Springfield Spring Sports Preview

Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Unified Basketball.

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2017-04-06 / Sports Springfield Spring Sports Preview Baseball Head coach: Rich Saypack Assistant coaches: Shaun LaPlante (JV), Tom Tier Last year's record: 4-6 Marble Valley League B Division, 6-10 overall Team accomplishments: Split season games with D-3 state champ Windsor, D-2 runner-up Bellows Falls, lost to BF in first round 5-3. Individual accomplishments: Ben Tubbs, Zeb Reardon, Jon Hildreth — First team MVL B Division Returning athletes: Senior Nick Bedi (LF); juniors Matt LaChapelle (C), Gabe Considine (CF), Girard LeCouffe (1B), John Stafford (OF), Matt Veysey (3B); sophomore Levi Perham (SS) Newcomers who could make an impact: Juniors Sumner Jansen (OF), Jayson Webster (OF), Calvin Roby (IF), Logan Whitcomb (IF); sophomore Connor Starr (C); freshman Dylan Merrow (IN) Key personnel losses: Zeb Reardon (1B), Zack Tubbs (CF), Ben Tubbs (RF), Jon Hildreth (P) to graduation Coach's outlook: “With only one senior on the team (Nick Bedi, also the only captain) needless to say we are a young team. The good news is there is plenty of good experience among our juniors, so we’ll wait to see how that pays off. Like any team we need solid pitching from our mostly junior pitching staff. Last year MVL B Division produced the D-3 state champ (Windsor) and the D-2 runner-up (Bellow Falls) so to say we play in a fairly competitive division is an understatement, we don’t really get any 'gimmes.' And we open our season with six out of our first seven games on the road, although field conditions this spring may adjust that schedule. If our pitchers can complement each other, we find some hitting and keep routine plays from becoming errors then no question we will compete in our division. Being young we’ll certainly have our good days along with bad so being able to recover quickly, learn our lessons and keep looking forward to June is our primarily goal. But, best news is everyone except one comes back next year! Softball Head coach: Andy Bladyka (19th season varsity, 22nd overall - 3 years JV coach) Assistant coach: Mike Langdon has been with me for last 18 seasons. JV coach: Heather Sanborn is a second-year JV coach, assisted by her father Dennis Sanborn. She is a former Cosmos pitcher who helped Springfield win a state title in 2011. Last year's record: 14-4 overall, 13-3 regular season, 8-2 Marble Valley League B division. Team accomplishments: MVL co-champs with Fair Haven. No. 3 seed in D-2, beat Mill River in play-down then lost to defending champ BFA Fairfax 4-3 in nine innings in quarterfinal. Individual accomplishments: Pitcher Jade Twombly, shortstop Brooke Willey (also made North-South senior all-star games), catcher Cassidy Otis — MVL first team; Second baseman Lina Geyer — MVL second team Returning starters (with last year's position): seniors and captains — Cassidy Otis (C), Lina Geyer (2B); juniors Madee Stagner (RF), Hailey Rabtoy (LF); sophomores Hannah Crosby (1B), Mykahla Jasinski (3B). Jasinski will miss entire 2017 season with broken collarbone (ice skating accident). Returning non-starters: Juniors Gillian Gu (1B/OF), Lizzy Chambers (OF) Newcomers: junior Laura Wentworth (OF/2B). Wentworth played JV for the Cosmos in 9th grade, moved and was a part-time starter at Otter Valley last year, and came back here this year. “Happy to have her back.” Sophs up from last year's JV: Jesie Fisher (OF) and Natalie Stack (IF) Freshmen who could make an impact: Jenna Veysey (P/SS), Julianna Albero-Levings (P/1B), Ashley Chamberlin (C/IF), Jessica Cerniglia (IF), Kayla Gibbons (IF) Key losses: Jade Twombly, pitcher (28-8 record over last two seasons) Brooke Willey-shortstop/leadoff hitter, Calista Polidor, centerfield/No. 2 hitter, Ari Rowe-outfielder Coach's outlook: “It's possible that Otis(catcher) will be the only player who starts at the same position as last year (though we could end up with 3 or 4). We have really good preseason competition for starting positions among all of these girls listed above, and with this snow, we're taking some time to make decisions. “Hannah Crosby will step in to be the No. 1 pitcher, but freshmen Veysey and Albero-Levings could also see varsity innings. Crosby throws hard and has worked hard in the off season to begin to control the strike zone. Geyer, Otis, and Crosby should be our offensive leaders. Otis was one of the league's best power hitters last season, and Geyer is a very hard worker who is willing to play anywhere on the field. “I have more questions than answers in terms of setting the defense at this point, but with that said, I really like the potential of this group once we get some time outside on the diamond. I believe it will take half the season for us to find out exactly what our best lineup is, and where our strengths and weaknesses lie. Mike and I are looking forward to the challenge of being with this group every day and trying to develop a softball team that can compete with every team on our schedule!” Track & Field Head coach: Jim Fog Associate head coach: Stephen Lawrence Assistant coaches: Mike Pianka, Ruth Congdon, Devin McCarty, Samantha Metcalf Returning athletes: Boys — Elijah Pianka, Sr./captain (HJ, LJ, TJ); Christopher Gurney, Jr./captain (400, TJ, relays); Nathan Wardwell, Sr. (mid-distance); Jake Muse, Sr. (sprints, mid-distance); Allan Poller, Jr, (HJ, mid-distance, relays); Trent Briere, Jr. (sprints, relays); AJ Aldrich, So. (sprints, relays); Austin McFadden, So. (distance); Branden Bryant, So. (distance, relays, javelin). Girls — Ericka Schoff, Sr./captain (distance, relays, LJ, shot); Madeline Macie, Sr./captain (mid-distance, relays, shot); Kyra Peoples, Sr. (mid-distance, relays, LJ); Aunna Parker, Sr. (throws); Eva Harris, Jr. (mid-distance, relays, PV); Jenna Knight, Jr. (distance, throws); Sophia Gulick, Jr. (sprints, hurdles, relays); Paige Congdon, So. (distance, relays). Pianka is a two-time New England qualifiers and 2016 state high jump champion in indoor track. Newcomers: Boys — Bryson Jester, So. (sprints, throws); Ethan Bertone, Fr. (throws); Will Bishop, Fr. (sprints, jumps); Kristos Iliopoulos, Fr. (sprints, throws); Lucas Legasse, Fr. (mid-distance, throws); Cadence Wheeler, Fr. (multi-event); Noah Zierfus, Fr. (HJ, sprints, throws). Girls — Makenna Goodrich, Sr. (hurdles, jumps); Sandra Anani, Jr. (distance); Caithness Camarata, Jr. (mid-distance, jumps); Kim Phan, Fr. (hurdles, sprints); Kaylee Warren, Fr. (sprints, throws); Bailey Beebe,Fr. (sprints, throws). Wheeler is a the 2017 indoor triple jump champion. Key losses: Girls — Samantha Metcalf, captain (HJ); Rebekah Ferreira (hurdles, HJ, relays). Boys — Parker Day (Shot, Javelin, LJ, 4x100); Joshua Stebbins (sprints, hurdles, relays). Coach's outlook: “We look to build on our successes of the last few seasons, welcome and integrate the large group of newcomers, and bond as a team.” Unified Basketball Co-coaches: Derek Graham, Margaret Gultekin, Marc Thomas Team accomplishments: 2015-2016 Southern Vermont semifinal runner-up Returning athletes: Lance Robinson, junior, center; Cameron Colon, junior, point guard; Natalie Corliss, junior, forward; Falisha Maly, sophomore, forward; Morgan Fontaine, sophomore, Scorekeeper Newcomers who could make an impact: Emily Cobb, sophomore, guard; Jayden Thurber, freshman, point guard/guard; Evan Hall, freshman, point guard/guard; Hannah Anderson, sophomore, guard; Marcus Aremburg, freshman, forward; GJ Fernandez-Scherington, senior, partner, supporting guard; Damian Warner, freshman, partner, supporting guard Key personnel losses: Hunter Grace and Lizzy MacKenzie, partners; Jade Craft, graduated, point guard; Kenny Skinner, graduated, center/forward; Miranda Gould, graduated, guard; Rabecca White, graduated, forward Coaches' outlook: “With our second year in the sport, we have four veteran players that are using the skills they learned from last year, learning new skills and mentoring our new players. Practices are full of shooting drills, rebounding drills, dribbling drills and passing drills. Scrimmages occur at each practice for players to learn their position and work as a team. Our main goal is to have fun with the team and provide opportunities for personal and team successes. We thank GJ and Damian for joining our team and for all the fans that come and support the players.”