Cobras 8A-10 Crown On The Line In 2014?

Austin Schultz returns to the Boca pitching rotation after being injured last year.

Park Vista has held a stranglehold over this district for the last several years.

For the Cobras to retain their district title they will need to hold at bay a crop of teams that have all improved from a season ago. The realignment left District 10-8A nearly intact, with Santaluces stepping in with a field that already included Park Vista, Boca Raton, John I. Leonard and Spanish River.

The Chiefs are the perfect fit to a district that has long made its living on pitching and defense. Santaluces is also built in this fashion, with solid pitching and a defense that can keep them in the games when they make the plays.

“If we play solid defense, we should be in every game,” said Santaluces Manager Nick Franco. “We just need to make the routine plays more consistently.”

It has been a while since another team won the crown from Park Vista, and in some cases the school has never earned that coveted district trophy. Following the graduation of many key players across each program, it has left a playing field very even. The title may be more up for grabs than in season’s past.

For Spanish River, that chance is staring them right in the eye. The program is hungry for a district title, and they are playing a competitive schedule to help better prepare themselves for that opportunity.

“We have lots of experience playing; now we just need lots of experience winning,” said Sharks Manager William Harvey.

There is perhaps no greater motivating factor than that drive to achieve that which has never been done before. Even for teams with history of previous success, the path of late has required a victory over a very capable Park Vista squad. This season will bring the greatest test to see if the Cobras can continue their streak.

Boca Raton

2013 Record: 11-14
Manager: Scott Morrison
Coaching Staff: Craig Sheets, Mike Smiciklas,
Key Returners: Mike Smiciklas, Mike Amditis, Mike Spooner, Sebastian Gonzalez, Alex Katz, T.J. Tamaccio
Newcomers to watch: Austin Schultz, Mitchell Singer, Jagger McCoy
Team strengths: Pitching

The members of the Boca Raton baseball team wear their caps when they’re out on the field, but they might as well be wearing hard hats. There’s construction going on within the program as the team is working towards building a solid foundation upon which it can achieve the type of success it needs to be considered among the elite programs at the school…[Read More]

John I. Leonard

2013 Record: 12-11
Manager: Roger Vasquez
Key Returners: Chris Perez, Jorge Diaz, Joey Carlton, Chris Monteaguto, Dylan Santalo
Newcomers to watch: Moises Caracus, Kyle Lamb, Jose Garcia, Victor Suero
Team strengths: Pitching and Defense

Most of John I. Leonard’s games last year were decided by a few runs or less. The reasons for the losses were clear: some poor defense here, not getting the timely hit there.

After losing half a dozen seniors from last year’s team the Lancers are decidedly younger this year, but manager Roger Vasquez feels good about his team’s chances…[Read More]

Park Vista

2013 Record: 19-7
Manager: Larry Greenstein
Coaching Staff: Harvey Cohen, Tim Roche, Stu Greenstein, James McDonough
Key Returners: Mtthew Mika, Nyle Newland, Austin Smith, Tyler Barre, Tyler Huggins, Joey Genord, Alex Levy
Newcomers to watch: Dakota Julya, Colin Smith
Team strengths: Pitching, Defense

Park Vista has a case of Tyler-squared. And that’s a good thing.

Senior Tyler Barre is the returning starter at catcher who caught the majority of the innings last year. Junior Tyler Huggins also saw a lot of action behind the plate late in the season because of injuries.

“We’re blessed; we have two catchers that the pitching staff and coaches have confidence in,” said Park Vista manager Larry Greenstein…[Read More]

Santaluces

2013 Record: 13-12-1
Manager: Nick Franco
Key Returners: Tyler Robichaud, Jaxon Scofield, Ben Fagan, Jonathan Wake, Dylan Love, Joseph Strzelecki, Troy Steele, Justin Tworek
Newcomers to watch: Chad Tworek, Autson Smith, Cyril Miller, Anthony Nichols, Jorge Torres, Chris Morgia
Team strengths: Offense and Pitching

Santaluces Manager Nick Franco knew it was risky. After all, he hadn’t tried it before in his coaching career. But he had the support of his players, so he figured go for it.

The Chiefs didn’t pick up a bat or throw a ball this fall. Instead, they worked out and conditioned, and they’ve done little else for the past three months. It’s a different approach to the fall at Santaluces, and Franco isn’t even sure what the result will be when spring practice begins in about a month…[Read More]

Spanish River

2013 Record: 13-12
Manager: William Harvey
Coaching Staff: Jose Ledesma, Marc Trudel, Bennett Vivona, Thomas Trudel, Chris Allen
Key Returners: Boomer Saraga, Sam White, Spencer Diaz, Fenway Parks, Matthew Slootsky, Anthony Acino, Devin Bard, Billy Marion, Ryan Berger, Austin Hurwitz, John O’Connor
Team strengths: Pitching & Experience

It’s been 15 years since Spanish River made it to the regional playoffs, a fact that isn’t lost on the players. They are going into this season with a sense of enthusiasm and a wave of confidence.

They feel as if this is going to be a special year, a time to break out of doldrums that the program has endured. For the first time in some of these players’ careers at River, they’re excited about what’s going to happen over the next few months…[Read More]

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