This article was written by sophomore Luke Page.
On June 13, 2021, a baseball collided with a bat and flew towards centerfield. All eyes were on Tony Concessi to see if he could make the winning catch. As the ball fell into his glove the U-32 bench ran onto the field and celebrated U32’s first baseball state title.
This year U-32 plans to defend their title. However, there’s speculation that the team won’t be able to win without last year’s star pitcher, Owen Kellington, who went on to be the highest MLB-drafted baseball player to come from Vermont.
Geoff Green is the head coach of U32’s baseball team. He said that this year’s pitching rotation is anchored by Carter Hoffman, Alex Keane, and Kevin Dowling. “We have three very quality starting pitchers that I think can pitch against any team in the state,”Greene said.
The team also still has players who contributed to the playoffs and championship. Peter Cioffi, a junior, was able to drive in 3 of the 9 runs earned from the semi finals and the playoff game; while Carter Hoffman, a senior, had many key hits and defensive plays.
“There are a lot of people who talk about how Owen carried the team,” Green said, “but none of those people are on our team!”
Green also talked about practice and how the late snow affected the team. They were forced to practice in the gym later in the year then they wished and the field was still wet from the recent melting of the snow.
Green is not the only one who believes in their team. Senior Charlie Haynes is a first baseman. “We are strong all around,” he said. “We are well-rounded and I think we have all the pieces to be a successful team.”
Haynes also said the players on the team have respect for their coaches. They appreciate the help they give with pitching, hitting and fielding. They said their coaches keep it light while staying serious, so that their team and players are successful.
“We got a group of very high-quality young men.” Green said. “They care about the game, they care about the team, and they care about each other.”
