Nova Molding The Next Group Of Leaders For Season Ahead

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It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that ended the season for the Nova Titans last year. After taking a lead over rival St. Thomas Aquinas with a two-run home run on their final swings in the top of the seventh inning, a sudden pounding rain storm forced stoppage and eventually led to the game reverting back to the final completed inning. The Raiders claimed the victory and the Titans’ season ended in that regional semifinal.

The aftermath made headlines. The school appealed to no avail, and a lawsuit seeking an injunction on behalf of the players was also unsuccessful. A heated rivalry only grew stronger as both sides lamented on the fairness of the situation.

Not to be lost in the wake of events was the way the team handled itself. Upon learning the result of the ruling the players managed to stay together, to handle themselves with class and to represent their school in an honorable manner.

“That’s how you have to be; it’s high school baseball,” Titans manager Pat McQuaid said. “The rule was in place and I knew the rule. Trying to explain that to 40 kids that gave their heart and soul was tough. But the kids handled it as well as you can expect teenage kids to handle it. Sometimes in high school sports you do not see that sportsmanship anymore. It could have been ugly, and I think it tells me that they still respect me and I am still a leader. Maybe you want to jump up and down and scream a little bit, but I couldn’t do that because it is high school baseball. I was disappointed, but still proud of the kids.”

A year later the club has moved on and focused on the season ahead.

The Titans like to use the fall to give everybody a chance to play. Once they are into the season they play their set lineup, but in the fall they want to give kids chances because there are always going to be surprises. Guys also get the chance to practice at multiple positions, all the catchers get work and all the pitchers throw. The fall is the chance for coaches to evaluate so they know what they can and cannot do and what they need to work on and who the best kids are. This fall was one of those years that everybody got opportunities.

“Every team is going to be different,” McQuaid said. “It depends on how our older kids gel and if they seize their opportunity. We haven’t really played yet and identified where people are going to be, but we’re going to have a lot of young kids pushing our older kids who had to sit and wait their turn. So that could either really flourish or there could be some friction there. We’re going to make mistakes and we have to let them grow through those mistakes.”

A staple of Nova baseball has always been to have a frontline starter for the biggest games. With so many newer guys in the mix that role is still up for grabs. Returning senior veterans Colbie O’Donnell and James Spatafora are competing with newer guys such as Jake Trodik, Dylan Kahn, Trace Moore and Julio Diaz. Senior infielder Scott Shaw has also been working to fill a role as a reliever.

O’Donnell has the most varsity experience after being the only junior pitching significant innings. The senior right-hander is using that experience to motivate him to keep working hard and earn the lead role on the staff. He knows what is expected in that role and he believes he can handle that responsibility.

“When I’m on the mound I have to get strikeouts and get the ball in play so that my teammates behind me can get the outs for me,” O’Donnell said. “I have to have confidence in myself to throw strikes and also in my teammates around me to get those critical outs and those diving plays up the middle and stuff like that. I have always been a confident kid but I don’t think that plays as much a role as in not getting myself down. If I walk a kid and coach is yelling to me from the dugout, I just have to listen, relax and do what I have been doing.”

McQuaid says that they are all in the low eighties, so they have to develop a breaking pitch and throw strikes.

“The best pitch in baseball is a strikeout,” McQuaid said. “If we put a kid on the mound that strikes out 10 then we only have to field 11 baseballs. Five or six of them should be fly balls, and that makes for an easier night. But if your pitcher only gets two or three strikeouts then that high school team has to field 19 balls and that is where you could have errors. That is why pitching is so important in high school baseball. It eliminates opportunities for errors.”

The defense offers plenty of depth, with competition at many positions. Michael Gonzalez and Zach Henry will split time behind the plate, while Shaw figures into the mix with senior Derek Cerda and sophomore Andre Martinez up the middle. Senior Jeremiah Bennett is the primary designated hitter and is also fighting for time at third base with sophomore Matthew Patella, while as many as four different guys may rotate at first base depending on who is on the mound. Spatafora leads an outfield corps that includes veterans John Retureta, Gabe Paulsen and Isaiah Goodman and newcomer Daniel Hubert.

As a four-year player Spatafora can relate to what it feels like to be one of these new young guys trying to fit in. He has not forgotten what it felt like for him as a younger player, and he is proud to set the example of what they can earn in their careers.

“Starting my freshman year I had a senior that I really looked up to named Nick, and he brought me under his wing in the outfield and taught me what I needed to know,” Spatafora said. “I feel like people look up to me now on this team, but I still have to stay serious because they follow by example. I always wanted to be one of the big-name people that coach talked about. My job on the mound this year is to throw strikes and let my defense work. I like playing outfield, but this year the mound is my spot. We have a lot of talent and we’re going to be hard to beat.”

The team still maintains that character that saw them through tough times last year. These young Titans are eager to surprise everyone and make things as fun as they were a season ago. The coaches would love to see the guys emulate a season they all feel so fondly about.

“It is satisfying when you have a team that exceeds what you perceive their potential to be, and it was just a very pleasurable year,” McQuaid said. “We had no off-the-field issues and everybody was on the same page. The kids worked hard and bought into everything we asked them to do, and it showed up at the end of the year in the playoffs. American was better than us and our kids played a great game, and they did everything we asked them to do against St. Thomas.”

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