4A-14 District Tournament Preview

Host: University School (at Nova Southeastern University)

Schedule:

Monday April 21st

1:00 PM (5) Coral Springs Charter vs. (4) Pine Crest
4:00 PM (6) Somerset Academy vs. (3) University School
7:00 PM (7) Calvary Christian Academy vs. (2) Chaminade-Madonna

Tuesday April 22nd

4:00 PM 3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner
7:00 PM 4/5 winner vs. (1) North Broward Prep

Thursday April 24th

7:00 PM Championship: TBD

Full Stats for 4A-14 can be found on the 4A-14 Stats Page!

Overview – This is the most impossible district to predict anything. From the lowest seed to the top seed, each of these clubs has proven they can compete against any of the other ones in this group. The result of this reality is some of the most invigorating baseball one could ask for in the playoffs. Since this bunch got placed together a few seasons ago, chaos has ensued every year during district play.

This district does it right with their playoff bracket, where the eventual district champion will have to win three games during the week to gain that crown. The lone exception is the top-seeded North Broward Eagles, who only have to win two games by gaining a big bye in the quarterfinals. This scenario exposes team’s entire rosters, and leaves each club relying on every pitcher and every player to play their part.

Whichever club is fortunate to emerge as this year’s district winner can rest assured knowing they have truly earned this award.

1. North Broward Prep – Relying on depth and playing team baseball has always been a strongpoint for the Eagles. The club is not far removed from its last deep playoff run, and the team has always gotten its best at the end of the season when it matters most. Stability has been a major factor, as the players come up through the system under longtime Manager Brian Campbell.

“The only way to win championships is to have guys who are up to the challenge,” said Campbell. “If you have a bunch of guys on the same page who are working and putting their teammates before they put themselves, that’s when you’ve got something special. We’ve got a group who believes in being their brother’s keepers, and being teammates they want to play with.”

The Eagles have played some very solid baseball this season. The squad took care of business in their very challenging district to come out with the top seed, and meanwhile six of their losses this year have been by two runs or less. They have been in every fight throughout the season and figure to be a very battle-tested team as a result of these constant close tests.

Pitching has been a major asset for the club this season. Not only has the team gotten strong starting pitching, but they have also enjoyed nice depth in being able to rely on as many as five different hurlers, which should leave them with a staff that is fresh and experienced heading into the playoffs.

Stepping up to take the lead role of the staff has been senior Alex Ernestine, who leads the way in innings pitched, strikeouts and wins. The right-hander has toed the rubber for some very big games this year and has proven himself as a reliable go-to option. Cristian Monero has provided a nice compliment as the second starter, giving the Eagles the confidence that they have enough pieces to pitch their way through a playoff series.

The bullpen has been equally effective. Anthony Masiello and Max Tannenbaum have been the main options in relief, with Masiello leading the squad in ERA and WHIP to prove his consistency. Tannenbaum has also been incredibly reliable, coming into many big moments and getting the job done, and he averaged over a strikeout per inning.

The strength of their pitching has helped to ease some of the pressure on an offense that has had its struggles this year. The Eagles have traditionally hit for plenty of power, and this year that trend has continued with 12 team home runs, but they have been less consistent hitting for average. The team has gotten some big hits when they needed them most, and this timely execution has equated perfectly with the pitching that has kept the score down and kept them in every game.

Ernestine also emerged to lead the offense, batting over .400 and leading the team in hits and RBIs while tying for the lead in home runs. Edgar Badaraco and Kevin Thomas have also been big producers at driving runners home, while Jared Schwait has excelled at getting on base and scoring, leading the offense in runs scored. Veterans Hernando Sierra and Brian Fagan also provide experienced bats that know how to move runners, drive guys in and keep the chain moving through the lineup.

The Eagles are still chasing a title in this district, after falling short in last year’s district championship. As the district playoffs approach North Broward has begun to peak and play its best baseball, winning 75% of their games in the second half of the season. It’s a program that has made deep playoff runs in the past and could just be primed for another one this year.

2. Chaminade-Madonna – The Lions are in a nice position in their bracket. They open with a Calvary team that they swept in the regular season, and they would then follow that up with a pair of teams in University and Somerset that they have also found their fair share of success against this year.

When Chaminade plays its style of baseball, it is a tough team to beat. Veteran Manager Mike Moss has typically dialed up the right numbers during the playoffs, and this year he is boosted by a roster full of guys who are eager and hungry to get their first taste at the regional playoffs.

Coach Moss has always preferred to schedule the toughest competition he can find to prepare his players, and this year is another prime example of this approach. Chaminade played many of the toughest teams in the area in non-district play, and although those meetings resulted in the majority of the team’s losses it has tested them properly for the playoffs. Moss never concerns himself with their record, and the fact that they played so well to finish with a 7-5 district mark is plenty of evidence that the preparation did the trick.

The Lions have fallen in the district semifinals each of the past three seasons, and they are hoping this is the year they can make that last push and stamp their spot back into the regional playoffs. This is a team that is equal to the sum of its parts, as the team has gotten big plays from guys up and down the roster when they need it most.

Hitting has come up big for the Lions this year. Senior Danny Vitello has been a leader both in his guidance and tutelage as well as in swinging his bat. The speedy center fielder led the club in hit and runs and has been a sparkplug for the entire offense. Joe Colina and Shane Stockelman have also come up big in getting on base and letting the heavy hitters like Mike Rammuno and Juan Martinez then drive them home.

While the pitching has struggled as a whole, the club has come to rely heavily on Shomari Thomas to be their big-game hurler. The right-hander led the team in victories and tossed nearly half of the innings on the team. Thomas posted a 1.72 ERA and had 51 strikeouts in 61 innings to prove he can toss it by the best of them.

The Lions have not been in this good of a position for sometime, and this could just be the year that they make another deep playoff run. Like every other club in this district, there is plenty reason for optimism after playing the rest of the field so tough all season. Now it will simply be about replicating that success when it matters the most.

3. University School – In his first season at the helm, Suns Manager Dan Rovetto has his squad in a nice position. University failed to advance from the district tournament in the last three years, and this factor should add extra motivation to a club that generally plays with a lot of drive and enthusiasm anyway. Rovetto carries a strong and positive mantra in his daily approach, and his guys have been quick to buy into this line of thinking.

The team has home field advantage in their opening round rematch with Somerset, while in essence they have that advantage in every game in the tournament as the district hosts. Playing on a big college field the like of which they enjoy at Nova Southeastern has its advantages, as the gaps and alleys are a bit unique to most other high school fields these teams are used to playing on.

The Suns played an incredibly tough non-district schedule this season, and that experience could be a major element to lift them back to the regional playoffs. Every game all season long has come against top pitching and talented lineups, and the pressure of the district tournament should not feel all that different to the Suns’ players. The team can also carry lots of confidence in knowing they closed the year out strong to win the majority of their games coming down the stretch.

As Rovetto puts it, the team would be nowhere if it was not for the outstanding pitching they have received this year from team ace Freddie Sultan. The left-hander has been a rock on the mound, and he went the distance in nearly every district contest he pitched in. Sultan led the club in wins, innings pitched, ERA and strikeouts, and he has proven he can handle the tough bats he faces in 4A-14.

“I really have to tip my cap to Fred Sultan, his record does not indicate how good he has been all year,” said Rovetto. “We are not where we are today without Fred Sultan. In my heart, people in Broward County need to understand that we have a special arm here.”

While Sultan has been critical to their success, the club has also come to rely on both Evan McKendry and Jesse Crosno to round out a solid starting rotation. McKendry gives his club a talented number two that is plenty capable of winning big games, while Crosno has been a workhorse both as a starter and also coming out of the bullpen. While the club has used as many as eight pitchers this year, these three have logged the majority of the innings for them.

The strong pitching has helped to keep the Suns in most games, and has taken some of the weight off the shoulders of their young offense. While leaders like Daniel Epstein, Evan McKendry and Crosno have provided quality production at the front end of the order, the overall depth has lacked consistency. The team averaged just over four runs per game, but thankfully that has often been enough to get the victory. The majority of the team’s wins came whenever they scored at least their average.

Pitching and defense has been the key to the Suns success, and it is a long-stated fact that these two elements are the key to winning championships. Now University heads into the district playoffs ready to find out if that fact can continue to ring true for them.

4. Pine Crest – The Panthers have all the pieces they need to win some big playoff games. After a rollercoaster season in which the team played incredibly at times and then was out of sorts at others, the club rallied late in the year to start playing its best baseball. Now they are hoping the peak to this climb will hit right as the playoffs begin.

Pine Crest had an exciting pair of games with Coral Springs Charter during the regular season. After being blanked in a lopsided loss in the first meeting, they bounced back to walk-off with a 2-1 comeback win in the second go around. The most encouraging aspect for both clubs coming out of the series split is that each side used many different pitchers in the two meetings, which means they have all had a chance to see one another and prepare their adjustments for the crucial rubber match.

Hitting has been the driving force for this team. Behind the tutelage of former MLB slugger and first-year Manager Ryan Shealy, the club has walloped 33 home runs as a club. Brady Acton led the way with eight dingers, while Griffin Conine added seven homers as well. The club pounded out extra-base hits with great regularity, and the majority of the starting unit also hit for high averages.

The offense averaged over seven runs per game this season. Conine led the group in hits, RBIs and runs scored to emerge as the nucleus to this dangerous group, while veterans like Matt Rothenberg, Chandler Cissel and Zack Cone have also swung a reliable stick. Jordan Schulefand, Acton and Michael Rothenberg have all done their part to add to this potent lineup.

The ability to score runs has taken the heat off of a pitching staff that has worked to round into form. While the team has built a staff with a lot of depth in handing the ball to as many as 13 different guys throughout the year, it has been the emergence of young left-hander Garret Rukes who has provided the most consistency. Rukes leads the club in strikeouts and ERA, while logging nearly a third of the team’s innings. This frontline leader has allowed the club to supplant veterans Adam Saks and Chris Koppenhaver as their primary relievers, where both have been solid in those roles.

Pine Crest has come a long way with this group over the past few seasons. It is a program that is still looking to make its mark in the playoffs, and this could very well be the season that they do it. When the team gets hot they are as tough to beat as anyone and now they are just looking to stoke that fire and let it burn.

5. Coral Springs Charter – The Panthers enter the district playoffs looking to reignite the early-season spark that saw them out in front of the pack in 4A-14. Charter burst out of the gate this year under new Manager George Mianowksi, but down the stretch the club lost some tight contests to lose their grasp atop the standings. Now the team must shake off those bumps in the road and build off the confidence they have in knowing they have competed well in this tough group.

Their opening-round meeting comes against a feisty Pine Crest team that they split the regular-season meeting with. Charter used five different pitchers in their two meetings, and the chance for their pitchers to get some familiarity with that potent lineup could prove to be crucial heading into the rubber match. As well as Pine Crest hit all season Charter nearly shut them out for the entire 14 innings they played against them, as the only runs allowed were surrendered in the bottom of the seventh in a walk-off 2-1 loss their second time around.

A loss like that typically leaves a sting with any club, and the Panthers are hoping this extra fuel will drive them for some payback.

Offense has been a big part of what the team does well this year, and this includes batting an even .500 against Pine Crest this year. Should the Panthers continue to hit like they are capable of, they just may be able to slug their way past anybody in their district. They team hit well over .300 for the year and pounded out extra-base hits with incredible regularity.

Leading the lineup has been slugger Brandon Laboy, who leads the squad in nearly every offensive category. Laboy has been far from the only dangerous bat in the order, as Joe McChrystal, Ryan Chusid, Scott Stolberg, James Doherty, Budden and Kessinger have all provided major production in this deep and dangerous lineup.

Pitching is the area of expertise of their new manager, and the results have shown in their pitching staff. The squad has several reliable hurlers who are capable of winning big games for them, and the presence of Chris Budden, Tommy Romero and Brent Kessinger gives them enough depth to hold up in a long playoff series.

The back end of the bullpen brings them to reliever Matt Arlick, who did surrender an earned run all season in 11 relief appearances. The road to Arlick includes both Ryker Faircloth and James Doherty, who have been very effective out of the bullpen.

Coral Springs Charter is the defending champion of this district, and now the team must run a gammit against some of the toughest offenses in the district in order to repeat that feat.

6. Somerset Academy – The Panthers are still looking to make their mark in the postseason. After falling short with a veteran club a season ago, the team has returned to the mix every bit as confident and capable of writing a new future for the program’s short history. The squad has a lot of talent and charisma and now they are just hoping they can put everything together and play their best baseball of the year.

Somerset’s opening draw pits them against a University team that they split with during the season. This means both sides know they can beat the other, as well as knowing they can be beaten by them. It is an even pairing with strength against strength, and figures to provide some very exciting baseball to watch.

The biggest advantage that Somerset has is in its depth, where they have a plethora of capable pitchers and dangerous hitters to throw out against any opponent. Manager Onel Garcia has searched all season for the right combination out of their roster, and the team makes it harder to determine that when so many guys have proven that they can produce.

Pitching has been stellar for the Panthers. Starters Alejandro Kan, Anthony Molina and PJ Ximinies have all won some big games for them this year, while John Ham and Mark Bejar have been solid in relief. The experienced newcomer Kan has been the primary guy to toe the rubber in their biggest games, taking on some of the toughest lineups in the county and still posting a 1.90 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched. Molina is a bright young prospect who has already landed on most MLB scouts radar dishes for the Class of 2016, and the freshman has the velocity and accuracy to give him confidence as he finds his way at the varsity level.

While the team has struggled to score runs this year, they have shown plenty of pop in their bats. Part of the low scoring outputs is explained in the talent of the tough pitching they have faced all year, while some has simply been a result of a team that has worked to learn how to play off each other’s strengths. The Panthers have shown they can light up the scoreboard when they get hot, as they piled on big run totals in roughly half of their games this season.

While the big hits have not always come for them, the Panthers have shown plenty of offensive firepower to believe they can get runners on base and at least put themselves in position to make those big hits happen. The team hit just under .300 for the year, as starters Christian Khawly, Mike Van Degna, Juan Teixiera, Kenny Moreno-Costa and John Ham all hit over .300.

The club has been very streaky during the year, with winning streaks of four and five games working to help offset losing streaks of three and five games. With so many new faces added to the mix with a lot of promising new starters who moved up from junior varsity, the club has taken some time to come together. With time running out, Somerset must make that final turn to bring it all together if they are to win and advance.

7. Calvary Christian – The Eagles have the toughest road to the district championship. The team brought a largely young and inexperienced group to the field this year, but through the long course of the season those guys have come along quickly to get the team playing Calvary baseball just at the right time. Now the club hopes they can build some momentum and pull off some upsets to work their way back into the regional playoffs.

“It’s going to be very challenging,” said Manager Gregg Mucerino. “We’re fighting to get there, but until we accomplish something we will still just be fighting to get there like everyone else. I think the team concept is a little thicker than it’s been in the past and that excites me as a coach. We’re excited about what God has brought here now, the new opportunities for the younger guys, and we’ll see how it all plays out.”

Calvary put in a solid season overall to close out just below .500, but the team struggled in their new district in going 2-10 in district play. Yet even though the Eagles were almost always on the wrong end of the scoreboard, they actually played each meeting very close and proved they can compete against the other teams in this bracket. To make a run this postseason, they will need to replicate that level of play.

The biggest challenge for Calvary comes right out of the gate, where it faces a Chaminade team that had the most success against them in 2014. The Lions outscored them 17-0 in their two meetings.

Pitching has been the strength of the Eagles, where veterans Andrew Gottfried and Alec Berizzi have been the workhorses to lead the way. The pair have toed the rubber in many of the Eagles’ biggest match ups this year, putting up solid numbers and keeping their club in most games.

Complimenting these two has been the emergence of Tommy Taborda, who led the team in innings pitched and posted an impressive 0.66 ERA. Taborda has been tough to score on this season, and yet ironically the team has struggled to support his efforts to leave him with an 0-4 mark on the year.

The offense employed a small-ball approach to start the year, but has been able to build off of that as the lineup came around during the season. The hitters have not hit for terrific averages, but have done a nice job of pushing runs across the plate by executing when it was needed the most. As many as four starters finished with double-digit RBI totals, with Colin Majewski leading the team in that department.

Gottfried swung the big bat for the Eagles this year, leading the club in hits, average and extra-base hits. Complimenting these efforts have been guys like Josh Lane, Nick Benevento and Connor Rowland, all of whom have proven their ability to get the job done in big moments.

There is no bigger moment than the playoffs, and now is the time for the Eagles to pull everything together to play their best game of the season. Calvary has to hope their third meeting with the Lions will be the charm. An upset in the quarterfinals would give them plenty of momentum to face the winner on the other side of the bracket, which will be either a Somerset or University squad that the Eagles have played tight games against both with.

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