2017 Suburban Council Baseball Preview
Suburban Council baseball is back for the 2017 season. Shen winning the blue division and the AA championship, while CBA captured the grey division but was runner up to Shen in the Class AA final. All teams have high hopes and look to get revenge, here is the rundown for this year.
Shen: Shen is looking to pick up where the left off capturing the class AA championship. Shen is usually a guaranteed consistent team to finish in the top of the Suburban. Without NYSPHAA player of the year Ian Anderson, it will be a test for Shen trying to figure out who can step up and fill that role. I see them capturing the blue division but not winning the Class AA title.
CBA: CBA probably has the most hope out of any school in the Suburban. With a ton of returning players, the Brothers are looking to shape out well. The goal for this season for the Brothers has to be 1. Beat Shen and 2. Capture the AA championship, something they couldn’t get last year. They are full of commits including Nick Debrino (Canisius), Davis Payne (Richmond) Jason Rubilata (UMass Lowell). Not just commits, they are full of returning players including Nick Debrino, Davis Payne, Peter Close, Ian Beauregard, Nick Mellilo.
Mohon: Mohon on the other hand is very different from the two schools above, their record was 7-15 last year, something they didn’t go for. Mohon has a ton of returning players with one of the best outfielders in the suburban council if not the best Brandon Kruzinski. Ryan Lanaro is the #1 arm in the infield for Mohon. He has back up in seniors Brennan Macejka and Jon Seiter. Their power coming from senior Ryan Starr and junior Aj Savoie. Something a team needs is all around athletic players, Mohon has Ryan Deguire and Nick Amedore can do it all also. The future is bright for Mohon this season, but will they contend with CBA and Shen?
Columbia: Danny Watson is the center of attention for Columbia this year, making big noise not just at the high school level, but at the travel level as well. But it isn’t just Watson making the noise, it is his fellow Junior led pitching staff who has big hopes. Columbia finished with a 12-10 overall record. Offensively and defensively, the Blue Devils have improved especially over the spring. Coach Dedrick adds that the Suburban is yet a primer league in the state.
Guilderland: A team that could for sure make a deep run this year is Guilderland. With a record of 12-6 last year, the Dutchman are led by 12 returning SENIOR players. Word has it that the boys from Guilderland have paid their dues and put in the work during the offseason, developing strong arms in almost every position. High hopes for the Dutchman, so it should be interesting to see how the season plays out.
Toga: Toga is back for 2017, full of commits and ready to repeat and improve from last season. Keegan Leffler has high hopes for the Blue Streaks, especially after their trip to Florida. Last year, Toga finished with a 14-9 record. Some key players to lookout for this year are Keegan Leffler, Brad Hipsley, Jake Fauler, Lewi Clarke, Brain Hart and Peter Herman. They kick off the season when they take on La Salle. Follow them on twitter @Togabaseball
Shaker: Shaker is looking good this year and ready for 2017. The Blue Bison struggled last year, just under .500 at 10-11. Shaker dropped a tough first round game in sectionals last year to Columbia. Along with plenty other teams in the suburban, they are veteran led. The lineups look for sure promising with big names in Maki Medici, Ben Pensel, Brandon Discostanzo and Dino Ferrarse. Key Losses include Brendan Macphee, Ryan Lozano, Jimmy Herrian and Matt Pulsen. Shaker kicks off its season when they take on Bethlehem on April 10th.
For continued coverage of Section 2 Baseball, stay with Upstate Sports Zone… @upstate_sports
By Jake Martino
