most seasoned varsity players in juniors Clay Walker and Jon Shuba. Loud will look upon both of them to take on a leadership roll and help get this team further into the postseason.

“Being a young team the upperclassman have to show them how to play and the right way to play, and I know that’s my responsibility,” Shuba said.

As for their district, Loud is taking advantage of the small district size by playing teams with a lot of different playing styles in hopes that it will prepare his team for the postseason.

“We get to play a lot of different teams,” Loud said. “We get to see a lot of different teams, a lot of different styles, prepping us for everything.”

At the end of the day though, it’s all about getting to game one and then going from there.

“We are excited to get to that point,” Loud said. “We want to get there, see what we have, and get these guys out there against other competition.”

KINGS ACADEMY LIONS
2012 Record: 19-11
Head Coach: Doug Magaw
Key Returners: John Carpenter (Sr. OF/P), John Monte (Sr. OF/P), Joe Gomez (SS), Dominic Mercurio (Jr. 3B), Mark Zippin (Sr. OF), James Vaughn (Fr. 1B), Ryan Johnson (Jr. C).
Newcomers to Watch: Kyle Hanlon (Sr. P), Jacob Krigbaum (Sr. P/OF)
Team Strengths: Senior leadership, end-of-season tough tournament experience, pitching depth
Something people not around your program need to know about your team….

“First, what the team needs from each of us, is first and foremost, both on and off the field of play. Second, King’s Academy has won two state championships. Three, the past three years Kings has reached the regional championship game and have not advanced to the state final four to date. The 2013 team is very driven and will grow through the season to prepare for postseason play.”

John Monte is expected to lead the Lions’ offense.

The Lions have reached the regional final each of the last three seasons and are preparing to make another run, even though they lost their best hitter — Kevin Stypulkowski — and best pitcher — Matt Pisciottano to graduation.

Manager Doug Magaw said the Lions are neither rebuilding or reloading.

“You can’t replace those two guys, but we have guys we feel very confident who are going to step up and do the same things that they (Stypo and Pisco) did for us all those years,” said Magaw.

Stypulkowski (.409 average/.648 slugging) led the Lions in every major offensive category and signed with Florida. Pisciottano led the Lions with a 6-4 record and 2.77 ERA.

Ryan Johnson, who caught 10 games last year as a sophomore, will be the full-time catcher.

“We have every confidence (in Ryan),” said Magaw. “He’s excellent defensively, hits the ball all over the field. He’s probably not going to hit for the power that Kevin did, but he’s definitely going to be solid there.”

Senior outfielder John Carpenter has also been impressed with Johnson during fall ball and spring training.

“He’s stepping up defensively and he’s a huge asset for the team,” said Carpenter. “He’s starting to swing it. We’re just gonna need some clutch hits this year, things like Kevin gave us.”

Starting outfielder John Carpenter is also the team’s closer.

Despite the loss of Pisciottano, Magaw believes he has enough pitching depth to make another run at a regional final.

Senior left-hander John Monte (6-0, 185) is expected to one of the leaders of the staff. Magaw also is pleased by the return of senior right-handers Kyle Hanlon and Jacob Krigbaum, neither of whom were on the team last season, as well as sophomore left-handers Clatyon Morrell and Matt Tucker, who were instrumental in last year’s run.

“We actually have more pitching depth than we’ve ever had,” said Magaw. “In six years this is as good as I’ve ever felt.”

Carpenter has moved into the closer’s role, according to Magaw.

“I think it’s going to be one our best years because of the way all the guys have been working,” said Carpenter. “I feel like this is one of our best years to make a real run at it.”

King’s Academy, which doesn’t have lights at its field, has 13 night games scheduled this year to help prepare even better for the post-season.

“We’re going to have our tough games, we’re definitely going to have tough games against really good teams,” said Monte, who was second on the team last year with .357 average and .548 slugging percentage. “But we’re going to do our best, we’re going to do everything we can to play our hardest and get as far as we can.”

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