4A-13 District Tournament Preview

Host: American Heritage-Delray

Schedule:

Monday April 21st

4:00 PM (5) St. Andrew’s vs. (4) Pope John Paul II
*Played at Pope John Paul II

Tuesday April 22nd

4:00 PM (3) Cardinal Newman vs. (2) King’s Academy
7:00 PM St. Andrew’s/Pope John Paul II winner vs. (1) American Heritage-Delray

Thursday April 24th

7:00 PM Championship: TBD

Full Stats for 4A-13 can be found on the 4A-13 Stats Page!

Overview – District realignment came at an interesting time for this group, as it brought several talented and dangerous ball clubs together. It has been a competitive regular season for this bunch, and the district playoffs figure to provide more of the same excitement. Although American Heritage-Delray swept the field during the regular season, the other contenders all know they are capable of unseating the top dogs and chasing after the district crown for themselves.

Anthony Hotujec is part of a dangerous Stallions pitching staff.

1. American Heritage-Delray – The Stallions have really come together to make this a special season. The team faltered out of the gate to start the season, but then the players rallied together rededicated themselves to the team approach. From there Heritage caught fire, going on a long winning streak and barnstorming their way to the top of the district standings by winning every district game.

Heritage has done all the right things to play great team baseball. The club has had strong starting pitching, reliable defense and productive offense. Although the team has not dominated in any one particular area, they have succeeded thanks to consistency and teamwork.

While the club has earned the distinction as the district favorite, even they know they are not invincible. Although they played a tough non-district slate to get better prepared for the playoffs, the club went just 9-7 outside of their district. This fact should be encouraging for those clubs chasing them, while the Stallions can take great comfort in knowing they are following the game plan according to design and it is paying off.

Pitching has been big for the Stallions, particularly from their starting unit. Anthony Hotujec, Brendan Brundage and Zach Schneider have all stepped up to give the team a dangerous trio of hurlers. Brundage has emerged as the go-to guy by leading them in strikeouts, ERA and victories, while Hotujec won some of their biggest district games. Also complimenting this arsenal is Dylan Gordon, who posted a 1.42 ERA as their primary reliever.

Although Heritage has begun to showcase some power at the plate, the team has bought into the approach to play station to station and move runners around the bases. As a unit the batters have played together for a few seasons now, and the cohesion in the order has shown in their results. From one to nine the lineup has produced this year, with Hunter Bowling emerging as the top hitter with a .389 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage. Fellow veterans Todd Isaac, Lucius Fox Tyler Frank and Chris Canavan have all been big producers, while Jonathan India has led the way in most offensive categories.

Another sign of the team’s cohesion together is evidenced in the way each unit supports the others. While the pitching has been the key cog to keep the runs against down and keep them in every ball game, the staff has all the confidence in the world in their hitters.

“We have a really good offensive team,” said Hotujec. “Earlier in the year we weren’t clicking but lately we have been and it is showing and we are looking good. It’s a great feeling.”

Team chemistry is as important as any other aspect of the game. The Stallions have excelled in this department and they take the field for this district tournament unified and confident, ready to play as a team and hoping this will lead them to the promised land.

Dominic Mercurio has led the Lions on both sides of the field.

2. King’s Academy – The Lions are hoping for another chance at the Stallions this year. After Heritage-Delray swept them with two lopsided victories during the season, the Lions would surely jump at the chance for some payback the third time around. More importantly, such a meeting would have a district crown at stake and would also mean the club had advanced far enough to earn a spot in the regional playoffs too.

King’s Academy has traditionally played a very challenging schedule to prepare them for the playoff stretch, and this season has been the same way. The Lions took some lumps but also gained some confidence with some big victories, such as a late-season upset over Palm Beach’s top-ranked Park Vista Cobras. King’s Manager Doug Magaw always seems to get the most out of his players down the stretch, and that is ringing true again this year.

A big key to the team’s success has been the leadership from senior Dominic Mercurio. The versatile right-hander has swung a big bat in the middle of the lineup, and also set the tone from on the mound to lead an otherwise young, but talented staff. Mercurio led the club in victories and strikeouts while taking on some of the toughest opponents on their schedule. He also led the team in hitting by batting just over .500 for the year.

Mercurio has been far from the only productive player on the offensive unit, as the Lions batted well over .300 for the season. Sean Hart, James Vaughan and Ryan Johnson have all provided a lot of pop with their bats, while Nick Bates and Andrew Goodlet have done their part to get on base and score runs for the team.

From the mound the Lions have traditionally built a staff around depth and match ups, and this season the club has continued that trend by working several capable hurlers into the mix. Matt Tucker has ascended to earn the number two position in the rotation, giving the team valuable starts and also providing another capable arm out of the bullpen to lead the team with 12 appearances. Reliever Bobby Biskupiak has been the most lethal guy out of the ‘pen, leading the ball club with a 1.01 ERA, while Sean Hart has also been a crucial piece to the pitching staff both as a starter and in relief.

Coach Magaw typically gets the most out of his guys at the end of the year when it matters most, as the Lions are regulars in the regional playoffs. Needing just one victory to return to the state playoffs the team looks to be in prime position to continue that tradition. While the team has a big test against Cardinal Newman to kick off their postseason, it is a group that has shown the potential to go on and a deep and memorable playoff run in 2014.

Bruce Steel is one of the key pieces to the Crusaders roster.

3. Cardinal Newman – Cardinal Newman is the wildcard of the bunch. The Crusaders have a veteran club loaded with talent, but the team has been somewhat inconsistent in their first season playing in Class 4A. While the results may not have always proven it, Newman has a potent and talented team that is very capable of making a deep playoff run. But first they must survive a big test and beat a King’s Academy team that mirrors them both in spirit and in ability.

Rarely do two teams that are built up in such similar fashion get the chance to play one another, but that is exactly what will occur when the Crusaders take the field against the Lions. It is a semifinal meeting that holds the fate of both clubs in the balance, as the winner advances to the regional playoffs and district championship and the other calls it a season.

After decades of play under legendary Manager Jack Kokinda, the Crusaders began a new era a few years ago first under Daniel Prieto and then with current Manager Sean Comfort, who is in his second season leading the ball club. It is a program that has worked hard to regain its recognition as one of the most feared in the county, and a deep playoff run in this tough district would go a long way towards fueling that reputation.

“You always think you can do better, but I was happy looking back after the season was over,” Comfort said of his club’s return to the state playoffs last year. “I was happy with the fact that our number one goal was teaching the team how to win, and once they did that they started winning a lot and a lot of good things came from that.”

Offense has been a driving force this club, as they hit just under .300 for the season and also pounded out nearly 40 extra-base hits. The team has been able to count on many guys in the lineup to get the job done. Leading the way at the plate has been Bruce Steel, who hit around .475 and also led the club in nearly every offensive category.

Steel is far from the only dangerous bat in the lineup, as Anthony Zaleski, Anthony Mages, Luis Besteiro, Daniel Cole and Rudy Viton have all provided a lot of pop in the order. Even despite playing their toughest schedule in years, the offense still managed to average nearly six runs per game.

The Crusaders split the season series with King’s Academy, and the rubber match will be the only one that ultimately matters. As rightfully should be the case, it is one game that matters more than any either side has played all season long. It is all anyone could ask for to see two equal and worthy clubs face off with the season on the line, and it is exactly the type of position the Crusaders have worked to put themselves into for the past few years.

Josh Parker leads the Eagles pitching staff.

4. Pope John Paul II – The Eagles are the defending district champions from last year, when they edged the Stallions in a Class 3A district championship game. Now that realignment has moved them both up into 4A, the Eagles have a chance to repeat as district champions and also win their first 4A district crown in the process. But that road is tougher than ever, especially fighting out of the fourth seed in the group.

Pope must win two games in order to earn a spot in the regional playoffs, as well for the right to defend their district title. Although the team has every right to be confident against a Scots team that they swept during the season, the road from there leads them right back into the waiting arms of the rival Stallions.

The Eagles struggled with consistency in the second half of the season, limping into the playoffs looking to get themselves back on track at just the right time. While their struggles are very real and concerning, the reality is that it may be more mental than physical. The team has essentially the same roster as the past few years, and there has been almost no answer as to why they have suddenly stumbled toward season’s end.

There is no doubt that Pope has enough talent to compete for another district title. The team has come together the past few seasons under Manager Pete Graffeo to establish themselves as a true and worthy contender. Even despite their struggles down the stretch, the team is a force to be reckoned with, and one capable of turning things around very quickly.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Coach Graffeo said. “I expect every game is going to be a battle. No one’s going to be a pushover. You have good coaches there, so we’re going to play well-coached teams. I think we’re up to the task, but then again, you have to do it on the field. It doesn’t matter how many guys you have coming back on paper. It matters if you can do it on the field.”

With outfielder Matt Luzzi the lone senior on the club, this junior-laden group has another season together to work to bring this program to the next level. But that is no reason to waste their chances now, where a couple of wins over some local rivals can catapult the Eagles into the regional playoffs and a step closer to making their future the present.

Cal Bocchino is one of the key pieces to the Scots future.

5. St. Andrew’s – It’s been a tough go for the Scots in this challenging new district. St. Andrew’s struggled in district play while fielding a very young and relatively inexperienced squad this season. On top of this they had to start over with a new manager in Rich Mahon, who was hired just prior to the start of the season. The club understands that it is a work in progress and that it will take some lumps to help mold them along, and the team has worked to stay the course and look ahead for a brighter future.

The present has them facing the toughest challenge to reach the district championship, needing to upset two local rivals to make that happen. Yet the Scots also have the advantage of playing into the underdog role, as no one expects them to make any noise in this tough bunch. This should allow the players to approach their quarterfinal with Pope John Paul II with a carefree mindset, as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The Scots have slowly come along on offense this year, with freshman Scott Gellman emerging to lead the way by hitting over .400 for the season and leading the team in RBIs and extra-base hits. Gellman also hit the only two home runs on the club this season, showcasing the kind of power potential that the team can work to build around going forward. Veteran infielder Richie Rocca also led the offensive group this year, batting around .350 and leading the squad in runs scored.

As with many younger teams, the pitching has come along a bit slower. Both Rocca and Gellman also led the team in this department, while they also worked to slowly bring along freshman Cal Bocchino during the year.

While the Scots are a long shot to make a playoff run, the team enters the district tournament with the right mindset of gaining the experience and using it going forward. With the majority of the roster staring at several more years of high school baseball in their future, the chance to get their feet wet in the playoff environment is a valuable step of their evolution.

“We’re very young and we’re working through that right now. It’s just part of baseball,” said Mahon. “Our district is loaded and these guys are going up against the big boys in our district. Where we are now is where some of these teams have been in the past, and that’s our motto is to getting better every day and having fun doing it.”

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