District 12-8A Preview: Falcons Looking To Stay On Top

With district re-classification taking root, changes abound for the 2012 high school baseball season throughout the Florida High School Athletic Association.

In the newly formed District 12-8A, Miramar slides over to join the mainstay grouping of Cypress Bay, Everglades, Flanagan, West Broward and Western while Cooper City moves out and down to Class 7A.

Here is a preview of what to expect from the district competitors this season.

Cypress Bay Lightning

2011 Record: 13-10
Head Coach: Mike White
Key Returners: Brandon Cable, Andrew Paredes, Danny Perez, Jay Woo

Newcomers to Watch: Rafael Amanau, Danny Cepeda, Casey Chayet, Jeremy Tache, Christian Pena, Daniel Gelman, Robbie Steirn, Tommy Quintero, Josh Serota, Andrew Alvarez, Rafael Marin.

Team Strengths: Pitching depth, team speed

Our season will be a success if….

“We get good pitching efforts and play solid defense.”

Of the six teams, Cypress Bay holds the largest amount of call-ups from the junior varsity team as 16 players will be first-year varsity players.

Despite the inexperience, Lightning coach Mike White felt the team played well during the fall, called his young group “very coachable” and pointed to the notion that the players don’t hold that I-know-everything type of attitude.

Other redeeming qualities outlined by White is the overall enthusiasm, hustle and team speed that the players have shown in the early going of practices.

White even went as far to say that it’s the most speed that’s he’s had at his disposal in his six years at the helm of Cypress Bay.

“We have to run,” White said. “We’re different from past teams. From the number one hitter down to the number nine guy, they can all run well.”

Pitching may develop into another strength as seven are capable of receiving regular innings of work.

“We have seven very good arms, so that’s what we are relying on,” White said. “We will pitch by committee and should be in every game because of that.”

Starter Brandon Cable is a frontrunner to be one of the go-to-guys as he is one of only four seniors on the team. The second-year varsity player is a location pitcher with a decent fastball and a plus curve ball and change-up.

Other pitchers likely to crack the rotation include juniors Jeremy Tache, Daniel Gelman and Jay Woo. Sophomores Rafael Amanau, Danny Cepeda and Tommy Quintero could work their way into seeing more innings as well.

Cepeda, who also plays shortstop, and Amanau, who will man center field, are likely to begin the season as the number three and four hitters in the lineup.

Everglades Gators

2011 Record: 10-10
Head Coach: Oddibe McDowell
Key Returners: Andrew Hernandez, Gabriel Sanchez, Gabriel Tavares, Elijah Walker, Danny Diaz, Lee Ratliff, Ronaldo Nuesi, Carlos Montero
Newcomers to Watch: Adam Murray, Elias Macias
Team Strengths: Hitting, speed

Our season will be a success if….

“We execute on the base paths and execute moving runners into scoring position.”

In the swamp, Everglades will again be led by coach and newly inducted College Baseball Hall of Famer Oddibe McDowell, who starred at Arizona State before going on to play in the major leagues from 1985 to 1994, mostly with the Texas Rangers.

McDowell describes his Gators as “scrappy.”

The rotation will be headed by junior left-handed pitcher Adam Murray, who throws a fastball, curve and change-up, and junior Andrew Hernandez, who has been a dependable innings eater.

“He [Murray] is a typical lefty from his makeup with his ‘Go-get-’em, here-it-is’ type mentality,” McDowell said. “He [Hernandez] is a workhorse. He’s got a strong work ethic and desire.”

Others who may figure into the rotation include Omar Massiah, Lee Ratliff, Alex Maclao, Carlos Montero and Jeffrey Spardy. But McDowell and the coaching staff are still feeling out all options.

Offensively, the power hitting is likely to come from senior outfielders Gabriel Sanchez and Gabe Tavares and junior pitchers/third basemen Anthony Dos Santos and Hernandez.

McDowell pointed out that Dos Santos has probably been the most improved player since last season. Of note is his hard work, baseball IQ and patience.

Flanagan Falcons

2011 Record: 22-3
Head Coach: Ray Evans
Key Returners: Andres Sanchez, Jose Mesa Jr., Michael Emigh
Newcomers to Watch: Ricky Sanchez, Ryan Dodge, Andres Visbal, Ismael Reyes, Benito Santiago, AJ Munoz, Gentry Fortuna
Team Strengths: Pitching

Something people not around your program need to know about your team?

“We have sons of two former major league players.”

Fresh off a 22-win season and a regional finals appearance in which the Falcons lost a heartbreakingly close 7-6 game to Park Vista, the mission remains the same for the Flanagan baseball: Make another run at a state championship.

Coach Ray Evans’ career tournament record speaks for itself.

Since he took the helm at Flanagan in 2004, the Falcons have gone 22-4 in the postseason with three state titles (2005, 2006 and 2010).

Success for the 2012 cast begins and ends with its starting rotation. Evans believes it will be the strength of his pitching staff that will push the team over the top.

Polished pitchers at the top include right-hander Jose Mesa Jr., who has already signed with Seminole State College of Sanford, and southpaw Mike Emigh (Florida Atlantic University signee).

Mesa, whom Evans nicknamed “Big Dog,” throws heat with pitches reaching into the lower 90s and also features a slider, change-up and cutter. Emigh is primarily a three-pitch guy (fast, curve and change).

“When Mesa is on, nobody can touch him,” Evans said. “He’s very difficult to hit because of the movement that he’s able to put on the ball.”

Others who could see time on the mound are senior right-hander Ismael Reyes (who has received some interest from Division II and JUCO schools) and freshman right-hander Gentry Fortuna.

Expect Flanagan to still be a very capable hitting team, too.

Senior shortstop Andres Sanchez, sophomore first baseman and HSBN/Power Showcase home run derby champion Ryan Dodge, senior catcher Rick Sanchez, sophomore left fielder Benito Santiago and Mesa were noted by Evans as his top power hitters.

“You can expect to see quality baseball from us,” Evans said. “We’re not going to do a whole lot of talking though. We’ll let our play do that for us.”

Miramar Patriots

2011 Record: 3-17
Head Coach: Mario Rodriguez
Key Returners: Gustavo Simeon, Kyle Capers, Felix Salto, Edward Sanchez
Newcomers to Watch: Michael Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez, Edwardo Fully
Team Strengths: Defense

Something people not around your program need to know about your team?

“A bunch of young guys that work hard every day.”

Miramar coach Mario Rodriguez says he has never felt like the deprived stepchild in the Patriots’ family of sports programs.

In light of the schools’ successes in other sports such as state championship football team and solid seasons from the boys basketball team, Rodriguez said the school is always behind him in showing their support.

While Rodriguez admits that it is difficult for the team to compete, the team’s spirit has remained high.

One of the reasons is the attitude that senior first baseman/ace pitcher Gustavo Simeon has presented to the young Patriots who have eight freshmen on the team.

“The kids look up to him,” Rodriguez said of Simeon. “He doesn’t yell at the guys. He explains. He teaches. He’s been with me the longest. It looks like he’s always having fun. And it rubs off on the other guys. It’s not just about ‘Oh, you won today or you lost today.’ It’s not about that. You play hard and hopefully, we can put it together and maybe beat one or two of these really good teams. You never know.”

Other key contributors expect to be junior second baseman Felix Salto, who is a three-year starter, and junior left fielder Nick Moreno, who Evans describes as “smart and baseball savvy.”

Rodriguez explained to his team that a team of 18-year-olds is supposed to beat a team of 14-year-old players most of the time, so it’s important to stay positive.

“It’s a learning progress,” Rodriguez said. “You know, the bell curve. You have to find little things to stay positive. If I can keep these kids together at least until their junior year, I think we’re going to be very competitive.”

West Broward Bobcats

2011 Record: 11-11
Head Coach: Sergio Ambros
Key Returners: Tyler Draughon, Mark McGinnity, Mike Mordente, Gio Ruiz, Alex Zapata, Austin Gray, Luigi Perez, Danny Pardo, Russell Young
Newcomers to Watch: Chris Lopez, Matt Hardy, Cody Newell, Mark Mendez, Xavier Beltran
Team Strengths: Senior class, infield, starting pitching

Something people not around your program need to know about your team?

“Their commitment to do the right things on and off the field all the time.”

Sergio Ambros had been a two-year assistant coach with West Broward before taking last season off in order to be able to attend more of his son’s college baseball games at Anderson College in South Carolina.

Now, with his son back in town vying to play for Broward College, Ambros is not only back in Broward County but enters as the new head coach of the Bobcats.

“It’s a paradise to me,” Ambros said. “It’s the perfect job. We’re one of the up-and-coming programs. There are lot of feeder programs in the area, and this presents such a great opportunity because of that.”

Experience will be telling for West Broward as the Bobcats come armed with 10 seniors and 10 juniors on this year’s roster.

Among them are pitchers Alex Zapata and Austin Gray. More big game experience follows with seniors Tyler Draughon.

Draughon has the ability to confound hitters with his change in arm angles and mixture of pitches while Gray relies upon a plus fastball and sweeping curveball.

Hitting wise, three-year starters Mike Mordente (senior shortstop) and Mark McGinnity (senior first baseman/third baseman) are anticipated to be among Broward County’s best.

The road block over the previous seasons has been Flanagan, who has eliminated West Broward in the regional semifinals each of the last two years.

But Ambros sees the entire district as very competitive.

“There are a lot of up-and-coming teams in our district,” Ambros said. “And there is a lot of talent here. You could see it with Western. Cypress Bay is challenging. Everglades and Miramar are competitive. If everything works out for us, we could see Flanagan four times this season.”

Western Wildcats

2011 Record: 10-10
Head Coach: Paul Barnes
Key Returners: Max Balter, Zack Brown, Lucas Carman, David Carty, Tyler Fichter, Nick Flesner, Tyler Handt, Cameron Hester, Ryan Gabriel
Newcomers to Watch: Anthony Bologna, Domenico Coppolone, Mack Hessney, Austin Reed
Team Strengths: Balanced lineup, pitching depth

Our season will be a success if….

“Our young players have a quick learning curve.”

Enter new coach Paul Barnes for the Western Wildcats.

The 28-year-old had been an assistant for Western from 2002 through 2006 and made a return to that post last season. This will be his first head coaching gig.

Optimism reigns strong when Barnes discussed his arms by saying that he has at least four guys that he can turn to as possible starting pitchers and another three in the bullpen that have gained his trust.

Senior pitcher Cameron Hester throws in the mid 80s and also features a change-up and curve ball.
Junior Austin Reed is the hardest thrower on the team. Junior Anthony Bologna is up on varsity for the first time and features a mixtures of pitches. And Zack Brown could make the fourth spot in the rotation. In the bullpen, Tyler Van Nostrand fits a niche of being the only left-handed pitcher available.

As far as fielding is concerned, Barnes likes how the defense sets up the middle for the team.

“Our middle is probably our biggest strength,” Barnes said. “Our catcher, middle infielder and our center fielder have good speed, good arms and are outstanding athletes.”

Among them are junior catcher Ryan Gabriel, second baseman Mack Hessney, shortstop Max Balter and center fielder Tyler Fichter.

Offensively, the team will turn to senior right fielder Lucas Carman, who has displayed home-run power and a strong arm in the field.

“I think this year our guys are a lot more serious about trying to win,” Carman said. “Over the last couple of years, we kind of forgot what we were trying to do out here. I think there’s a lot of talent on this team so we should have a good shot at it [the district championship].

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