Bulls look to make another deep run

By Mario Sarmento
SPOTS EDITOR

Baseball season is in full swing at the high school level, and this year figures to be a competitive one for area teams.

Last year, West Boca Raton High finally lived up to the high expectations. The Bulls, who started the season 21-0 in 2006 yet lost in the district semifinals, made their deepest run in the history of the school, losing a 5-4, nine-inning game to Port St. Lucie in the regional final.

Despite starting the season with some injury woes, West Boca acquitted itself well at the Key West Invitational last weekend.

The Bulls went 2-0, but lost out on a chance to play in the championship because they lost a tiebreaker for runs allowed. (West Boca was ahead 14-5 against Dr. Krop when it gave up five runs in the seventh, thus eliminating the Bulls form the championship.)

Instead, undefeated Palm Beach Central and Key West faced off in the final, with the Broncos winning handily.
Still, Bulls head coach Brian Joros was happy with what he saw from his offense.

“We have the chance to score a lot of runs,” he said. “We just need to hit with runners in scoring position.”

In a 2-0 win over Monarch High Tuesday night, the Bulls struggled to do that, stranding 12 runners.

But West Boca still boasts the best rotation in the area.

Brian Busch and Sean Adelman are recovering from offseason arm troubles and have been limited so far, but Jay Whalen has been outstanding, allowing no runs in 12 innings of work.

Busch is still the No. 1 starter after a dominant 15-1 season last year, with Whalen, Adelman, and Dusty Albanese and Michael Kelly all in the mix for the No. 2 role.

Kelly, a freshman who also plays rightfield, as already caught Joros’ eye.

“He’s six-feet tall, 195 pounds, throws 89 miles an hour,” he said. “He’s just a real special player.”

The Bulls lost 10 starters from last year’s 26-5 team, including team MVP Sean Bukovic, shortstop Matt Cornwell and outfielder C.J. Campanelli, but Joros believes he has enough talent returning to fill those holes.

Cory Emerson, a transfer from Atlantic who played for the Bulls as a freshman, is back in the outfield.

He and Suncoast transfer Marcus Beasley will fill the top two holes in the batting order.

“They’re both fast players who can bunt and steal a base,” Joros said.

Busch and Mason Mattlin bring their power to the 3-4 roles, with Mattlin still recovering from a broken foot. Catcher Rick Versace is also coming off an injury, so the Bulls are still working themselves into peak form.

Nico Pepia will man left field, and he gives the Bulls a much-needed bat from the left side. Rick Conaway, who split time with graduated Mark Sanchez, now has second base all to himself.

For the third straight year, the Bulls and Palm Beach Central will again co-host the Gary Carter National Grand Slam March 31-April 3.

Sixteen teams will compete for the title, but there will only be one out-of-state team this year since the rescheduling of the FCAT has made it difficult for non-Florida schools to compete.

After that, Joros is hoping the Bulls can offer a repeat of last year’s thrilling run.

“If healthy, this team’s got a chance to get back to where it was last year,” he said.

Eagles reload

Around the area, Atlantic High should again be strong under Coach Dennis Byers. The Eagles are off to a 4-1 start after a strong showing at the Santaluces Slam and a victory against Lake Worth Tuesday night.

The Eagls have just three seniors, but two of them are important cogs in the machine.

Shortstop Carlos Lopex has already signed to play with Wake Forest next year, and he leads the team with a .615 average.

Pitcher Anthony Perez leads a deep pitching staff with a 3-0 record. He also plays left field and is the team’s No. 3 hitter.

“My kids throw strikes,” Byers said.

The rest of the roster is teeming with young talent, talents that makes Byers think his team can reach the postseason for the second time in three years.

“I think our district is awfully even,” Byers said. “Park Vista is far and away the best, but there’s about five teams right behind them.”

Spanish River started 2-2 behind Scott Stankowicz, who went 3-5 with an RBI in Rivers’ 6-2 win over Pope John Paul II.

Boca Raton should also be strong behind ace Mike Tomasi, who Joros said is one of the best pitchers in the area.

The Bobcats went 2-2 in Santaluces.

Saint Andrew’s is another team that looks to surprise this year.

The Scots started their season with an 11-1 win over Benjamin last week.

Saint Andrew’s is a young team that starts four freshmen, but the lone senior, Kota Yaguchi, is the Scots’ best player.
Against Benjamin, Yaguchi went 3-3 with a  double and four RBIs, and earned the win.

“He’s probably our best hitter, our best base stealer,” second-year coach George Sands said.

Yaguchi has help from sophomore shortstop and No. 2 pitcher T.J. Schmutz, junior catcher Danny Werber, and the Stoops twins, freshman transfers from North Palm Beach.

Tim pitches close to 80 miles per hour, and Dan is the team’s No. 6 hitter.

“Our goal is to advance for the first time in school history,” Sands said.