HSBN Game Of The Week: Calvary at CS Christian

One of the top small-school district rivalries in Broward County will be put in the spotlight Saturday as Coral Springs Christian and Calvary Christian face off in an HSBN Broward Game of the Week.

The Game of the Week concept was created by HSBN with the intention of raising money for the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation, while also giving fans something to get excited about each week.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be playing in one of these games,” Crusaders Manager Matt Cleveland said. “Our kids are excited for the opportunity. When I was approached about it, I was excited about the opportunity. It’s great that it’s against one of our big rivals and one of the biggest games of the year. Our games against Calvary are always fun and always great games.”

Calvary likewise is excited for the chance to play in an HSBN Game of the Week.

“I felt like it was a good thing for our program,” Eagles Manager Gregg Mucerino said. “We’re happy to be included and be a part. We have a good respect for them.”

Cleveland said big crowds regularly come out for the District 3A-14 match-up, and having it billed as an HSBN Game of the Week should only create more of a draw.

“There will be a lot of hype around this game, and we have been trying to teach our team to keep it between the lines and not get caught up in all the stuff outside of the fence,” Cleveland said. “It’s a constant battle because they are high school kids, but it will be another learning experience for us.”

Cleveland said although his players are “excited and also honored” to play in a Game of the Week, the team hasn’t been able to focus on it just yet. The Crusaders have three games before then and don’t look past the game that’s ahead.

“I am sure that when the 16th comes they will be excited and ready to go,” Cleveland said.

The coaches and players know each other well, adding another element to the match-up.

“Matt and I are friends. [Steve] Carp and I coached together,” Mucerino said. “Our players know each other. We’re familiar with what each might do or try to do. They do a great job. We have a good health competition with them. It’s been good. In the past, we seem to do better in the regular season than final game of the season. There’s no bitter rivalry. We have a health respect for them, and think they feel the same about us.”

Cleveland said no matter the differences in the teams, the games are always are battles.

“Calvary is always well prepared and plays hard and smart until the last out,” Cleveland said. “Coach Mucerino does a tremendous job of getting his team ready, so it’s always a challenge playing against those guys.”

Touki Toussaint (2-1, 31 Ks, 0.41 ERA, 17 IP), Devin Meyer (3-1, 33 Ks, 0.33 ERA, 21 IP), and Eric Hepple (2-0, 0.58 ERA, .360 BA, nine RBIs) are three solid starting pitchers for the Crusaders, and Colin Taylor (1-0, 16 Ks, 1.08 ERA, 13 IP) and Ricky Miranda () have done well in relief.

Offensively, the team has gotten contributions from different people at different times, led by catcher Benito Santiago (.357 BA, team-leading 11 RBIs).

“We have done a good job of scoring runs when we really need them, but we need to be more consistent,” Cleveland said.

Defensively, Springs Christian is solid up the middle with James Buckley at short stop, Abraham Alejandro at second and Toussaint in center field, anchored by Santiago behind the plate, who has thrown out seven of nine batters.

NSU commit Andrew Liberty (2-0, 14 Ks, 13.1 IP, .320 BA, nine runs) has been pacing the Eagles in the third spot in the line-up as well as on the mound. Andrew Gottfied (2-1, 19 Ks, 0.00 ERA, 14 IP, .409 BA), Nick Kumar (.520 BA, team-leading 11 RBIs), Stephen Barnett (eight runs) and Luke Poirier (.455 BA) also have been top contributors.

“Everyone is doing a little bit, and we’re happy with that,” Mucerino said.

Although Calvary Christian still is deciding on who will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, the Crusaders have made their choice: Nura Zanna, a senior basketball player who is the school’s all-time leading scorer and was recently named Player of the Year in Broward County by the Sun Sentinel. He is headed to play ball at Long Island University.

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