Seniors Lead The Calvary Nine

This is the third year together for the impressive core of the Calvary Christian Academy Eagles. Manager Gregg “Moose” Mucerino has seven seniors returning for their final high school season. He is excited at the prospect of his elder troops leading the Eagles into a tough district slate. The Eagles had a tough year last year, going(10-16 and 2-10 in District 4A-14. Now the veterans are ready to give it another go.

“Our strength is our senior leadership,” Mucerino articulated, “The seniors are all good kids, they have good continuity and excellent chemistry.”

Winn Allen is one of the core seniors. He plays several positions in the infield and may be called upon to pitch, if the situation arises. Allen hit for a strong .353 batting average and can steal a base when needed. Nick Benevento returns for his senior season. Benevento hit .307 last year and showed some pop with two home runs and 13 RBIs.

These two embody what the Eagles need to do. Mucerino preaches to his squad the need to be aggressive and keep that aggressive edge throughout the game.

“Our goal is to be more competitive this year,” Mucerino added, “We are in a tough district and we expect to be aggressive and compete in the district.”

That competitive nature can be seen in senior utility player Colin Majewski, who will play several different positions during the year. Wherever he is slotted, he will perform well. Majewski drove in 12 runners last year, many of them with clutch at-bats.

Starting catcher Jonah Carrigan will handle the talented pitching staff. Carrigan, in his final high school season, has a strong arm which will keep opposing runners at bay. Mucerino expects a super season from senior Josh Lane. Lane is a solid fielder, good with the bat and will also steal some bases. Lane will also play several positions and exemplifies the Eagles’ team concept.

“We are a strong unit,” Lane said. “We play for each other. We always build each other up. We have a team-first mentality.”

Rounding out the seven core seniors are Tommy Taborda and Andrew Gottfried. These two will be the dual aces for Mucerino’s Eagles. They had strong seasons a year ago and expect even better performances this year. Taborda had the lowest earned run average in the district last year at 0.66, and Gottfried can bring the heat. He averaged more than one strikeout per inning for a total of 53 strike outs last year. That total ranked fourth in the district.

These guys can also hit. Gottfried hit.368 and moved well on the base paths, grabbing 10 stolen bases. Taborda showed excellent bat speed at a recent practice and has the ability to spray the ball around, depending on the situation.

The seniors will get some support from the newly arrived Tommy Orr. Orr is a junior who has transferred to Calvary, and he will be an impact player.

Mucerino also has his coaching staff back from last year. This includes Mark Klein, a former pitcher drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. Klein uses his pitching background to hone the skills of the Eagles’ pitching staff. Mucerino also has veteran manager Bobby Lawson, back on staff from last year. Lawson helps Mucerino keep the Calvary nine on their toes.

The Eagles have strong senior leadership and play with a unified vision. They also have the support of a solid coaching staff. They exhibit the aggressiveness that Murcerino instills in their daily routine. This bodes well for the Calvary Christian team and makes them a team to watch in the tough District 4A-14.

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