Mavericks Looking To Stand Alone On State Title Pedestal

Archbishop McCarthy accomplished something last year that only one program in the history of high school baseball in Florida had ever achieved: winning three straight state titles. The Mavericks have become the model of consistency in Broward County, and fans of the team, here is a little secret: The Mavericks have the talent to win it all again this year.

Each season, Archbishop graduates some of the top players not only in the county, but in the nation, and last year was no different. The Mavericks lost their co-aces, Andre Martinez and Nick Travieso, both drafted last June. The team also lost starting third baseman Brandon Roberts, shortstop Nick Basto, second baseman Jason Morozowski, pitchers Ryan Castellanos and David Thompson, along with several other role players. Not many teams can overcome that type of loss and come back ready to defend their title.

The Mavericks, however, are not an ordinary team. They have established themselves as elite, and it is that mentality that has players believing every year should be a championship season.

“I’ve been on varsity since my freshman year,” said returning catcher Mike Hernandez, one of the players who Archbishop will turn to this season for veteran leadership. “Each year, we have had a new set of leaders that have grown into the role by watching the players that came before them. It’s a standard of excellence that we all expect year after year, and this year is no different. It’s our turn now to lead, but the expectation of a championship does not change.”

The architect of the past three state titles has been Rick Bielski. The Mavericks manager has put a system in place that stays constant year after year, and much of the Mavericks success comes from a coaching staff that has been together throughout the title runs. The consistency is something that cannot be overlooked in the championship formula.

“Having these guys with me has really made everything work,” said Bielski. “The players get familiar with the message that is being delivered, and after a while, it became the players delivering the message. When it gets to a point where the players know what to expect from each coach, and they become extensions of us coaches, it makes practices and game day run really smooth. There’s no doubt the coaching consistency is a major part of our success.”

What the coaches will be dealing with this year is a big turnover in starting players. Hernandez behind the plate, Brian Gonzalez at first base and on the mound, Jose Quintana, Eddie Silva, and Ryan Sinzenich are the players who return with the most experience, and that will be a challenge for Bielski.

“Each year, it’s a different team,” Bielski explained. “Three years ago, we had a big hitting team. Two years ago, we had strong pitching and hitting, and last year, we relied heavily on our pitchers and timely hitting. This year, it could be a combination again, as we have some pop in our lineup, and we have arms that could develop nicely on the mound.”

One of those arms has been developing for the past two years. Gonzalez will assume the role of team ace in 2013, but he is no stranger to pressure. Gonzalez pitched as a freshman and sophomore in the state final four, and served as the team’s closer last season. Gonzalez figures to be the next in what is becoming a long line of Maverick pitchers who receive interest from major league scouts.

“For me, not much will change this season,” said Gonzalez. “From the time you start here as a freshman, the coaches prepare you for the pressure. We play a tough schedule every year, and every game is a battle. When you’re number is called, it’s time to step up, and this year, it’s my turn to step into that leader role. Everything that Dre (Andre Martinez) and Travi (Nick Travieso) taught me last year, I’m going to apply and pass that knowledge on to the younger players.”

The pitching staff right now has undetermined roles behind Gonzalez. Aaron Soto, a transfer from Monsignor Pace in Miami, Andres Nunez, Jason Stettner and Quintana will compete for the number two spot, with one of them also eventually emerging as the closer.

Offensively, Sinzenich will be counted on along with Gonzalez to anchor the middle of the lineup. Silva, currently the team’s starting shortstop, and his middle infield partner, Alex Rodriguez, are also expected to provide a spark.

Another transfer, junior Brandon Vicens, who came over from another state champion, American Heritage, will play the outfield and will be counted on to provide depth to the lineup.

“Our offense should be pretty good,” said Gonzalez. “I like what we have on the defensive side, and I believe we will have a great shot to do what the teams before us have done. As long as we focus on the details, and we all do our job, I don’t see much of a drop-off.”

The scariest part for the rest of the county and the state in 2013 is the majority of the team’s top players are only juniors, making it realistic that the Mavericks could be in the middle of the most remarkable run in state history.

Before they get too far ahead of themselves, however, the Mavericks will have to navigate a tough schedule, as they do every year. This season, Archbishop will be facing seven teams that finished the season in the MiamiDadeHighSchoolBaseball.com Power Rankings. The Mavs will also face top teams from Palm Beach and have their first-ever match-up with crosstown power Flanagan in a BHSB Game of the Week on April 13th.

“That’s a game we’ve been trying to get for a long time,” said Bielski, who credited BHSB for arranging the game. “That’s going to be a great atmosphere, and it’s against a team with a deep history of winning, much like us, so it should be a lot of fun.”

Despite the tough schedule, Bielski sees no reason why this team cannot duplicate the extraordinary feats of the past three teams.

“It’s been a lot of fun these past few years, and we all are hoping to keep the ball rolling,” said Bielski. “There’s a lot of work still to be done, but I like where we are at. It’s just a matter of executing the game plan and trusting the preparation. If we do that, we will be where we want to be at the end.”

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