by Kathleen Whalen
Editorial Editor
    With all the other signs of impending spring comes the start of the baseball season. Given last year’s success, when LGHS’ varsity team tied the school record, going 28-5 and winning league as well as the second CCS title in school history, this year appears just as promising.
 

   Conditioning began during the fall, and despite the fact that it was optional, there was a large turnout. These practices had a strong focus on weight training, stretching, and running, as opposed to more specific baseball skills. According to CCS rules, the team was not allowed to practice any sort of baseball activity during that time. Current practices run from 3:00 to 6:00 pm six days a week. On Saturdays, the team practices from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with an hour for lunch, if there is no game that day. During the in-season practices, the team focuses on a variety of different techniques, such as base running.

     The boys’ first game was Tuesday, February 23rd, against Willow Glen at home. In the first three weeks of games, the team plays three West Catholic teams. On Thurs., Feb. 25, they beat Bellarmine and on Sat., Feb. 27, they defeated Sobrato. On Tues., March 9 they will take on the Monarchs at Mitty. The team’s biggest rivals this season are Wilcox and Palo Alto. For the last six years, LGHS and Wilcox have both been at the top of the league, resulting in very close and intense games.

    The LGHS head coach is Mike Denevi, and assistants are John Oldham, Anthony Skaran, Justin Oliver, and Nate Anderson. The team’s captains are seniors Matt Horton, Jason Sheperdson, and Corey Lanagan. Horton cited juniors Tyler Olivet, Curtis Breindenthal, Hayden Hibbered, Jack Larson, and Peter Danna as standout juniors. “As a team, we don't like to look at individuals,” Horton said. “We win as a team, we lose as individuals.”

    “It takes a lot of work to be consistently good at baseball,” said Sheperdson. The team’s hard work in practice proves this statement to be true, but it is also the team’s bond that pulls it through to victory. Horton mentioned, “Last year, the thing that put us ahead of the elite teams was we were truly a family throughout the whole season.” Denevi agrees, adding, “They are very close, and they work extremely hard yet have a good time out on the field. Our greatest asset is that we have 20 guys who can all play so we have tremendous depth and talent.  They push each other every day at practice.” This team’s dedication to the sport and to each other as teammates will certainly put them ahead once again.