Although the Everett High baseball team, which compiled a superb 15-5 record last season and captured the Greater Boston League championship, lost many of its starters to graduation, EHS head coach Joe Lento is looking forward to the coming 2014 campaign.
“We graduated many of our top players, but we have a strong nucleus returning,” said Lento. The 2014 edition of the Crimson Tide diamondmen will be led by a trio of senior captains, pitcher Michael Rossi, catcher Tommy Woodward, and pitcher/third baseman Steven Faia. Also coming back are a pair of GBL all-stars in junior pitcher Lawrence Falter and shortstop Justin Johnston.
“We’ve been practicing inside because of the weather, so it’s been frustrating thus far for the team,” said Lento. “But we have a great group of kids and we’re looking forward to getting outside and playing some baseball.”
Lento and his crew are scheduled to scrimmage Newton North at Glendale Park on Tuesday, April 1, and travel to Lynnfield on April 5. They will open their regular season April 7, hosting non-league foe Marblehead of the Northeastern Conference.
Young Lady Crimson Tide softball team readying for season
With eight players from her 2013 team having been lost to graduation, veteran EHS head coach Stacy Poste will be looking to a large group of newcomers to continue the tradition of Lady Crimson Tide success on the softball field.
“We have only four returning players, “ said Poste, referring to juniors Talia Mirra, Sophia Marchant, and Alicia Cataldo and sophomore Talia Riccioli. “But tryouts took four days because of the large number of girls trying out. The good thing about many of the players on the varsity team is that they played in fall and winter leagues together, coached by Mark Sylvester and Mark Talia. So they are a close-knit team already and a great group of kids who are looking forward to the season.”
Among the new players on the 2014 roster are juniors Sydney Bessler, Adriana Maiani, Mariana McCarthy, and Nicole Sylvester; sophomore Erica Ginepra; and freshmen Diana Concannon, Hailey Powers, and Samantha Uga.
The coaching staff also will see some new faces. Jennifer Nigro, the junior varsity coach in previous years, will move up as the varsity assistant coach, replacing John Nuzzolo, who has retired. Kristi Jagiello, the freshman coach last year, will take over the JV team and Rachel Timmons will be coaching the freshman squad.
Poste and her crew were scheduled to host a scrimmage with Winthrop tomorrow (Thursday), but it is unlikely that the field will be in playable shape given the weather forecast. A scrimmage with Arlington Catholic is on the docket for Monday. The Lady Crimson Tide are scheduled to open their season next Wednesday, April 2, at non-league rival Methuen.
Spinney, Okhihan named GBL all-stars
Two members of the Everett High girls basketball team, Savannah Spinney and Yemi Okhihan, were named to the Greater Boston League girls basketball all-star team at the league’s recent coaches’ meeting.