Rejecting rebuilding

Despite heavy graduation hits from 19-7 team, SBHS still confident of another strong season

By: James McKeever
   In five seasons at South Brunswick High School, head coach Leo Danik and his staff have guided a winning baseball program. And successful programs don’t like to use the word rebuilding.
   After losing eight seniors – most of them key players – from a team that finished 19-7 last year, many coaches would call this a rebuilding season.
   Not Danik.
   The veteran coach has confidence that his team will learn as the season goes on and compete just as hard as the Vikings always have.
   "We have a lot of kids coming up that people don’t know about," said Danik, who has a 70-44-2 record at South Brunswick with four winning seasons. "But they can play. Many of them just don’t have the game experience that they need right now. But we’re going to get better as the season progresses."
   The Vikings open the season on Wednesday at St. Joseph’s at 4 p.m., then travel to Piscataway Friday, also at 4 p.m. Their first home game is scheduled for Saturday, April 7 vs. North Brunswick at 10:30 a.m.
   Last year, the Vikings won the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division championship and played in the Central Jersey Group IV final. Two players who played prominent roles in that success have graduated. That would be pitchers Kyle Breese (7-3, 2.02 ERA) and Tyler Chromey (6-3, 2.61 ERA), who threw three shutouts apiece to head a staff that finished with a 2.65 team ERA.
   Only two pitchers with varsity experience return, Matt Forthun and Connor Henderson.
   Forthun, a senior right-hander, begins his fourth season on the varsity. Forthun pitched in six games last year, four as the starter, and compiled a 4-1 record with a 3.76 ERA in 22.1 innings. He walked seven against 18 strikeouts. Henderson worked in two games, getting a no-decision in both starts. He had a 4.85 ERA in 8.2 innings.
   "Our pitching could be good," Danik said. "We have guys with arms, we just don’t have a lot of guys who have been thrown in the fire. Last year we had two very good pitchers in Kyle and Tyler, and Matt Forthun did a very good job, so the other kids didn’t get a chance to throw much. I don’t think we have that one pitcher who you look at say he’s the definite ace, but we have four or five pretty good pitchers."
   In addition to Forthun and Henderson, Danik will look to seniors Greg Watson and Mike Koller, and juniors Chris Sisco, Kurt Neibanck and Frank Celi to complete the pitching staff. Koller, Sisco and Celi are left-handers.
   The Vikings’ pitchers will have two good catchers to work with. Mike Mariano is the returning senior starter. In addition to his stellar work behind the plate, Mariano hit .395 with a team-high 19 RBI last season. Mariano also had four doubles, two triples and three home runs. Christiano Armenti is a junior reserve catcher who also works well with pitchers. Danik will try to work Armenti into the lineup.
   South Brunswick should have one of the better infield units in the GMC Red Division, especially on the right side with first baseman Jake Jaskowski and second baseman John Haas, both seniors. Jaskowski hit .377 last season with four doubles and 14 RBI. Haas led the club in batting average (.460) doubles (nine) and triples (three), plus drove in 14 runs.
   The left side of the infield features returning senior Brandon Martin (.279), who was second on the team with 16 RBI. The starting shortstop will be freshman Juan Perdomo, who is steady and should benefit greatly from playing with such an experienced and talented supporting infield cast.
   "We’re just looking for Juan to make the routine plays, don’t try to be too fancy or do too much," Danik said. "Obviously we think he can play."
   Tyler Olsson, a junior, is a reserve infielder who will see time at second base and shortstop. Coming into this week Danik had not picked his starting outfield. With several solid candidates, the coach was going to get a good look at everybody thanks to a busy week filled with scrimmages.
   Sophomores Tom Dunleavy, Dan Acevedo and Tom Spilitore were candidates. None have varsity experience. Senior Dan Miller is also competing for the center field spot.
   Forthun has experience in the outfield and will see action there when he isn’t pitching. Henderson, Watson and senior Matt Ondrejack could also see time in the outfield. Some of the outfielders could get at-bats as the DH as well. Henderson appeared in 11 games last year, getting five at-bats. Ondrejack played in eight games and had 11 plate appearances.
   "Ultimately you only go as far as your seniors take you," Danik said. "Teams might have to get us early in the season because the later part of the season we’re going to get better. We have guys that can play. We were competitive on all three levels last year. I’m just thrilled to be on a field playing baseball. We’re ready to go."
   Danik will again be assisted by coaches Pete Lestician (varsity), Aaron Eyler (JV) and Tim Sweeney (freshmen). The staff is boosted by veteran coach Lou Urbano, who is helping the program on every level as an assistant. Urbano has enjoyed success as a head coach at J.F. Kennedy in Iselin, Colonia and St. Joseph’s.