District 11-8A Preview: Colts Looking For A Three-Peat

The Coral Springs Colts have turned the tables on the district the past two seasons. After going 18 years without producing a district champion, head coach Frank Bumbales finally broke through two seasons ago, coming within one game of the state final four. Last year, Bumbales’ Colts team repeated as district champions, and now heading into the new season, Colts players are searching for the ultimate goal, a state championship.

To get to the promised land, Coral Springs will have to get out of a tough district, with perennial district powerhouse Douglas hot on the heels of the Colts. Douglas has gone through a transition period in the past year, with new coach Todd Fitz-Gerald coming over from American Heritage.

Another new coach has arrived on the scene over at South Plantation. Dominic Campeau’s Paladins move from a district that included McArthur and South Broward, to the 11-8A district this season. Joining them in the district change is Piper. The Bengals have a long history with teams from their new district, as Piper has played both Coral Springs and Douglas in regional games in 2003 and 2004.

Taravella began the school year with new coach Ryan Stuart after Jason Stein moved into the athletic director position at the school. Stein, however, will be back coaching the Trojans this year after a change was made over the holiday break.

Coral Glades came within one touch of home plate of moving on in the district playoffs last season, and while the majority of players involved in the heartbreaking loss have graduated, the returning players from last year’s team are intent on righting what they feel was a judgement error.

Although Coral Springs and Douglas receive most of the headlines, it was Deerfield, and not Douglas, that advanced to regional play last season. The Bucks will try to build on a season in which they exceeded expectations at the end by upsetting not only Coral Glades but Douglas as well in the district tournament.

Below is a preview of the upcoming season for District 11-8A teams.

Coral Springs Colts

2011 Record: 17-6
Head Coach: Frank Bumbales
Key Returners: Lewis Brinson, Alan Sharkey, Dylan Ebel, Aaron Maller, Dalton Wolchick, Austin Nelson, Cole Bumbales, Brett Schneider, Jonny Ortiz
Newcomers to Watch: Jordan Gleicher, Tre Dingus, Joey Silvani, Michael Montalvo, Vinny Cerullo
Team Strengths: Pitching depth, team defense, situational hitting, experience

Our season will be a success if….

“All of the seniors we have play to their capabilities and put all of the hard work from the last four years into action.”

Coral Springs is the most veteran team in the district. The Colts have won back-to-back district titles, and the majority of the seniors have been playing varsity since their freshman year. This version of the Colts squad has many accolades to its credit over the past three years, but the one accomplishment it has failed to attain is a state title.

“Being that this is their senior year, many of these guys know this is it, that there is no more time to go back,” assistant coach Mike Federman said. “Now has to be their time more than ever.”

Federman and the Colts coaching staff have been around this group for four years, and sometimes that can be a challenge. Federman understands that the coaches have to keep things fresh and used a C-word that several Colts players mentioned during our visit.

“We have to keep the practice schedule different from day to day so they don’t get complacent,” Federman said. “We’re going to give them something a little different each day and try to keep them focused.”

With many Colts expected to move on to college ball after this season, the player who Coral Springs will rely on the most is also the one that has major league scouts drooling. Lewis Brinson is expected to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and with that attention comes pressures that most normal high school players do not have to worry about.

Brinson spoke of how this Colts team has worked hard this offseason to get closer as a unit, pointing to frequent dinner outings as a way the team is attempting to bond. He also spoke of the pressures that weighed him down over the summer and the constant attention from scouts.

“I talk to my mom a lot, my uncles. I’m trying to block it out of my mind,” Brinson said. “I had a lot of that over the summer, and I wasn’t used to it. Right now, I just want to get past that and focus on one goal, and that’s winning a state championship.”

Coral Glades Jaguars

2011 Record: 10-11
Head Coach: Jorge Miranda
Key Returners: Alex Kline (LHP), Frank Rodriguez (1B/DH), Tyler Steiner (C)
Newcomers to Watch: Jacob Melton (RHP/2B), Nick Diaz (SS), Devon Crocker (OF), Zach Sands (RHP/OF)
Team Strengths: Pitching
Team Weaknesses: Hitting, power, inexperience

Our season will be a success if….

“Alex Kline can pitch like he did last year when he was one of the
better pitchers in the county. Our defense steps up and if our
inexperience players mature quickly.”

The Jaguars have been battling the past several seasons for the third position in the district. If they are going to make a jump into the top two spots and contend for a district title, they will have to get a repeat performance from their ace Alex Kline, who finished last season with an 0.90 ERA in 31 innings.

“We’re a young team, so what coach likes to say, ‘grind it out,'” Kline said. “We’re going to grind it out every day, and I think we’re gonna pull out more wins than people expect.”

One of the few players who was part of last year’s squad, Kline joined Tyler Steiner and Francisco Rodriguez in addressing the team shortly after their heartbreaking loss to Deerfield, and coach Jorge Miranda noticed the new leadership roles.

“After we were done with that game last year, I was really proud of my guys, because they went through a roller-coaster of emotions in the span of about a minute,” Miranda said. “Alex, Francisco, and Tyler, they’re like three coaches. They lead by example. They stepped up the minute we got off the bus last year after that Deerfield loss, and they have continued that leadership this season.”

Offensively, Rodriguez is coming off a year in which he hit .348 with 20 RBI. Coral Glades will need the first baseman to again anchor an offense that is expected to be among the youngest in the county.

Steiner will be behind the dish for the Jags, and he too understands that poise will be a key to having a successful season.

“We need to just try not to get rattled. Sometimes, when one thing goes wrong, we get rattled quick. We need to just come out and relax, and if something goes wrong, know that we can make up for it. We have good pitching this year, and lineup-wise, we can be pretty good.”

Deerfield Beach Bucks

2011 Record: 6-16
Head Coach: Scott Bragg
Key Returners: Luis Matias (CF, Sr.), Joey Ursetti (P, Sr.), Nick Miller (P, Sr.), Evan Wieder (OF, Sr.), Keenan Smith (P/2B, Sr.), Andre Campbell (SS, Sr.), Brian Johnson Jr. (1B, Jr.), Ramon Zorrilla (C, Sr.), Kurt Hardy (3B/DH, Jr.), JP Holgerson (3B/DH, Jr.), Mike Whittingham (P, Jr.)
Newcomers to Watch:Mitchell Carol (P/SS, Fr.), Kyle Miller (P, Fr.), Cezzane Omar (P, Fr.)
Team Strengths: Return entire pitching staff
Team Weaknesses: Offensive power

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

“You better be ready because you never know what kind of team is going to show up.”

With a dozen players returning from the team that went to the regionals last season, Deerfield is hoping to continue the success they had towards the end of last year. The Bucks went into the district playoffs with a record of 4-14. With many counting them out, Deerfield beat Coral Glades in the district quarterfinals and then stunned a 16-4 Douglas team to advance.

Back for another run at a district title is the entire Bucks pitching staff. In the playoffs, that staff gave up only four runs to Douglas, and two runs in the district final against Coral Springs. The young guns will be helped by having a strong leader at shortstop in Andre Campbell. The senior stole seven bases last year, and coupled with Luis Matias, gives the Bucks a decent amount of speed on the bases.

“We just have to make all the plays, stick with the fundamentals,” Campbell said. “Get people on base, move them over. This year, we have some young kids, and they are just going to have to step up.”

On the mound, Deerfield will rely on Joey Ursetti. The senior posted a 3.86 ERA and struck out 46 batters in 49 innings. Nick Miller will give the Bucks a formidable one-two punch on the hill. Miller had 13 appearances as a junior, compiling an ERA of 4.02.

Douglas Eagles

2011 Record: 16-5
Head Coach: Todd Fitz-Gerald
Key Returners: Colton Bottomley (OF), Alec Dowell (OF), Jonathan Lipinski (1B/RHP), Brandon Dreichler (RHP), Jon Valek (LHP), Chris Pannell (3B), Evan Leyva (C), Luis Silverio (SS)

Newcomers to Watch:Derek Fritz (C), Austin Kramer (RHP), KJ Mayo (2B), Ryan Rudolph (SS), Jake Lennartz (LHP), Tommy Lamers (OF/C)

Team Strengths: Deep pitching staff, loaded with overall team speed
Team Weaknesses: Defense

Our season will be a success if….

“We take it one day at a time, one pitch at a time and stay within
ourselves and not try to do any more than what we are capable of
doing. Play together as a unit.”

Douglas is a team that had dominated the district up until two seasons ago. Although Coral Springs has wrestled the district title away from Douglas in those two seasons, the Eagles have not exactly fallen off the map. Two years ago, Douglas advanced to the regional semifinals and lost to their rivals from Coral Springs.

Last year, Douglas was a team that appeared on the verge of a national ranking, until the wheels came off. The Eagles started 16-1, but after former head coach Dean Florio was thrown out of a game at Coral Springs and subsequently suspended for six weeks, Douglas could not keep from unraveling.

Florio was removed from the head coaching position shortly after the Eagles season ended with an upset loss to Deerfield. Enter former American Heritage coach Todd Fitz-Gerald. The new coach, a Coral Springs native, immediately stepped into one of the most heated rivalries in the district. Fitz-Gerald believes a new style will help the Eagles flourish this season.

“We implemented a little bit more structure, a high tempo pace in practice, got the guys believing in themselves a little bit more,” Fitz-Gerald said. “The physical components are there for this team, it’s just the mental side of it for them, to be able to overcome things that don’t go their way.”

Fitz-Gerald again has a plethora of talent to work with, much like he did at Heritage. Returning offensively are Colton Bottomley, Alec Dowell, Chris Pannell, Evan Leyva and Luis Silvero. Bottomley led the team with eight home runs, while Pannell and Silvero hit .325 and .300, respectively.

John Valek, Jonathan Lipinski, and Brandon Dreichler will do most of the heavy lifting on the mound. Valek had a sub-three ERA, and Lipinski contributed with a 3.32 ERA. Dreichler could be the wild card for the Eagles, having pitched only 18.1 innings last year but posting a stellar 1.15 ERA.

As for getting over the hump and finally taking down their nemesis crosstown rivals, Pannell put it best.

“I thought physically, we have been step for step just as good as they (Coral Springs) are,” Pannell said. “It just came down to our mindset. We didn’t play with a sense of urgency, and that is being stressed this year.”

Piper Bengals

2011 Record: 12-9
Head Coach: Chris Costanzo
Key Returners: Colby Costanzo, Mikey Morejon, Andre Williams, Chris Rodriguez, Kharlin Sued
Newcomers to Watch: Zach Crosno, Zachary Costanzo, Jarred Hammer, Jesse Croons, Gio Alamo, Chase Perry, Cody Stauble
Team Strengths: Defense, pitching
Team Weaknesses: Speed, inexperience

Our season will be a success if….

“We pitch well and play good defense.”

The Bengals are one of two teams that will move over to a new district this season. Piper has been shuffled back and forth between two districts for the past decade. Last year, they resided in a district that had them competing with McArthur, South Plantation, and South Broward. While the Paladins have moved with the Bengals to the new district, the other teams have been replaced with the likes of Douglas and Coral Springs.

To compete in a district that is strong from top to bottom, Piper will have to get a strong year from ace Colby Costanzo. The Bengals ace was 4-3 with a 2.87 ERA last season. Additionally, Costanzo’s bat will be key for a lineup that returns only three starters. Mikey Morejon hopes to top his .345 average from last season, and sophomore catcher Chris Rodriguez is expected to figure more prominently in the lineup.

“We’re going to be young,” assistant coach and Piper alumni Tommy Collaro said. “We should pitch real well, but we are going to have to manufacture runs. It’s a tougher district than we were in last year, and these guys are going to have to step up.”

Gone from the Bengals lineup are players who produced eight of the team’s nine home runs last season. Replacing the power will be difficult, but Piper is hoping that its young players will execute enough defensively to allow the team to compete for a district title.

“We’re not a power team,” Collaro said. “We need to put balls in play, and we have a little speed, so we have to just use that speed and try to work the ball around the yard.”

South Plantation

2011 Record: 11-11
Head Coach: Dominic Campeau
Key Returners: Sal Rodriguez, Bryan Llorente
Newcomers to Watch: Zach Zirbes, Ryan Terrill
Team Strengths: Speed
Team Weaknesses: Defense

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

“We’re not the most talented bunch, but we will play blue-collar, hard-nose baseball.”

Another team making the move to a new district, South Plantation will do so with a new head coach as well. Dominic Campeau takes over a Paladins program that is fresh off a regional appearance. Campeau has inherited a young team, with several starters from last year having either graduated or transferred.

The goals for South Plantation will be simple, make enough plays defensively to keep them in games, and then try to steal games at the end. Their new coach understands that there will be growing pains along the way, and that creating a winning tradition is a process.

“We have some talent, but we’re very young,” Campeau said. “We need to get them into that baseball routine, where they all know what’s going on and they all work on their individual skills, and then eventually, we can start to reach our goals as a program.”

Campeau will not have many players with experience to rely on, with Sal Rodriguez as the only returning starter. Rodriguez will be the team’s starting shortstop and emotional leader, and he likes what he sees so far from his new coach.

“There is a lot of good things going on with coach Campeau,” Rodriguez said. “We are really working on our field, doing a lot of fundraising, which we didn’t do in the past. We have a lot of new equipment, we work hard at practice, a lot of things are changing, and they are all positive.”

Taravella Trojans

2011 Record: 11-11
Head Coach: Jason Stein

Jason Stein thought last year would be his last as the head coach at Taravella. Stein made the decision last summer to give up coaching and move into the role of athletic director for the Trojans. In doing so, Stein turned the program over to his longtime assistant Ryan Stuart.

After Stuart ran the fall program at the school, Taravella decided to make a change. The details of the coaching change are unknown, with the school and Stuart remaining mum on the situation, but out of the change came something constant, Stein back at the helm for the Trojans this season.

“The kids are working hard, that’s all I can ask,” said Stein, when asked about how the players are handling the sudden coaching change. “We pretty much teach similar stuff. He (Stuart) was my assistant for a number of years. The kids are doing the best they can. There’s always an adjustment period, but, they’re doing what we ask.”

The players, themselves, do not see much difference between the program they ran in the fall, and the one they are adjusting to now.

“There really isn’t much change,” senior Greg Feinberg said. “Other than who’s telling us what to do, it’s a lot of the same stuff. Our goals are still the same, win as many games as we can and then progress through districts as far as we can go.”

Feinberg will be one of only a few players who return for the Trojans. Another is senior first baseman Andrew Wallach, who believes that his team’s strengths could help them in the new era of high school baseball.

“We just want to play defense, you know, with the new bats, it’s going to be rough hitting for many teams. We understand that, and our goal is to pitch and play defense. We have the pitching, and if we make plays defensively, I thing we’ll be alright.”

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