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Season Review: Injuries hamper girls’ lacrosse

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The girls’ lacrosse team vs. East Bridgewater. / Photo by: Marcus Casey

The girls’ lax team had a 7-11 record and bunch of injuries.

It was yet another injury-riddled campaign for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ lacrosse team.

Senior captain Annika Putur (whole season), senior goaltender Marie Foscaldo (out for season after spring break), senior starting defenders Chloe O’Neil (six-plus games) and Gabby Trongone (seven-plus games), junior starting midfielder Riley Bina (seven games), sophomore Maggie Newcomb (six games), freshman starting goalie Ava Barry (last four games) and junior defender Treasa Duffy (missed most of the first half of season) missed significant time as the Panthers missed out on the tournament for just the second time in the last six years with a 7-11 record.

First-year head coach AC Decker said that despite the sub-.500 record, he felt the season went well.

“I feel I met the team where they were at and threw a lot of new concepts their way as the season went on,” he said. “I think they really gelled as a team.”

The Panthers’ performance in a rigorous Patriot League didn’t do them any favors. They went 2-9 against their league foes.

“It’s a tough league to move up in,” Decker said. “We had a pattern of starting games slowly and that let teams get out to an early lead. It’s hard to play from behind on a regular basis. We did better with this as the season went on, having some game where we played the full 50 minutes, but this is still a work in progress.”

What’s not a work in progress is Bina. Not even missing nearly 10 games could hold her back. She led the club with 37 goals, which she complemented with 13 helpers en route to Patriot League All-Star status.

“Riley earned the respect of her teammates due to her competitive nature and also her pure skill to transition the ball and find the back of the net with great shooting percentage,” Decker said. “She also tended to score more goals in competitive games than against easier opponents.”

Senior attack and captain Zoe Lydon was the lynchpin to the offense, racking up 35 goals and a team-high 53 points.

“Zoe leaves everything she has out on the field,” Decker said. “She takes it to the goal when needed and rides all the way to the other restraining line. She was one of the few players who consistently put in solid 50-minute games.”

Senior captain Sami Whitman (25 goals and nine assists), classmate Taylor Ross (20 goals and seven assists) and freshman Brooke Connors (12 goals and seven assists) also put forth solid offensive seasons.

One player that surprised Decker wasn’t on offense, but rather the other side of the field. It was freshman Joli Flamos, who started every game.

“Joli Flamos, who had not played before, was showing incredible speed, agility and a great sense of where to be on defense,” Decker said. “I took a risk and put her on varsity and the rest is history.”

Decker said the high point of the season for him wasn’t a win, a goal or a great play, but watching the girls gel – older and underclassmen.

“I remember at the end of season, at Pembroke during the JV game and the varsity players were sitting on the track joking with each and had to quiet themselves down,” he recalled. “I watched how the younger players were as much a part of it as the seniors. I remember smiling, thinking, ‘This is what it is all about, seeing them together as a team.’”

Decker said he has his work cut out for him over the next few months.

“In the offseason, I plan to go back through the game film and pull out select clips of things we do well and need to continue to do,” he said. “I will also take clips of what the other teams are doing well that we need to do. I also know what we need to work on and I will plow through my drill books and create some new drills to address our weaknesses.

“Also, due to all the injuries, we ended the season with 27 players on the roster, so we return 18 players for next season, all of whom were with the team since spring break.”

Whitman-Hanson Express Postseason Accolades: Spring Sports

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Athletes of the Season

Baseball: Rian Schwede | Senior – The Panthers’ ace dazzled opponents to the tune of a 0.79 ERA and 7-2 record to punctuate a four-year varsity career that included three Patriot League All-Star nods. He will play at Endicott next spring.

 

 

Softball: Victoria Ryan | Junior – She is the definition of an impact player. A repeat league all-star, the junior led the young squad in average (.390), slugging percentage (.542), on-base plug slugging (.961) and home runs (two).

 

 

Boys’ lacrosse: Mason Gorman | Senior – Selected as a league all-star, the senior midfielder fueled the Panthers’ turnaround by pumping in 32 goals and dishing out a team-high 26 assists for a team-best 58 points.

 

 

Girls’ lacrosse: Riley Bina | Junior – Despite missing seven games due to injury, the junior midfielder paced the team with 37 goals and added 13 helpers. The captain-elect was a Patriot League All-Star.

 

 

Boys’ tennis: Brian Fox | Junior – The junior captain, who was named the team MVP, led the Panthers with a 5-11 record while competing in No. 1 singles. Posted key wins against Pembroke and Spellman during the Panthers’ two-match win streak.

 

 

Girls’ tennis: Lexi Connolly | Junior – Named a Patriot League All-Star, the junior captain was terrific all season out of her post in No. 1 singles. Had a key victory in a tight 3-2 win over Plymouth North.

 

 

Boys’ outdoor track: Theo Kamperides | Sophomore – A Patriot League All-Star, the sophomore was one of the Panthers’ top scorers this spring. With a 2-mile run of 10:40.00, he placed first in the Patriot League meet.

 

 

Girls’ outdoor track: Ally Bartlett | Senior – The Express’ girls’ indoor track Athlete of the Season in the winter, Bartlett participated, and scored, in the maximum of four events in every meet. The senior captain was W-H’s top scorer.

 

 

Coach of the Season

Girls’ tennis: Sue Sookiasian – In her sixth season at the helm of the girls’ tennis team, she guided the Panthers, who received most of their contributions from sophomores and juniors, to their first ever tournament victory, a 4-1 win over Bishop Feehan. Sookiasian said after the season: “As the season progressed, our team progressed. I think our girls picked up speed as the season went along and gained confidence and we really ended up strong.”

 

*All photos by Sue Moss

Season Review: Net gains for boys’ tennis

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The boys’ tennis team had 14 new players this season.

With 10 freshmen and a total of 14 new players, there were some growing pains for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ tennis team, which finished the season 3-13. But, there was also a ton of progress.

“I definitely would call this season a success due to the growth and depth we were able to gain within the team,” said second-year head coach Alyssa Hayes.

Hayes said learning to work together was the most obvious area of growth.

“We had a good nine guys that would swap in and out in varsity matches which started to teach them to be flexible in doubles, not always knowing which partner they would be playing with,” she said.

Sitting at 1-12 entering the final week of the season, the Panthers flexed that growth with back-to-back wins over Pembroke (4-1) and Spellman (5-0).

“It was definitely a highpoint and included a team trip to DQ (Dairy Queen),” Hayes said.

Junior captain Brian Fox was the Panthers’ lone Patriot League All-Star, after leading the club with five wins while playing against the best the opposition had to offer in No. 1 singles.

“Brian is an all-around leader,” Hayes said. “He takes charge in anything I ask of him. Even without asking, he is the first to communicate with the team, make sure they’re all ready, show up early to practice, he really gets the job done. It is clear Brian is also a mentor to some of the younger players. He is going to lead the team to great things.”

In addition to Fox, there were many other key contributors for W-H this spring.

“We had a lot of new guys which was great because I saw a lot of growth,” Hayes explained. “Cam Lindsay came out for the team as a sophomore and not only grew in his tennis playing but ended up becoming a captain, alongside Brian, for next season. Seniors Griffin Pulkinen and Jared Badger came out for the team as seniors and worked their way into first and second doubles spots.”

It wasn’t just the new guys showing improvements, either.

“[Senior] Matt Hickey, who was on the team for four years, showed insane growth this season moving to second singles,” Hayes said. “He played like a back.”

Hayes said she was surprisingly impressed with the progress of Aidan Hickey, Dan McDevitt and Will Mulligan, and senior Nolan Smith, all of whom fought their way into varsity spots.

Hayes said winning the Patriot League’s Keenan Division sportsmanship award was the highlight of the year for her.

“Wins are nice, of course every coach hopes for them,” she said. “At the end of the day, seeing these talented athletes grow into respectful and graceful young adults surpasses it all.”

Hayes said she hopes to see the kids hit the courts in the offseason.

“My hope is that the players will play summer tennis,” she said. “Keeping consistent play is important.”

Season Review: Girls’ spring track squad is sprinting toward bright future

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The team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ team had a combined 35 freshmen and sohpomores.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ outdoor track team received some high praise this season. It wasn’t just from its own coaching staff, either.

“The Hingham coach said nobody will enjoy facing us over the next few years,” recalled fifth-year W-H head coach Steve George.

That feeling could be because of several factors. After a 2018 season that saw just 35 girls competing, the number of freshmen and sophomores alone matched that number this spring. That’s a good place to start.

“I expected improvement over last year from Day 1, when more than 60 girls attended our first practice,” George said.

A lot of them were big contributors also, such as freshmen Olivia Borgen and Myah Kamperides.

Borgen, who is also known for her prowess on the soccer field, was unbeaten in both the 200- and 400-meter dash during the Patriot League season, while only losing once in the 100-meter dash. She already holds the school record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.44, which she raced to May 7, and was the team’s second leading scorer.

“[She] is an incredibly talented sprinter,” George said.

Kamperides was third on the team in scoring with solid showings in the 2-mile run and discus.

“The sky is the limit for Myah, who is already comfortable running the practice paces of her male counterparts,” George said.

Juniors Ryley Hurley and Samantha Perkins were also big contributors who will be back next season.

In her first year doing outdoor track, Hurley was the team’s fourth leading scorer. She qualified for states in both the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, is a 4-foot-6 high jumper and among W-H top 100- and 200-meter sprinters.

“Despite being a newcomer to our sport, she is already a valued, and contributing, member of our team,” George said.

Perkins, a captain, was the Patriot League’s top javelin thrower thanks to a 111-foot-1-inch heave May 7.

“[She is also] one of our top sprinters and hurdlers as well,” George said.

Senior captain Ally Bartlett put forth another season to remember, participating and scoring in the maximum of four events ever dual meet. She was the team’s top points getter and one of eight seniors who left a lasting impact.

“All were on the team for several years and will be missed by their teammates and by me, certainly,” George said. “The group is pretty diverse in terms of talent, but they are all quality kids with bright futures ahead of them.”

The Panthers finished the spring with wins over Plymouth North (69-67), Scituate (91-45) and Duxbury (72-64), while losing to Hingham (85.8) and then Silver Lake (73-63), due to the unavoidable absences of several athletes for a school commitment.

“I was asked recently about the importance of winning, and frankly, my response drew some surprise when I replied that winning was unimportant,” George said. “But in our sport, the focus, as well as each athlete’s goal, is to improve each time out. We try to motivate our kids to establish a personal record every time out. While it may seem unrealistic, we had several meets where PRs totaled in the 60s. Each one is a win for me. Team wins will ultimately follow if every athlete does his/her part to improve.”

George said he believes the season was a success.

“I’ve been fairly consistent during my time here stating that the strength of any track and field team lies in the number of participants, and those among that number willing to put in the effort every day to improve,” he explained. “This year, our overall numbers rose and among our newcomers there were quite a few who were willing to accept the challenge of giving it 100 percent for the nearly three months we spent together.

“But, in my opinion, it is the rest of the coaching staff (Stephen Schlicting, Rob Bunszell, Samantha Richner, Jen Scarpelli, Kim Coletti, Denise Taylor and Julia Cosgrave), which justly, in addition to the kids, deserves credit. “[They’re] all former athletes, are working hard to return W-H to the position it once held in the sport.”

Season Review: Boys’ outdoor track yields success

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The team / Photo by: Sue Moss

The boys’ outdoor track team went 3-2 this spring.

For head Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ outdoor track coach Stephen Schlicting, it was tough to ask for a better campaign from his squad.

“This was a very successful season, in my opinion,” said the second-year head coach. “We started the season with over 70 boys on the roster and we finished with 60 active members. Recruiting and keeping a large number of athletes who strive to improve is a key to a track and field program remaining competitive in this league. Those athletes had hundreds of improvements over the course of the season. That’s how I gauge the team’s success.”

In the Panthers’ last three dual meets of the season – which featured wins over Duxbury (75-61) and Silver Lake (73-63) and a loss to Hingham (103-34) – athletes improved more than 50 times

“Our goals going into the season were to recruit a larger number of athletes than in the previous years,” explained Schlicting. “We wanted those athletes to improve. We wanted to participate in the major invitational meets (state relays, Patriot League meet, Div. 2 state meet and the MSTCA decathlon.) All those goals were met.”

The Panthers’ win/loss mark wasn’t too shabby either, as they finished the spring 3-2.

“We had a great group of boys on this year’s team,” said the coach.

Senior captain Dan Kline was named the team’s MVP after having a monster spring in both the 110-meter hurdles and javelin, while also contributing in the 400-meter hurdles.

“[He] was our best 110 high hurdler and javelin thrower,” Schlicting said.

Sophomore Theo Kamperides improved on an impressive freshman season, setting personal bests in both the 1- (4:45) and 2-mile run (9:58.37) en route to being tabbed a league all-star.

“He’s our team’s best 2 miler,” Schlicting said. “Theo came in first in the 2 mile at the Patriot League meet and had a great run, personal record of 9:58.37 at the Division 2 state meet.”

Junior Cullen Poth burst onto the scene in the discus and shotput, filling two major holes for the Panthers. His 39-foot-9 shot put throw and 117-foot-5 hurl of the discus were both personal bests this season.

“Cullen was our best discus and shot put thrower,” Schlicting said. “He was co-winner of our most improved award this year.”

Senior captains Shane Schraut (400-meter hurdles and 4×400 relay) and Billy Martell (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4×100 relay) were also key.

“The aforementioned seniors, Dan Kline, Shane Schraut and Billy Martell, will be missed in terms of the points they earned at meets,” Schlicting said. “Their leadership and spirit will be hard to replace.”

Freshman Jake Caterer will not be missed, however, as he’s just getting started with his W-H track career – and in a big way, setting the freshman school record in the 100-meter dash and tying it in the 200-meter dash.

“Jake is a freshman sprinter and jumper,” Schlicting said. “He [also] ran on the 4×100 relay team that qualified to compete at the state Division 2 meet. Jake is an excellent high jumper and long jumper [also].”

Schlicting said he’s already looking forward to next season.

“My hope is that the strength and spirit our seniors brought to this year’s team will be replaced and surpassed as the underclassmen step forward to lead next year’s team,” Schlicting said. “Some of those others who will step forward will also include Pat Bui, Brandon Hager, Graham Stewart, Nick Hanley, Dyllan Burns, Mike King, Chris Blackman, Nathan Tassey, Will Stafford and Zachary Standish.”

For girls’ tennis team, making history ‘feels great’

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The girls’ tennis team. / Photo by: Marcus Casey

Girls’ tennis wins its first tourney match ever.

A few minutes into the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ tennis team’s Division 1 South preliminary round match against Bishop Feehan, athletic director Bob Rodgers took off.

He hurried up the hill to the school to paw through some yearbooks in the library. He had a feeling the girls were on the precipice of something special. They were.

Roughly two hours later, the 15th-seeded Panthers secured the girls’ tennis program’s first tournament win on record when the first doubles team of Kyla Faghan and Rylie Harlow notched a 6-3 victory to push W-H ahead 3-0 en route to a 4-1 triumph over Bishop Feehan on Monday.

“It feels great,” said W-H head coach Sue Sookiasian. “These girls work so hard — tirelessly. It was a belief that they could do it. They put in the time, the practice and they have the skills.”

The Panthers’ second doubles team, consisting of Chloe Wilson and Divya Kumar, put them on the board early, making quick work of their opponents in two sets, 6-4 and 6-1.

Abby Pulling was the second point with 6-2 and 6-1 victories in second singles.

Faghan and Harlow followed with set wins of 6-4 and 6-3 wins.

After Lexi Connolly was upended in first singles, 2-6 and 5-7, Julia Benvie capped the match with a win in a tiebreaker.

“They fight as a team,” Sookiasian said. “A lot of times tennis is characterized as an individual sport, it’s not. It’s all about No. 1 to No. 18.”

The youngest of three, freshman Annie Cook carrying on her siblings’ legacy

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Photo by: Sue Moss

Freshman Annie Cook is continuing her siblings’ success on the dimaond.

After a brief meeting in left field at the conclusion of her game last week, Annie Cook, a freshman on the Whitman-Hanson Regional High softball team, didn’t waste any time.

She hurried into the dugout, placed her bat, glove and helmet into her bag, and trekked a diamond over — to the baseball field that is, to catch the final out of her brother Mike Cook’s game. A senior and four-year varsity player, three-year starter at second base and two-time Patriot League All-Star for the Panthers, Mike is in the midst of another All-Star season, hitting at a .356 clip. Since being inserted into the lineup every day, Mike, who is headed to play baseball at Babson College next season, has never hit below .300 (.302 as a sophomore and .394 as a junior).

Before Mike, it was Emily Cook, the elder of the three siblings. A four-year starter at six different positions for the softball team, Emily capped her career as a .424 batter after hitting .471 her senior campaign.

“I’ve always had high expectations from them,” Annie said. “They’ve always been really, really good athletes and really good scholars and stuff like that so I’ve always tried to hold myself up to their standards and try my best to be like them.”

Annie said her sister Emily is her biggest role model.

“She’s helped me a lot,” Annie said. “She’s always helped me for what to expect and how to pick myself up after a game. She just always said to play your heart out and do your best and you’ll do good.”

And do good is what she’s done. Annie is well on her way to making her own name for herself. The Panthers’ starter at the hot corner and leadoff hitter, Annie finished third on the team with a .444 average and .394 OBP and was tabbed a league all-star in just her first year.

“I knew right off the bat that I wanted her to lead off for us,” said W-H softball head coach Jordan McDermott. “Somehow she’s always able to get on. She’s got a solid swing and when she makes contact that ball is hit hard.”

Photo by: Sue Moss

Annie posted eight multi-hit games and McDermott said it’s her determination that sets her apart.

“She is always working hard to be better and be the best,” said the coach. “She can be hard on herself and has amazing self-discipline. I have seen her grow into being a loose and collected player.”

Annie Cook and head coach Jordan McDermott / Photo by: Sue Moss

Annie agreed that she’s grown a lot – especially mentally from the days when she was the one sitting behind the fence watching her sister take hacks in the batter’s box.

“I was nervous to get up here, but now that I’m older I’m ready to play these teams,” she said.

Annie said her goals for the offseason and rest of school year are to continue doing what got her to this point.

“I’ll keep working on my hitting,” she said. “I’m just going to keep trying to do my best.”

Whitman-Hanson alum Richner ready to roll as its new girls’ volleyball coach

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Alum Samantha Richner will coach Whitman-Hanson’s girls’ volleyball team.

Shortly after wrapping up her athletic and academic career at Whitman-Hanson Regional High in 2013, Samantha Richner then shifted her focus on trying to wiggle her way back into her alma mater. She has.

After four years at Bridgewater State, Richner was added to W-H’s track staff last spring and then as a cross country coach this past fall. Now, she’s been named W-H’s head girls’ volleyball coach, succeeding Ashley Balbian after two seasons.

“I’m very excited about it,” said Richner, who spent the fall of 2016 and 2017 coaching volleyball at Middleboro High. “It’s awesome to be back in Whitman-Hanson, where I grew up, and it’s a beautiful school with good facilities. I’m just excited for it.”

While she was a four-year varsity volleyball player for the Panthers, Richner will be the first to admit she wasn’t known for her prowess on the court, but rather the track. That continued at BSU, where she smashed program records on the track. However, she said all that running will work to her advantage.

“There’s a lot that I learned competing at Bridgewater that I wish I had known when I was in high school,” said Richner, who is a staff member at Whitman Middle School. “Like what’s good and what’s not good to eat and like how to stay in shape. I have a passion not just for volleyball but toward athletics and fitness and nutrition and just how to be a healthy athlete.”

Ironically enough, Richner said what draws her to volleyball the most is what makes it so different from track.

“I like volleyball because it’s a team sport,” she said. “I come from primarily a track-dominant background, so if I have a bad day in track, that’s just on me. But volleyball you have to rely on one another and that’s what I like most about coaching it.”

Richner is confident she’ll have no problem relating to her players.

“I know the facilities, the gym, what it’s like going to school there, and I know a lot of the teachers still and I know what they’re going through,” she said. “When I was at Middleboro, it was still relatable because I played the sport but it wasn’t there. Like this is their home and this is my home.”

So, what will be the characteristics of a Samantha Richner-coached team?

“High energy, exciting, driven and hard working,” she said.

The Panthers finished 8-11 last season.

“I want to bring consistency to the program,” explained Richner, who said she played for four different volleyball coaches at W-H. “My goal for them is, well obviously I want them to win and go to the tournament and even win that, but I also want consistency – to be someone they can be comfortable with. I know it’s going to be an adjustment with another head coach coming in, so long term I want consistency and to grow the program.

“I love athletics, so if I can coach I still want to be a part of it.”

Season Preview: Softball team, new coach ready to go

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The softball team is under new management.

After spending the three years as the head softball coach at Massasoit before the program folded, Jordan McDermott was ready to take the year off.

Between training to run the Boston Marathon, which happens Monday, studying for her educator license and spending time with her 1-year-old nephew, she was pretty busy. Then the softball job unexpectedly opened up at Whitman-Hanson Regional High in the first week of March. She applied.

“I said to myself, ‘If I don’t get it, I don’t get it,’” said McDermott of applying.

Well, she got it, and she’s excited to dip her toes into high school softball.

“I think, high school is just a better sit for me because I have more dedicated girls and the talent is much better,” said McDermott, a para professional at Indian Head Elementary School in Hanson.

“I’m just able to mesh better with high school athletes.”

McDermott said two of her best attributes as a coach are her athleticism and youth.

“I am able to just jump in the drills with the girls and show them how to do it correctly,” she said. “A lot of these kids nowadays, they’re digital learners. So being able to have a coach who stands on with that and can jump in a drill and show them the correct way to execute a play or the correct way to slide into a base just makes me a better. I’m asking them to do quicker and get it done correctly.”

McDermott takes over a young squad that posted a seven-win season last spring under Jenna Olem, despite its ace Colleen Hughes, now playing at Westfield State, throwing just three innings due to injury.

The injury thrust then-freshman Abby Cleary into the ace role, and she hurled 94 1/3 innings. She’ll lead the staff again this season.

“She just has an excellent poker face when she’s on the mound,” McDermott said. “She shows emotion but she’s game face, game ready. She likes her role and is ready to do what she has to”.

Senior captain Kayla Crawford will be Cleary’s battery mate for the second straight season.

“She knows the program and she knows what’s expected,” McDermott said. “She knows what they’re all capable of doing. She leads by example – on and off the field. She knows the game the very well.”

A Patriot League All-Star last season, junior captain Victoria Ryan is the top bat returning. The second baseman hit a team-high .382 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

“Victoria brings a lot to then team,” McDermott said. “She is someone who is the first one to make sure that a teammate is situated. She is the first one to put her hand on their back.”

Sophomore shortstop Reese Codero also returns as a starter. She hit .377 last spring and drove in 10 runs. Freshman Annie Cook (third base) and junior Kaylee Corbett (first base) will round out the infield.

Sophomore Emily McDonald will roam left field with junior Sophia Molinari in center and sophomore Ella Scriven flanking her in right.

“They’re just a great group of girls,” McDermott said. “I’m very lucky and very fortunate. These girls are going to have a fantastic season, I can feel it.”

The Panthers will be back in action Thursday, April 11 at 3:30 p.m. at Plymouth South.

“I just want to figure out any kinks, that we have,” McDermott said. “If I have to switch the starting nine, I have to. I see a couple of the games where I think we’re going to do very well. There’s another few games that I think that we may struggle, but it’s all mental to them.

“We’re just going to see what happens, hope we get a few wins and that’ll set the tone for the season for sure.”

Season Preview: Baseball team led on the bump

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Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers return their top two pitchers as they aim for a third straight Patriot League Keenan Division title.

It’s no secret. The Whitman-Hanson Regional High baseball is propelled by its arms.

In senior captains Ethan Phelps and Rian Schwede, the Panthers, winners of back-to-back Patriot League Keenan Division titles, return their top arms from last spring.

“I’m optimistic,” said head coach Pat Cronin, who enters the season with 467 career wins. “You’re always happy when you have your No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers returning.”

Schwede, a four-year varsity player, is the ace. The Endicott-bound right hander pitched to the tune of a 1.64 ERA over 51 1/3 innings last season.

“He’s the main guy,” Cronin said. “He’s as good as anybody in the league. It’s extremely impressive what he does. I have a lot of confidence in him.”

Phelps is one of the best No. 2s around. He posted a 1.36 ERA over 36 innings last spring.

“I’ve watched him grow a lot,” Cronin said. “He just loves the game of baseball. I’ve seen him mature mentally and physically since he was a freshman.”

Cronin said senior Sean Mackay, junior Devin Coulstring and sophomore Thomas Marshall will all likely log some innings on the bump as well.

But for the Panthers, who have been bounced in the first round of the tournament the past two years, to take the next step, their hitting must take it to the next level. Cronin said he’s already seen an improved approach.

“They’re swinging the bats how some of my really good teams have swung the bats,” Cronin said. “I’m optimistic.”

At the end of last season, Cronin challenged then-freshman starting shortstop Danny Kent to become a better hitter. Cronin said he has.

“When we went into the batting cages at the end of the year, I said, ‘Look, this is what you have to do. You got to develop a big swing, you got to turn around the head of the bat, you got to stay behind the ball and you got to catch the ball in front,’” said the coach. “He’s now swinging the bat like a veteran. What a difference.”

Two-time Patriot League All-Star, senior captain Mike Cook, is the centerpiece of the lineup. The Babson-bound second baseman knocked in a team-high 22 runs and hit .394 last season. He also stole 19 bases, which tied for the team lead.

“He’s another key guy for us,” Cronin said. “He can slide, is good defensively and a leader. We will present some problems if we get on.”

Phelps (.300 and 19 steals last season) and senior Derek Frank (.291 and 10 RBIs) will set the table for Cook. Frank moves from the right field, where he starred, to catcher. Schewde will hit fourth with Kent in the five hole.

“We have a good nucleus coming back,” Cronin said. “They were all on varsity last season. I’m confident in that group.”

Junior lefty Chris Zalewski with probably hit sixth and play third base, Coulstring is likely to hit seventh and play in right field, senior Will Newell will play in left an probably hit eighth with junior Robbie Nicholson rounding out the lineup and playing first base.

The Panthers do have their share of key losses from last season, including league all-star and catcher Ryan Sawtelle (hit team-high .400), Jimmy Dolan (hit .317) and Korey Howard (3-0 with 1.84 over 19 IP).

W-H will also set out for its third straight Patriot League Keenan Division title this season.

“If you’re not playing for the championship from Day 1, you’re never going to understand what it’s going to mean to be a program,” Cronin said. “These guys have come off three out of the past two years winning back to back championships, so they’re already way out there.”

The Panthers begin the season with a home game against league foe Scituate Monday, April 8 at 4 p.m.

“I’m looking for us to hopefully we can hit the baseball,” Cronin said. “That’s going to give us the opportunity to grow. I’m looking for them to come out and swing the bats. I pretty much can guarantee you that we’re going to play good defense and with Schwede and Phelps, we’re always in the game.”